Film: ‘The Performance’ to have its world premiere at Roma Cinema Fest

24/10/2023

‘The Performance’, a film adaptation of the short story from legendary playwright Arthur Miller’s final work, starring Jeremy Piven and Robert Carlyle, will make its World Premiere at the Roma Cinema Fest.

Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jeremy Piven (Entourage) and BAFTA Award winner Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty) star with an ensemble cast of trained tap dancers including Maimie McCoy (The Musketeers), Adam Garcia (Coyote Ugly), Lara Wolf (Quantico), Tony nominated Jared Grimes (Swing Kids), Yaniv Biton (The Monkey House), and newcomer Isaac Gryn in this film produced by Sparks Go and Daniel Finkelman Films.

‘The Performance’ follows the journey of Harold May (Piven), a gifted tap dancer and second-generation Jewish American immigrant whose career has been relegated to the New York club scene. While on tour in Europe, Harold and the rest of his troupe are scouted by a German attaché (Carlyle), who offers the dancers an irresistible sum of money for a single performance.

Little do they know the show is for Adolf Hitler.

A film the resonates to this day

Shira Piven (Welcome to Me, Fully Loaded) directs Miller’s story, which first appeared in The New Yorker.

“It was an honour to inhabit Harold May,” said Jeremy Piven. “I’ve been trying to make this film for 12 years and to be in Italy where some of the masters of film originated for its world premiere is extremely exciting. Tragically, this movie is incredibly relevant right now. But this is how I can contribute to the conversation; through storytelling and doing what I do. It is going to lead to a lot of conversations I can’t wait to have.”

Shira Piven and Joshua Salzberg adapted the short story for the screen, which was primarily filmed in Bratislava, Slovakia.

“The relevance of this film has resonated with me,” said Daniel Finkelman, who produced the film alongside Chaya Amor. “As the movie explores the risks and rewards of assimilation, Harold faces a choice: conceal his true identity in order to realise his dreams, or give up on the career he’s been pursuing his entire life.”

“Our film begs the audience to examine “the pursuit of happiness at all costs”, while also showcasing how easily history can repeat itself if left forgotten,” added producer Jenny Shakeshaft.

‘The Performance’ will make its world premier at the Roma Cinema Fest on Saturday 28th October.

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Where to find Les Enfants de Frankie’s Red Nose Day drive in Monaco

by: Elsa Carpenter

24/10/2023

Organised by the homegrown charity Les Enfants de Frankie, Monaco’s take on Red Nose Day is back in December. Here’s how you can get involved and support the Journée Monégasque des Nez Rouges.

The very first Red Nose Day was held back in 1988 in the UK. The inaugural edition of the charity drive was televised across the nation and raised a respectable £15 million.

The concept was brought to the Principality nearly 20 years ago by Francien Giraudi, the founder of Les Enfants de Frankie and a British expat who had moved to Monaco with her family some year earlier.

For 17 years, the association, which has helped make the dreams of thousands of sick, disabled and vulnerable children living in the Principality and across southern France come true through its philanthropic events and funded experiences, embraced the classic red nose, but in 2022 decided to make a switch to a reusable shopping bag in the name of sustainability.

The big day, under the high patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, will be taking place on Wednesday 6th December – a date chosen specifically as it falls on the Day of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children – but the bags will be on sale from Thursday 26th October at a number of sites across Monaco: all post offices, Carrefour hypermarket checkouts, certain pharmacies and partner locales.

On Wednesday 25th October and the main event day, the bags will also be sold at the Galerie Marchande in Fontvieille. The Gare SNCF de Monte-Carlo, Monaco’s central train station, will be joining in with sales on Wednesday 6th December.

The bags cost a token €2.50 each and all proceeds will go towards supporting the efforts of Les Enfants de Frankie.

Click here to find out more.

