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Month: April 2022

Leclerc wins Australian F1 GP

by: Luke Entwistle
10/04/2022

The victory never looked in doubt for Charles Leclerc as he wrapped up a dominant weekend with a race win in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, extending his championship lead.

Returning to Australia for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, F1 teams were given an impressive welcome. Over 419,000 attended the circuit over the course of the race weekend, making it the most attended sporting event in Australian history.

Leclerc reigned supreme all weekend. He secured pole with a flying lap at the end of Q3, although he couldn’t count on his team-mate Carlos Sainz to aid him in his fight with the Red Bulls, as he could only manage ninth.

It was Sainz who was the big loser off the line. In need of gaining places to help his team-mate fend off a pair of charging Red Bulls, the Spaniard instead went backwards. Bogging down at the start, he lost five places. Languishing down in 14th, he was too steadfast in attempting to atone for his error, and, in an optimistic overtake at a high-speed chicane, missed his braking zone and found himself beached in the gravel trap.

That retirement necessitated a safety car, eliminating the gap that Leclerc had already begun to create to Verstappen up front.

This was a weekend in which Ferrari laid their marker, however, and there remains no doubt that they do in fact have the quickest car this season. Within six laps from the restart, Leclerc had grown a four second lead, giving him a healthy margin going into the first pit window.

Clearly quicker than everyone else on track, it was only the errors of others that put him back into the clutches of his rivals. First Sainz and then Sebastian Vettel. The German’s miserable return to the track following Covid went from bad to worse. A spin into the wall brought out the second safety car, George Russell the main benefactor as he pitted onto a podium position.

For the first, and only time in the race, Leclerc had to get racey at the restart. A poor exit from the final corner gave Verstappen a whiff of an opportunity, and he attacked on the run down to turn one. Leclerc, however, placed his car well, and did so again at the next braking zone to keep the reigning World Champion behind.

If there was any lingering doubt about the superior speed of this Ferrari relative to its rivals, it was extinguished this weekend. Leclerc’s pace was unmatched as he put in quickest lap after quickest lap.

Verstappen himself was in need of an extinguisher on lap 39. Losing power, he had to pull over, registering his second DNF in three races. His erratic start to the season (one victory, two retirements) continues, in a Red Bull that clearly remains dogged by technical issues.

Although Verstappen literally lost power out on-track, he has been figuratively powerless all weekend to prevent Leclerc from strolling to victory in Melbourne.

With a healthy gap to Sergio Perez, Leclerc could enjoy a serene ride to the chequered flag as he picked up his second win of the season.

The only concern for the Monégasque driver was securing the fastest lap, as he repeatedly, but politely, asked his team if he could try for the fastest lap. No need. He already had the fastest lap, and no one could match it. But just to be sure, he put in another fastest lap at the death as he crossed the chequered flag to cap the perfect weekend.

Perez and Russell rounded off the podium, the latter managing to keep team-mate Lewis Hamilton behind to secure his first podium for Mercedes.

Post-race, Leclerc expressed his surprise at his car’s pace. “The car was just amazing and I’m very pleased with how my race went. On paper, this was a track that we expected to be tough for us.” The Monegasque isn’t getting ahead of himself, and still expects a tough title challenge. “It’s a great way to start the season, but we have to keep in mind that we are only three races into a very long championship. We can’t afford to relax at any moment.”

Leclerc next heads to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where you wouldn’t bet against him extending his already sizable lead of 34 points. It is still early in the season, but should Ferrari and Leclerc carry the same pace into the upcoming races, that much-coveted title battle may not materialise; Leclerc is in a league of his own.

 

 

Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari press office

 

 

 

Roca Team’s play-off opponents revealed

by: Luke Entwistle
10/04/2022

On a night in which basketball played second-fiddle amidst a carnival atmosphere in the stands, AS Monaco Basketball nonetheless did the job on-court, beating Alba Berlin 91-74 on Friday.

Leading the vast majority of the match, the victory rarely looked in doubt. The performance hit many of the same notes as recent weeks: periods of attacking fluidity were supplemented by a defensive fortitude, and game management from a maturing Roca Team kept tension to a minimum.

