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Monaco to host world’s first international streaming film festival

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/04/2021

The Principality will roll out the red carpet for the pioneering new Monaco Streaming Film Festival this summer, drawing industry heavyweights for a dynamic “festival-meets-summit” experience and an awards ceremony to celebrate the best in the streaming industry.
It was announced on Monday that the inaugural edition of the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (MCSFF) will take place from 3rd to 6th July at the Grimaldi Forum, just ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, allowing organisers to capitalise on the world’s most famous film festival while drawing attention to the future of the industry.
The event was co-founded by Netflix Founding VP Mitch Lowe and, with over 200 streaming platforms available to viewers globally, it will play an important role in bringing together content creators and talent, media and technology innovators in an industry that has hit overdrive with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We believe the industry has blossomed during the pandemic and offers the public access to exciting international content at a time when they need the world of entertainment and choice to come to them through their streaming platforms,” Tony Davis, CEO and Founder of MCSFF, told Monaco Life. “We aim to create an accessible and inclusive event that will support all content creators wishing to produce and showcase their work.”
The four-day hybrid festival includes premiers, an awards night, VIP receptions, a marketplace and a conference featuring talks by key personalities including Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak.
Organisers will leverage streaming technology to power the event, opening it to a global audience with a significant portion of virtual-only content and remote panels. The Grimaldi Forum’s new LED TV “wall” and broadcast studio will play a key part in helping to deliver the technology-driven festival.
The MCSFF is being organised in conjunction with major Hollywood streaming studios, the Princess Grace Foundation USA and the Global Environment Movement Association (GEMA) Foundation.
“It is important to show and bring to light the elements of our environment which are of great concern as well as all the solutions and efforts around solving them,” GEMA Co-Founder and Managing Partner Christian Moore told Monaco Life. “The MCSFF will play an important role in highlighting film makers and documentarians who bring these subjects to light.”
The festival will also present the first ever Princess Grace Award of Monaco, celebrating Princess Grace’s legacy in the film industry.
 
READ ALSO: New video wall for hybrid events
 
Photo of the Grimaldi Forum by Monaco Life
 
 
 

Rosberg X Racing makes history as first Extreme E winner 

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/04/2021

Nico Rosberg’s team has won the first ever Extreme E electric off-road racing series in Saudi Arabia, with Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor at the wheel.
Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took out the win in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, ahead of Andretti United with drivers Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings, and Lewis Hamilton’s team X44 with Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez behind the wheel.
“What an amazing start to the season. It feels a bit surreal, with so much anticipation and preparation leading into the weekend and we all came here not really knowing what to expect,” said Taylor after the win. “It was definitely extreme. It was the first time we had experienced terrain like that, and on every lap, the course was changing – there were so many different variables to deal with. We just wanted to make the most of the little time we had in the car – every single kilometre.”
Dubbed ‘Star Wars pod racing meets Dakar Rally’, the five-round championship is racing in five locations impacted by climate change during its 2021 inaugural season.
“It’s pretty cool to be part of this journey at the start of something that I think has an amazing future,” added the record-breaking Australian Rally Championship winner. “This series is really throwing the traditional rulebook out of the window and starting afresh, and I think everyone will agree it was spectacular to watch.”


The pioneering electric off-road series sees teams of legendary male and female drivers pair up to compete in two-lap races across the rugged terrain.
The dramatic desert dust-up in Saudi was divided into a qualifying day that set the order of race day, then on Sunday the drivers went wheel to wheel in an action-packed race that has drawn plenty of praise from racing fans the world over.
“If I had written a script for the perfect weekend, I could not have come up with anything better than what we have witnessed these past two days — I’ve never seen such extreme racing in my life,” said Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Extreme E. “This first race weekend will have a huge influence on how Extreme E evolves, and one of the reasons I feel so proud is that we have built this platform where female drivers can shine like they deserve. What we have seen from them here is extraordinary — some incredible talent and courage — and overall, I think it’s fair to say we have really made our mark. I’m over the moon.”