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Photo supplied by Les Enfants de Frankie

Opéra de Monte-Carlo season opener invites Daniel Barenboim to conduct Verdi’s Requiem

by: Stephanie Horsman

24/10/2023

The Opéra de Monte-Carlo, headed up by the indomitable Cecilia Bartoli, is kicking off the season with a bold choice conducted by the legendary Daniel Barenboim: Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem.

Cecilia Bartoli’s second season as Artistic Director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo begins on 2nd November with a choral concert performing the Verdi classic, Messa da Requiem.

VERDI’S TRIBUTE

This monumental work was originally created in tribute to writer and poet Alessandro Manzoni, who died in 1873. It was designed as a piece for four soloists, a double choir and a full orchestra as a funeral mass piece, but at the time of its conception it was considered too “operatic” to be performed in a church.

Not deterred, Verdi first played Requiem at Milan’s San Marco Church on the first anniversary of Manzoni’s death on 22nd May 1874. The composer conducted himself. Three nights later, he debuted the work at La Scala, where it was an instant success.

NOW IN MONACO

The Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo (OPMC) will host this exceptional evening at the Grimaldi Forum, with Daniel Barenboim conducting and and Choirmaster Stefano Visconti at the helm.

Soprano Marina Rebeka, mezzosoprano Ekaterina Semenchuk, tenor Michael Spyres and bass Ildar Abdrazakov will take on the roles of the four soloists, and this illustrious quartet will be supported by the Monte-Carlo Opera Chorus and the OPMC.

The show is set to be 90 minutes of sheer beauty; a wondrous way to lead into what will be a magnificent 2023/24 season. For tickets and more information, click here.

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Photo credit: Harald Hoffmann

All about the Pelagos escape game and poster for kids

by: Stephanie Horsman

24/10/2023

Two new fun and educational tools, an escape game and a poster to pin on bedroom walls, are encouraging the next generation to get involved with the Pelagos Sanctuary thanks to funds provided by the Rotary Club of Monaco.

More than 20 years ago now, the Principality of Monaco, Italy and France came together to sign the landmark Pelagos Agreement and formally protect eight key species of marine mammals in their shared corner of the Mediterranean. It is a unique cross-border agreement that is the sole international organisation dedicated to the preservation and safeguarding of sea creatures in the region, and runs numerous scientific projects and programmes year-round.

Now it is reaching out to the next generation of conservationists with new educational online resources available via the recently revamped Pelagos Sanctuary website.

“These two complementary tools have been designed to offer an educational experience that allows young people to learn, through playful activities, about the marine mammals populating the Sanctuary, their characteristics, evolution and the threats they face,” says a spokesperson for the Pelagos Sanctuary.

The escape game provides “an emotionally rich experience, encouraging young people to become ambassadors for the protection of marine mammals within the Pelagos Sanctuary”, and players must help a character called Sebastian solve puzzles and uncover clues in an attempt to complete a scientific mission.

According to the creators, it “combines elements of problem-solving, critical thinking, and immersive storytelling to create an engaging and interactive experience”.

The poster, which is available in English, French, Italian and Monegasque, features images and information on the marine mammals protected by the zone, such as the critically endangered Mediterranean monk seal, the sperm whale and the bottlenose dolphin. It can be downloaded and printed out at home, and will also be distributed to schools within the Sanctuary area on request.

MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF MONACO

The conception of the escape game and the poster was made possible thanks to the contributions of the Rotary Club of Monaco, which has been a supporter of the Pelagos Sanctuary for many, many years.

“The Rotary Club of Monaco has provided essential support to make this initiative possible,” says a spokesperson for the Pelagos Sanctuary. “Thanks to these new tools, the younger audience becomes a protagonist in the protection of marine mammals, reinforcing the idea of a Sanctuary which belongs to everybody and for everybody.”