The match was rarely, if ever, in doubt. Alba Berlin came to the Principality with nothing to play for, their loss against Anadolu Efes the previous week had ended their hopes of a play-off position. They can therefore be forgiven for a lack of motivation, which often showed on court.

Amongst the 3,400 strong crowd at the Salle GAston Medecin was Prince Albert II, who saw the Roca Team race into an early lead that they never looked like conceding. THe home side took the ascendency towards the end of the first-quarter, and took that into the second, registering an 11-point run.

This was another match in which everyone contributed, and Sasa Obradovic referenced this post-match, stating, “Tonight we played as a team once again.” Nonetheless, there were a handful of stand-out performances, notably from Dwayne Bacon, whose poster dunk in the third-quarter got the crowd off their seats.

Berlin showed signs of a comeback towards the back of the third-quarter, but a Brock motum three-pointer and an impressive interception and two-pointer from Mike James put pay to that notion. The ease of the victory (91-74), meant that fans in attendance could sit comfortably and enjoy the spectacle on a night of celebration.

Mike James: MVP for March

Prior to the match, Mike James was awarded on-court the MVP award in the Euroleague for the month of March. During that time, in which Monaco registered four victories for just one defeat, James averaged 19.8 points and 5.4 assists. A quintessential part of Monaco’s run to the play-offs he is only the seventh player to receive three monthly MVP awards, and the first to do so with three different teams.

He received the award from Monaco’s minister of State Pierre Dartout and AS Monaco Basketball’s President Alexey Fedorychev. Things could improve further for James, who will likely be touted by many as the season’s MVP, especially if they advance in their play-off against Olympiacos.

The play-off draw

Real Madrid’s surprise defeat against Bayern Munich in their match on Friday night meant that Monaco will face Greek giants Olympiacos. THe first two legs of a potentially five-legged tie will take place in Greece on 19th and 22nd April.

Monaco will then welcome back their heroes to the Salle Gaston Medecin on 26th April, before another match on 28th April, if the tie has not already been settled. Monaco will fancy their chances. The in-form side, they also stunned the Greeks 92-72 in the Principality just a couple of weeks ago.

Bacon, Monaco’s top scorer last night (19), told Monaco Life that he isn’t expecting such an easy match-up when they next meet. “It’s definitely going to be hard. It won’t be the Same game as when we last played them. They’re going to be at home. Their fans, their stadium is legendary, it’s outstanding.”

His manager, Obradovic, added, “Olympiacos is a team with a lot of experience at this level in the play-offs and of course that counts for something.” Both were, however, remained defiant. Obradovic said, “it won’t be easy to beat us”, whilst the American Bacon added, “We’re ready for the challenge.”

Should they overcome the Greek challenge, they will then head into the “final four” in Belgrade, which takes place from May18th-May 20th. Potentially on the precipice of greatness, Obradovic is allowing his imagination to go wild with the possibilities, and reminded us that we all should too: “We have to allow ourselves to dream.”

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

 

“The most important two weeks in the club’s history”

by: Luke Entwistle
09/04/2022

During an exclusive interview with Monaco Life, AS Monaco Basketball’s General Manager Oleksiy Yefimov spoke about the team’s “fairytale” Euroleague season, whilst revealing grand plans to consolidate that success.

“I truly believe that those two weeks were the most important in the club’s history so far,” said Yefimov in the aftermath of the Roca Team’s qualification for the Euroleague play-offs on Friday. This unlikely feat is a tale of how AS Monaco Basketball ploughed on through adversity to make their dream a reality.

Although the last few weeks and months are the exciting third act of this captivating tale, the opening two acts carry an equal, if not greater importance, as Yefimov set the scene for a story that would captivate basketball fans across the continent.

Arriving in 2015, the Ukrainian has piloted a soaring project that has reached new heights with each passing season. Taking the reins of a LNB Pro B club, the Roca Team immediately earned promotion into the top division of French basketball, the LNB Pro A.