Molly Taylor (AUS), Johan Kristoffersson (SWE), and Nico Rosberg celebrate the win

RXR’s Kristoffersson and Taylor stormed to victory despite a 60-second penalty and less than favourable grid slots in both the semi-final and final. It was an incredible display of skill and car control on a surface with natural obstacles that included sand pits, sand dunes, grass, bushes, and blind crests, making overtaking a much more difficult tactic to manoeuvre.
“This is insane. I’m so thankful to the whole team for the effort put in this weekend, which has been intense and really on-the-edge,” said Nico Rosberg, Rosberg X Racing founder and CEO. “Molly and Johan produced some phenomenal driving. Neither of them put a foot wrong in really tough conditions, and they both showed unbelievable speed out there — their performance was really inspiring and I felt really proud watching them.”
Extreme E selected AlUla to highlight the importance of deserts as biologically important ecosystems while the misuse of natural resources is the main cause of desertification and loss of biological diversity.
Up next in the schedule is the Ocean XPrix at Lac Rose in Dakar, Senegal on 29th and 30th May. That is followed by the Arctic XPrix in Greenland, the Amazon XPrix in Brazil, and the Glacier EPrix in Argentina.
 
Photos source: Extreme E
 
 

Launch of 2021 #WhiteCard campaign

by: Cassandra Tanti
02/04/2021

The Champions for Peace on Friday digitally launched the 2021 #WhiteCard campaign under the motto ‘Behind each #WhiteCard, there is a story’.
People are invited to join the campaign by sharing #WhiteCard pictures and testimonies on the platform www.april6.org and social media.
A video message explaining what the WhiteCard means to them has been created by Champions for Peace Didier Drogba – winner of the UEFA Champions League and African football legend, Tony Estanguet – three-time canoe Olympic Champion and President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Laurence Fischer – three-time karate World Champion and Ambassador for Sport at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Marlène Harnois – taekwondo Olympic medalist, Siya Kolisi – captain of the World Champion South African rugby team, Jean-Baptiste Alaize – four-time athletics World Champion, Pascal Gentil – double taekwondo Olympic medalist, Paula Radcliffe – World Champion and former marathon World Record holder, and Sarah Ourahmoune – boxing Olympic medalist.
“Behind each WhiteCard, there is a story. A story where sport fosters reconciliation and coexistence within and between communities,” say the athletes in the video. “A story where sport contributes to building more inclusive societies and combats all forms of discrimination. A story where sport contributes to fighting against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence. A story where sport breaks traditional barriers and encourages intercultural and interreligious understanding. A story where sport connects, inspires, and empowers girls and boys. A story where sport, as a universal language, prevents interpersonal violence and achieves peace goals. As Champions for Peace, we believe that sport has the power to change lives and to shape peaceful societies.”
Each year, to celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Peace and Sport invites the entire world to support to the peace-through-sport movement through the white card symbol. This year, with the theme ‘Behind every #WhiteCard, there is a story’, Peace and Sport wants to highlight the testimonies of people who have personally or collectively measured the positive impact of a peace-through-sport project.
“Today more than ever, sport can inspire, give courage and hope as it is a powerful tool to reinforce fraternity and cooperation,” said Joël Bouzou, Peace and Sport President and Founder. “In the present crisis, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, celebrated on 6th April, is a propitious day to send a strong message of global solidarity and reinforce our bonds with each other in an indissoluble way through sport.”
Watch the video message here.
 

Team Ferrari is back

by: Stephanie Horsman
29/03/2021

After a shockingly dismal season last year, Charles Leclerc’s Scuderia Ferrari team is starting to hit their stride again with a new team member and a redesigned car.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz started this season off right at the Bahrain Grand Prix with sixth and eighth place finishes respectively, giving hope that last year’s slump was simply a blip on the radar.
Despite achieving a very respectable sixth, Leclerc said he struggled at the weekend so his fourth-place qualifier followed by the strong finish surprised even him.
“In FP2, FP3 I have been struggling with the car and overdriving a little bit, not driving very well in general,” Leclerc told Sky Sports 1. “I knew inside I could do a good lap but until you do it you never really know if you can. Then arrived qualification and the feeling was good from the beginning. I built up the pace and managed to do that lap in Q3 which I am very happy with.”