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Photos and images via Pelagos-Sanctuary.org

France launches ‘Mission Nature’ scratchcard to fund biodiversity projects

by: Stephanie Horsman

24/10/2023

From protecting Mediterranean seagrass to wetland preservation programmes in the north, some 20 different biodiversity projects in France are set to benefit from the newly launched ‘Mission Nature’ scratchcard.

The French government, in collaboration with the Française des Jeux lottery company, has come up with a novel way of building a pool of funds for projects that are tackling serious environmental issues on home soil: a brand-new scratchcard called the Mission Nature.

HOW IT WORKS

For €3 a ticket, people have a chance at winning jackpots up to €30,000. Every ticket sold will, in turn, pledge 43 cents to the Office Français de la Biodiversité, which will then use the funds to support various projects across France.

This broad-spectrum approach gives the public an easy way to contribute toward conservation efforts without the need to decide specifically which ones. It is, in some ways similar to the popular Loto du Patrimone, although historical monuments are not the focus here, but there is still the thrill of a potential windfall and the satisfaction of helping a good cause.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL PROJECTS

The 20 projects that will benefit have been chosen by a committee of well-known environmental protection agencies, such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, along with local authorities.

They have been divided into two categories: large-scale emblematic projects with a positive impact on ecosystems and their restoration, and acting in favour of habitats or heritage species on a national scale; and network projects with a regional or local level impact on the ecosystems or species concerned.

They run the gamut from seas, coastlines and oceans to forests, meadows and native flora, and everything in between. Examples include the preservation of the wetlands around Mont Saint Michel and the protection of Posidonia herbarium in the Mediterranean Sea. Two are local to the Alpes-Maritimes: bat roosting site conservation in the Gorges de la Siagne and the monitoring of native Hermann tortoise populations.

Whilst ecological pursuits are the primary focus, the game also promotes responsible gambling practices by reminding players of the risks involved in scratchcard gaming and offering information on a helpline for those who may be addicted.

Click here for more information.

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Photo source: Gautier Salles, Unsplash

Breast Cancer Awareness: Houda Bakkali’s latest digital artwork honours the strength and resilience of women

by: Niki Borisova

24/10/2023

In the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, celebrated every October, digital artist Houda Bakkali has unveiled her latest creation, ‘Art for Health’. This remarkable artwork combines digital illustration, motion graphics and augmented reality to honour the strength and resilience of women and families affected by breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual reminder of the battles fought by countless women and their families. It’s a time to stand together in solidarity; a message that has resonated with Moroccan-Spanish artist Houda Bakkali, who has previously exhibited her unique style of art at exhibitions in the Principality of Monaco, and inspired her latest creation.

‘Art for Health’ blends technology, colour and a deep-rooted appreciation for the strength of women – a key theme in Bakkali’s art, as she told Monaco Life in an interview in 2021 – but beyond its artistic merits, the piece underscores the immense potential of art and new technologies in circulating vital health content.

This digital masterpiece showcases the capacity of art to transcend its aesthetic boundaries and carry a profound message. Through a fusion of various artistic mediums, it captures the essence of a global community united in the face of adversity.

Art and new technologies: the perfect tools for disseminating health content

At the heart of Bakkali’s artwork is augmented reality, a dynamic tool that has the potential to revolutionise the way we interact with art. By layering the physical world with digital information, augmented reality brings an added layer of depth and interactivity to the artistic experience.

In ‘Art for Health’, it becomes a bridge connecting the audience to the emotional core of breast cancer awareness, making the artwork not just something to admire, but also a journey to embark upon.

“With this artwork based on digital illustration, motion graphics and augmented reality, I seek to raise awareness about breast cancer, honouring all women, families and doctors… I put the focus on art and new technologies as the perfect tools for disseminating health content. Art and new technologies help us to promote information, prevention and early diagnosis too, and they are a perfect tool to spread a hopeful vision about this illness,” says Bakkali.

Read more:

Artist Houda Bakkali: “Digital art is not a trend, it is the future”

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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department

Month: October 2023