Just a year later, the side were competing in Europe, and in the 2020-2021 season, they won the Eurocup, securing entry into the Euroleague for the first time in the club’s history, as Monaco entered into the hall of the basketball elite.

New kids on the court

The odds were stacked against the Roca Team from the outset, who nonetheless had ambitious, clearly outlined objectives. “When we started the Euroleague, of course our main goal was to get into the play-offs, to remain in the competition for the upcoming season.” Announcing themselves on the largest stage of European basketball doesn’t come without its own set of unique challenges.

“Back in September, we had a lot of things to fix,” began Yefimov. The greatest source of those problems? The Salle Gaston Médecin. Its limited capacity (only 5,000) didn’t fulfil the requirements of the league, and this was a heavily disruptive issue in the run-up to the season.

“Only two weeks prior to the start of the Euroleague season, we got permission to host Euroleague games in Monaco. There was an open question about the home arena, so a lot of players in the beginning were hesitant because we didn’t have that kind of reputation at the highest level.”

Difficulty in recruitment was a major issue for a side that Yefimov believed in need of an almost completely refreshed roster. “We had seen that Euroleague and Eurocup levels were almost incomparable… The Euroleague is a completely different level, a much higher level than the Eurocup or any other European competition.”

Those recruitment difficulties were only exacerbated by a relatively small budget compared to their Euroleague rivals. “Last year we had the 10th or 12th biggest budget amongst Eurocup teams, this season we are operating with only the 13th or 14th largest budget in the league,” said Yefimov.

In addition to the squad rebuild, a limited budget and a lack of arena, history also weighed heavily against the Roca Team. “When you look at it statistically, there isn’t a case where a newcomer in the Euroleague reached the play-offs. Teams in the Euroleague for the first time are finishing 16th, 17th, 18th…Since the tournament became the Euroleague, no French division team has reached the play-offs.”

Despite using their funds in a “smart way,” the outlook wasn’t great in the opening stages of the season. Following a five-game losing streak in the Euroleague, and languishing in 14th position, a change was required and coach, Zvezdan Mitrovic was fired.

The Serbian saviour

“It was an extremely risky decision. Considering it statistically, in more than 80% of cases, when a team is changing a coach during the season the situation doesn’t improve,” admitted Yefimov. Risky, but certainly not reckless, the decision to bring in Sasa Obradovic was a heavily deliberated one. “You need to think not just twice, but 20 times prior to making your decision to part ways with your coach during the season.”

Serbian coach, Obradovic was always the standout candidate. Having already worked at AS Monaco, he knew the organisation, the league and also had experience of taking charge of teams mid-season.

Hindsight would reveal that Yefimov’s decision to bring him in to be a masterstroke. “When we brought in Obradovic, we were sure he was a Euroleague level coach. He really proved that by fixing the locker room and by converting us from the worst defensive team into one of the best defensive teams in the second part of the season.”

With 13 wins in 18 Euroleague matches, the Roca Team’s record since his arrival speaks for itself. Consequently, he has been rewarded with a new contract, which was announced by his agent Misko Raznatovic on Twitter, and later reported by BeBasket, on Wednesday.

According to Yefimov, Obradovic’s impact on the mindset of the squad since his arrival has been as clear as night and day; the collective has triumphed over the individual.

“In the beginning of the season, our problem was that we had a group of talented players, whilst in the second-half we had a real team. Every single player is humble and hungry on the court. In the second part of the competition, everyone was contributing and focused on the team result, no one was really focused on their personal stats.”

As a result, he said, “I don’t want to single out any player because we won it as a team. There was a huge pressure for results. They did it in the hardest arenas like in Red Star, they did it against Milano, which is one of the best defensive teams. The team did something really special.”

A mutually beneficial relationship

The play-offs now await, and as one of the most in-form sides in division, you can’t rule out the Roca Team making more history. Yefimov, however, has the bigger picture in mind, and is already thinking about consolidating their success.