Photo of team Scuderia Ferrari at the Bahrain GP, credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

After the car troubles of last year, Scuderia Ferrari’s new design seems to suit both Leclerc and Sainz, with Leclerc saying how content he was with the results.
“It’s been a good race overall,” he told reporters. “We were lacking a little bit of pace in general compared to Lando (Norris) but otherwise it’s been quite a good race, and especially a good progress compared to last year, which is what I want to keep in mind for this race. It’s only a sixth place, but compared to last year, it’s a good result, so I’m really looking forward to the next races now.”
Sainz’s maiden race with his new team and eighth place finish was exactly what he anticipated. The Spanish driver said his slow start had been a deliberate decision to get accustomed to the new car.
“It’s pretty good, especially because, all things considered, I had a very strong end to the race,” said Sainz. “I was very quick on the medium and the hard tyres. I had a poor start, basically due to a couple of mistakes, but also me consciously taking it maybe a bit too easy in lap one, just wanting to make sure I made it through that lap and making sure I was getting to know the car in dirty air conditions.
“It’s a completely new experience, completely new car, so I wanted to take it easy and wanted to make sure I did the whole race. Then once I got myself into clean air, honestly I was very quick. So, I’m not going to complain, I’m going to take it as a learning curve and keep improving.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen and Valteri Bottas rounded out the podium. The next race will be the Emilia Romangna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy on 18th April.
 
Photo provided by Scuderia Ferrari Press Office
 
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A 2021 Monaco podium finish for Leclerc?

 
 

Inside Monaco's Cherry Blossom celebration

by: Cassandra Tanti
27/03/2021

Monaco Life was invited to the exclusive launch of the ‘Cherry Blossom, Make A Wish’ event at the Hôtel de Paris organised by The High Life Monaco and officially opened by Prince Albert.
It was an official opening at the highest level on Thursday 25th March, bringing together the Prince, Vice-President of his Foundation Olivier Wenden, CEO of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) Jean-Luc Biamonti, and some of the Principality’s most significant philanthropists.
Organised by Mayu Wittouck, founder of The High Life Monaco and wife of billionaire resident Eric Wittouck, the event is designed to take visitors on a journey to the heart of Japanese tradition, with all proceeds going to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Photo of Prince Albert II surrounded by Mayu Wittouck, Olivier Wenden and Jean-Luc Biamonti during Thursday’s official opening, by SBM

The stunning scene is set with pink cherry blossom trees that fill the luxurious courtyard of the Hôtel de Paris. Perfectly manicured Japanese gardens and gently flowing water fountains are nestled amongst enormous Mediterranean palms, all conjuring a sense of zen in the beating heart of the Principality.
‘Cherry Blossom, Make A Wish’ at the Hôtel de Paris was originally scheduled to take place last year but was postponed because of the pandemic. It seems perhaps even more fitting that it be held this year.
Glasshouses hold Japanese-themed workshops throughout the Cherry Blossom event

This celebration, hanami, of the arrival of spring and the blooming of sakura (cherry blossoms), is a recognition of the ephemeral nature of life, a symbol of rebirth and hope that comes to Monaco at a time when everyone is looking forward to a brighter future.
“This particular event has been organised by a close friend of the foundation to celebrate the spring,” Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Vice-President Olivier Wenden told Monaco Life, “and in my mind, celebrating the spring means celebrating birth and renewal. This is the kind of spirit which animates the foundation today with the post pandemic world, and the bloom or green shift we can implement. It’s a symbol of hope for a future that can rely more on the solutions and opportunities for the ocean rather than the obstacles and challenges.”
Photo of Prince Albert writing his wish on an ema, by SBM