Monaco have now qualified for next season’s competition, but beyond that, they aim to become a permanent member of the competition, and to do that Monaco must prove their worth, both on and off the court. “From day one, we were trying to prove that the Euroleague would benefit from Monaco’s participation. On the court, we are the first ever newcomer to reach the play-offs. Off the court, we showed that because of Monaco’s participation, the Euroleague can find a TV deal in Monaco. There is a huge demand for Monaco, not only in the Principality, but also in France.”

He added, “The TV ranking of our broadcasts of our games are so high that I believe it is now obvious that Euroleague and Euroleague clubs will only benefit if Monaco becomes a long-term partner and participant of the competition.”

Grand designs for a new home

Nothing represents the boundless ambition of Yefimov better than his plans for the Roca Team’s home arena. Yefimov was grateful for the government’s work in increasing the capacity to allow matches to be hosted at the Salle Gaston Medecin this year, whilst this summer, in just three months, the capacity will be increased further to 5,600. The run-up to the next campaign will therefore not be dogged by the same issues as this one. “Next season, we will not have problems or issues with hosting games in Monaco.”

That is only the beginning, however. Yefimov revealed plans to Monaco Life for an even larger stadium, away from their home within the Stade Louis II, in order to continue to prove their credentials to the Euroleague organisers. “One of the milestones will be to present an arena construction plan. This is something which is crucial and the most important, and we need to do this together, of course with the Monaco government. The minimum requirement for arena capacity for a shareholder club is 10,000.”

He continued, “We are discussing a few different opportunities with the government for the construction of the new arena. I am not empowered to give the exact dates, but we are doing our very best to find a solution as soon as possible. Our goal will be to find a solution in the following season.”

Lest we forget, amongst all of these grand plans, there is still a Euroleague title up for grabs, and Yefimov is hoping that it is his coach and playing staff that will do the talking on the court. “I would rather stay quiet, and hope that results will speak instead of me.” Regardless of what happens in the play-offs, it is clear that Monaco are comfortable at the top-level, and Yefimov endeavours to keep them there.

 

 

Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball

 

 

 

Monaco Streaming Film Festival prepares for powerful return

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/04/2022

After launching during Covid, the Monaco Streaming Film Festival is back even stronger this Spring, with a heavy focus on powerful women and a goal of advancing the video-on-demand industry. Here is what we know so far.

After five years contemplating the idea of developing a streaming event in Monaco, Tony Davis gathered a team together and put the wheels in motion for the world’s first video-on-demand festival, the Monaco Streaming Film Festival, in 2021.

“There was no festival or event specifically focussed on viewing-on-demand, or streaming, and there was, in fact, a level of hostility towards streaming platforms from the film and theatrically-oriented industries,” Tony Davis tells Monaco Life.  “So, we decided to create a platform for the industry to understand itself better, to communicate more easily, to network, and identify relationships and opportunities.”

Despite all the drawbacks of hosting an inaugural festival in the middle of a global pandemic, including last-minute cancellations and health restrictions, the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (MSFF) last year made headlines across the world and attracted some big names in the field.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the demand and subscriber growth in streaming video services massively. Disney+, for example, launched in November 2019 and reached its goal of 60 million subscribers globally by 2024 four years ahead of schedule.

But, the video-on-demand industry is still very much in its infancy.

So, over the course of four days, from 31st May to 3rd June at the Grimaldi Forum, the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (MSFF) will bring together industry professionals, content creators, investors, and the general public for a series of film premiers, conferences, cocktail and networking events, Q&As, screenings, and a gala.

It is a jam-packed schedule that will see the showcasing of 100 films in just three days, including 80 shorts and 20 features.

Monaco Life can reveal that among the highlights is the premier screening of a film produced by Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn’s son.

The festival will also welcome keynote speaker Cherie Blair, wife of former UK prime minister Tony Blair, who is a renowned barrister and advocate for equal rights and female empowerment. She recently made her first foray into film-making, serving as executive producer on the drama The Rock Pile. The film tells the story of Time magazine correspondent Bob Hastings who, while on assignment in Jerusalem, uncovers a story of three young boys of different faiths who are brought together through football.

“There is going to be a very strong theme of powerful female leaders,” says Davis, adding that the festival is representative of a contemporary industry. “The Streaming Festival is a modern festival. We don’t pay attention to the history of film, we are about the video-on-demand and streaming industry, and it is very important to us that we are a completely inclusive event, that we are open to all people, be they a film maker like James Cameron (Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss etc.), recently out of film school, or not from film school at all… there is a place for them to come along to the festival, to enjoy and learn.”

Unlike the highly exclusive Cannes Film Festival, which ends just two days prior, the MSFF encourages the public to attend conferences, and watch film premiers and screenings. Organisers are even going so far as to offer free popcorn and coffee as a special treat.

Meanwhile, on International Parent’s Day, Wednesday 1st June, the festival is teaming up with local group Entreparents to offer free back-to-back screenings of children’s films. Stay tuned for some big-name announcements here soon.

For industry professionals, or those wishing to enter the industry, the festival will host film and production distribution organisations from all over the world, providing a platform for the guidance and support of producers and distributors as they navigate their way in this new frontier.

Finance through NFTs is also a hot topic.

The Streaming Film Festival 2022

The event will culminate in the Monaco Streaming Film Festival Awards on Friday 3rd June, during which 12 individuals and organisations will be rewarded for their successes at a black-tie event.

Last year’s winners include ‘Lord of the Danse’ star Michael Flatley for Best Actor in his film Blackbird, ‘Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult’ for Best Documentary Series, and Jon Favreau, creator of the Star Wars Disney+ original series The Mandalorian, for the Reg Grundy Innovation Award.

“We decided that the award would recognise innovation because Reg Grundy changed television,” says Jo Cullen-Cronshaw, CEO of RG Capital and Director of the MSFF.

Reg Grundy is best known for the Australian television productions Prisoner, Neighbours and Sons and Daughters, as well as game shows Match Game and Wheel of Fortune.

“He wasn’t just a creator of programming, he created formatting. Copyrighting only existed in books etc. at the time, not in television, so how it all works today is down to Reg Grundy.”

The MSFF Reg Grundy Innovation Award is “specifically for game changers”, says Cullen-Cronshaw, “somebody who has changed the direction of film in all its genres. We admit, Jon Favreau will be a big name to follow.”

There have been 3,000 films submitted from around 112 countries for this award alone.

RG Capital is the main backer of the Monaco Streaming Film Festival, coming on board during a challenging inauguration. But an exciting line-up for 2022 has organisers confident that the event will attract more corporate sponsorship going forward.

They also expect to significantly grow on last year’s figure of over 100,000 people in virtual participation, 80% of which was in the US alone.

“The conferences will go out live again, so anyone in the world can tune in and participate,” says Davis. “This year, we are also packaging the films and series that we are screening for a number of global streaming platforms to share with their audiences. It will give producers an opportunity to be seen by a massive global audience to not only enjoy their work, but who may also help them develop and trigger their careers.”

The digital platform

While the MSFF will end after three and a half days, its mandate will continue through a new digital platform that will provide anyone around the world with ongoing access and networking opportunities in the world of streaming.

“The Grundy Creator Platform, which will go live the day the Monaco Streaming Festival ends, can be used for a number of reasons – to search for project financing, to seek distribution, to learn more from key industry professionals,” reveals Davis. “It is a financing, distributing and learning tool that they can come into anytime they wish.”

It will also be a platform on which people can upload their creations, a bit like the Tinder of streaming.

“People can place their projects on the platform and potential financiers will use our algorithms to identify the type of project they want to invest in,” explains Davis. “They can then look in to it further and interact with the producers, and hopefully get involved by funding the production of the project.”

Monaco Life is proud to be a media sponsor of the MSFF. Tickets are now available online at http://www.mcsff.com.

 

 

 

 

Photos source: MSFF 

 

 

 

Christina Aguilera added to Summer Festival line-up

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/04/2022

American pop diva Christina Aguilera and Lebanese singer, dancer and actress Myriam Fares have both been added to the line-up of the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival, joining the likes of James Blunt, Alicia Keys and Rita Ora for the star-studded month-long event.