Prince Albert was the first to write his wish to the kami (gods) on a small wooden plaque called an ema and hang it on a portico, traditionally positioned at the entrance of a shrine.
Until 10th April, the public is also invited to purchase their ema and write their wishes to the gods, before all the wooden plaques are ritually burned and the wishes liberated from their writers.
Photo of the wishes hung in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Paris, by Monaco Life

It is one of many traditions that is available to experience over the two-week event. Creative workshops will be held in the glass houses teaching the art of origami (paper folding), ikebana (flower arranging) and calligraphy. The little ones can discover the art of Japanese storytelling with kamishibai, while Chef Phillippe Joannès and his team have been busy creating delectable Japanese-themed treats.
“We created chocolate geishas and sumos, bonsai trees and sakura eggs, kawai biscuits, and cakes,” Pastry Department Manager Ken Thomas told Monaco Life. “There are different kinds of breads and brioche, some shaped like sushi or carrots in the theme of Easter.”
Photo of the treats available for sale during Cherry Blossom, by SBM

Available for takeaway, the treats can also be enjoyed after a delicious Japanese lunch, prepared by a sushi master every day in the courtyard for reserved guests. Japanese beer, sake, and a Japanese-themed cocktail round out the culinary offerings.
To comply with health measures, reservations for the workshops and lunch are needed, and numbers are understandably restricted. But it is another example of how Monaco is able to maintain a certain level of culture and lifetyle in these challenging times.
“This is exactly our objective, under the leadership of the Prince and his government,” Jean-Luc Biamonti told Monaco Life. “We don’t want to have a dead city, so we are trying, within the constraints, to stay alive. Therefore, we organise these types of events. Normally, for an opening like this, there would be hundreds of people in this patio; today it’s limited to 36. So yes, we are keeping these events, trying to show that Monaco is alive, even if it is within those constraints unfortunately. But we are not stopping, we are fighting.”
Photo of an ikebana workshop, by Monaco Life

In keeping with its “100% donation policy”, all money generated from ‘Cherry Blossom, Make a Wish’ will go towards the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s BeMed initiative, which aims for a plastic-free Mediterranean sea. To raise awareness among young visitors, the foundation has its own glasshouse where, through playful activities, children will learn about the challenges facing the ocean.
 
 

Monte-Carlo Masters player’s list revealed

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/03/2021

The players participating in the 114th Rolex Monte-Carlo Master Tennis Tournament has been revealed and the impressive line-up will include nine out of the top 10 players in the world.
The Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament, being held behind closed doors this year from 10th to 18th April, this week announced the list of players coming to the Principality.
It includes the biggest names in tennis with top 10 seeded Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medevec, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Diego Schwartzman and Matteo Berrettini. Only Roger Federer will not join in from the top 10.
The tournament, which traditionally opens the European clay tennis season, will for the second year in a row be without spectators, but the matches will be broadcast on Eurosport, Canal Plus’s C8 for France, Sky Italia, Eurosport Russia, Sky Deutschland, Tennis Channel US and CCTTV in China.
Additionally, the tournament’s website and official app will offer updates in real time.
The health situation almost deprived the tennis world of the Monte-Carlo Masters for a second time in two years, but the organisers saved the day by ensuring all necessary health measures were put in place according to both the French and Monegasque authorities.
“After the cancellation of the Tournament in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are delighted that the 2021 edition can once again play host to the best players on the ATP circuit,” said Tournament Director, Zeljko Franulovic, during the announcement of this year’s players.
“I would like to thank the players in particular, who will once again be back on the clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club for their loyalty and support.”
He went on to speak of the loss the tournament suffered, saying, “The Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy, who passed away in 2020, will be very much in our thoughts. Playing an emblematic role in Monegasque tennis, not only was she President of the Monte-Carlo Country Club but also that of the Monaco Tennis Federation as well as the President of the Organising Committee of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.”