The Monte-Carlo Summer Festival, hosted each year by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) is so much more than a concert series. It has become a summer institution and a draw for some of the biggest names in the music world.

Held at various locations around the Principality, including Le Sporting, the Opera Garnier and, most recently, Casino Square, the 2022 Summer Festival marks a return to normalcy after the pandemic years, which limited the acts who were able to come and play.

The roster of names reads like a Who’s Who in the music world, with the superstars of today mingling with old favourites, and the recent announcement of Christina Aguilera and Myriam Fares joining the line-up just adds to the glamour.

Christina Aguilera first hit the scene as an 18-year-old ingenue and had three number-one hits from her debut album back in 1998. Her hit-making streak continued for decades, and she expanded her career from the music industry to include stints as a coach on reality show The Voice, an actress on the drama series Nashville, and as an on-stage act in Las Vegas’s Planet Hollywood.

She is coming to the Salle des Etoiles on 29th July for an 8pm dinner show that is sure to get crowds up on their feet and dance the night away.

Also added is Lebanese star Myriam Fares. First hitting the scene in 2003 with her debut album Myriam, she fast became famous for her provocative costumes and stage style, often being compared to Shakira for her boldness.

Myriam Fares is coming to join the Oriental Night line-up on 11th August taking place at the Salle des Etoiles with doors opening at 8pm.

For tickets and more info, visit the event website at https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/shows/monte-carlo-summer-festival

 

 

 

 

ASM preview: “I want my players to be 200% motivated”

by: Luke Entwistle
08/04/2022

AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement has previously described every match of the run-in as a final. The Belgian spoke to the press on Friday, before the latest one against an in-form Troyes side.

Unbeaten in their last five matches, Troyes will arrive at the Stade Louis II high on confidence, and Clement isn’t underestimating the threat that they pose. “I don’t want my players to underestimate the opponent. Troyes are currently in their best period of the season, and I’m surprised they aren’t higher in the table because they have technical qualities.”

Monaco are enjoying a purple patch themselves, and it will be important to carry that through into this match in order to catch up with European rivals Rennes and Nice, both of whom they will face in the coming weeks.

“I want my players to be 200% motivated,” said Clement. “It is a message I have passed on since I arrived here. I saw that mentality against Metz and I want to see it again on Sunday.”

One player who has been sidelined for the last couple of matches, but has shown positive signs in training this week is Sofiane Diop. A mainstay of the side until the match against PSG, he has not featured in back-to-back fixtures for the first time all season.

“I have seen him frustrated from time to time, but not the last couple of days. The last two training sessions I saw once again the Sofiane from January and February. We need that.” He then told Monaco Life, “I have seen a good reaction from him.”

Should Diop be back to his scintillating best, it would provide an extra impetus for an improving Monaco side. The news isn’t all positive however. Monaco Life attended training in La Turbie on Friday and can report that Guillermo Maripan and Radoslaw Majecki were absent.

On Maripan, Clement said, “He won’t be available. He still has a bit of pain in his knee, and has had injections to help him recover quicker. He won’t be available on Sunday, but hopefully he will be in the following weeks.”

Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas remains on his journey back to full fitness, and the possibility of some game time for the National 2 (N2) side hasn’t been ruled out. Clement also confirmed that Maghnes Akliouche, Jean Marcelin and Yllan Okou would feature for the N2 side on Saturday.

Although Kevin Volland will be available for selection (albeit not for the full 90 minutes), Clement revealed the extent of the German’s injury issues. “Volland has had an issue with his ankle since the beginning of the season. He had an injection, and didn’t train the first week of the international break, then he was ill. He feels better now, but he has lost time.”

For now, the returns of Benoit Badiashile, Aleksandr Golovin and Myron Boadu have compensated for the losses of Maripan and Volland, but Clement will undoubtedly want a full squad to choose from as he navigates a tough run-in with a European place to chase.

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle