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Palme d’Or and politics: French female director wins at Cannes

by: Elsa Carpenter
29/05/2023

Justine Triet won this year’s coveted Palme d’Or with Anatomy of a Fall before using her acceptance speech to come down heavily on the French government and its policies. 

This is the second time that the French director has had a film make the shortlist at Cannes, after her dark comedy Sibyl made the cut in 2019.

Anatomy of a Fall, her latest cinematic offering and the winner of this year’s Palme d’Or, is a “courtroom drama murder mystery” starring Sandra Hüller in the lead role of a successful wife accused of her husband’s murder.  

After accepting the award from Hollywood icon Jane Fonda, Triet turned her acceptance speech into a political statement and attacked the French government for its “repression” of the recent protests against changes to the nation’s pension system. 

Repression and the “breaking” of France’s cultural exception 

She said that her country – Triet is from the northwest of France – had “suffered from historic protests over the reform of the pension system [but] these protests were denied… repressed in a shocking way”. 

Triet also criticised government’s cultural policy, saying that “the commercialisation of culture [that] this neoliberal government supports is in the process of breaking France’s cultural exception”. 

In reply, France’s Culture Minister Rima Abdul posted on Twitter that she was pleased to see the Palme d’Or go to Triet, but was “flabbergasted” by her remarks and suggested that Triet’s film wouldn’t have “seen the light of day” without France’s film financing model. 

That wasn’t the end of the drama for Triet, who appeared to forget the scroll awarded with the Palme d’Or prize as she left the stand. In footage circulating on social media, Fonda, who had handed Triet with her award minutes before, can be seen tapping the director on her back in an attempt to give her the scroll. With no acknowledgement from Triet, Fonda then seems to have flung the scroll at Triet, hitting her on the back of the head with it.  

Other winners at the 76th Cannes Film Festival 

In the feature length film section, the Grand Prix went to Jonathan Glazer and The Zone of Interest while Trần Anh Hùng took home the award for Best Director for The Pot au Feu. Merve Dizdar won Best Performance by an Actress for her part in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s About Dry Grasses and Koji Yakusho won Best Performance by an Actor for Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days. 

The Un Certain Regard prize, which focuses of arthouse productions and “artistically daring films” went to Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex. The Best Director award in this category went to Asmae El Moudir for The Mother of All Lies.  

Please click here for the full list of winners at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.  

 

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Photo: Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet

 

Government action: Monaco news round-up

by: Stephanie Horsman
29/05/2023

Monaco backs a global early warning system at the UN, welcomes new recruits to the Prince’s Carabinieri, publishes a positive trade and commerce forecast, and gives fast fashion a thumbs down.  

Though the Monaco Grand Prix has dominated the news recently, there has still been plenty happening in the Principality outside of the race.  

ELIMINATING FAST FASHION

The Mission for Energy Transition (MTE) organised a conference on 17th May, within the framework of Monte-Carlo Fashion Week, entitled Restraining Fast Fashion: Our Responsibility to All.

It highlighted the environmental impact of brands who put out cheaply made, low-cost and often low-quality clothing and featured two guest speakers: Paule Magnier, Project Coordinator at Zero Waste Marseille, who defined “fast fashion” and proposed measures to counter it, and Inès Bensalah, Monegasque designer and Ambassador of the National Energy Pact.  

The conference took place within the framework of Monte-Carlo Fashion Week in late May. Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

The conference also put forwards alternatives to simply binning unwanted items, such upcycling and repairing clothing, as well as discussing the developing industry of rented clothing and the growth in numbers of ethical brands. 

GLOBAL EARLY WARNING SYSTEM 

In 2022, the United Nations proposed the concept of a Climate Risk and Early Warning System (CREWS) that would necessitate the standardisation and international exchange of meteorological measurements and data for the purposes of monitoring and forecasting developing weather situations. 

On 22nd May, a delegation from the Principality led by Carole Lanteri, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Principality of Monaco to the Office of the UN in Geneva, attended a high-level meeting whose focus was getting this system online within the next five years. Monaco has been contributing a steadily increasing amount toward large-scale global climate projects since 2015.   

TRADE OBSERVATORY FORECASTS ENCOURAGING 

A meeting of the Observatoire du Commerce (Trade Observatory) also took place on 22nd May. The group, which is made up of representatives from key stakeholders and the state, examined the forecasts for tourism and trade in the Principality, which are thought to be very favourable this summer, as well as discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.   

The Observatoire du Commerce unites key players from the retail, trade and industry sectors as well as figureheads from Monaco’s government and town council. Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Additionally, after various visits to the shopping districts carried out by the Department of Economic Development, the group was presented with suggestions for improvement in order to make local commerce more attractive, particularly during quieter periods. 

Pierre Dartout, Minister of State and Chairman of Observatory, called the meeting a place for a “privileged exchange” between the administration and economic actors.  

PRESENTATION OF NEW CARABINIERI 

A ceremony to welcome five new Carabinieri to the Prince’s Carabinieri Corps was held on 25th May. After a reception by Lieutenant-Colonel Martial Pied, the Corps Commander, at the helicopter landing zone of the Caserne des Moneghetti and a review of the troops, the Pennant of the Company was presented to the young recruits by Princess Stephanie, having been blessed by the Abbé Christian Venard, the chaplain of the Force Publique in Monaco. The ceremony ended with a rendition of the Monegasque anthem by the Orchestra of the Prince’s Carabinieri. 

Princess Stephanie amongst the new recruits of the Prince’s Carabinieri Corps. Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Tradition dictates that the new recruits will soon take an oath to Prince Albert II and the Grimaldi family, pledging to serve them with “Honour, Fidelity and Dedication”, as the motto of the Corps demands. 

  

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Photos: Monaco Communications Department

Exhibition: The story behind Prince Rainier’s “Noah’s Ark”

by: Elsa Carpenter
27/05/2023

Monaco’s Jardin Animalier is soon to launch a behind-the-scenes photography exhibition depicting Prince Rainier III with the creatures great and small that he adopted and cared for. 

Prince Rainier was a life-long lover of animals. As a young boy, he spent many happy days at the Villa Ibéria, in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, surrounded by birds of all feathers as well as two beloved chimpanzees, Clovis and Tanagra.  

During a trip to West Africa in 1954, when Prince Rainier was in his early 30s, he welcomed onto his yacht some 30 orphaned and injured animals from the continent. Chimpanzees, crocodiles, monkeys, ostriches and more… the Deo Juvante II was transformed into a veritable “Noah’s Ark”, as described by the Prince himself.  

A few weeks later, they had all found a new, safe home at the Centre d’Acclimatation Zoologique de Monaco. A young Asian elephant called Buom-Nam, a gift from then-Emperor of Vietnam Bao Dai, and two lions called Pacha and Caïd also joined the exotic crew of animals that the Principality and its young Prince hosted within the safety and security of what would become today’s Jardin Animalier, which can be found in the Fontvieille neighbourhood.  

prince rainier jardin animalier
Monaco’s Jardin Animalier. Photo by Monaco Life

Many had been abandoned, some had been trafficked, others came from circuses, but all received the care and attention of Prince Rainier, who is said to have visited the park each morning to check in on its residents.  

Prince Rainier also personally oversaw a succession of redevelopments and extensions of the park, which will soon celebrate its 70th anniversary. Of course, public opinion and understanding of animals in captivity has changed greatly in these years, but Monaco and its current sovereign and the heir of Prince Rainier, Prince Albert II, continue to aim for the highest welfare standards for the park’s inhabitants. Today it is a verdant one-hectare space in which many creatures live harmoniously and – most importantly – happily.  

On 31st May, as part of the vast commemorative events that honour the centenary of Prince Rainier’s birth, the Jardin Animalier will launch an exhibition depicting the Prince in one of the places he enjoyed the most with a collection of intimate photographs. It will run until the end of this year. 

To learn more about the ‘Le Prince et ses animaux’ exhibition as well as the many other events set to take place in Prince Rainier’s memory, click here.  

 

Read more:

May 31st: Prince Rainier III’s 100th birthday celebrations

 

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.

 

Photo source: Centenairerainier3.mc

Henri Matisse’s Niçois haven goes up for sale

by: Elsa Carpenter
26/05/2023
henri matisse

The Belle Époque retreat owned by celebrated artist Henri Matisse has been listed by Sotheby’s International Realty for close to €2.5 million.

This piece of artistic heritage is found in the Excelsior Régina Palace, itself in the heart of the historic Cimiez nieghbourhood of Nice. It was bought by Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, in 1918 and was his home, on and off, until his death in 1954.  

The 165m2 property has been listed for €2.48 million. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

The two-bed 165m² apartment also housed his workshop, which, thanks to the south-facing aspect of the property, would have been flooded with the natural light that attracted so many of his contemporary artists to the region.  

There’s further history to the place too. England’s Queen Victoria was said to be dissatisfied with the hotels in the city during one of her many visits. This brought about a stage of vast development in Nice, one part of which was the construction of the Excelsior Régina Palace, which took on the ‘Régina’ section of its name in honour of the long-living monarch.  

henri matisse
The Excelsior Régina Palace is classified as a historical monument. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

“Its construction was entrusted to the architect Sébastien-Marcel Biasini in 1897 as well as to François-Félix Gordolon for the metal structure as well as the wrought iron. For the crown which overlooks the apartments of Queen Victoria, he was helped by Gustave Eiffel,” reads the listing by Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty. “The Régina stands out in Nice and on the Côte d’Azur for its remarkable architecture, harmoniously combining different artistic styles. In a Belle Époque ensemble, the dominant influence is that of Art Nouveau, with its organic shapes, floral ornaments and curved lines.” 

The building has stood the test of time in an ever-evolving city and is now classified as a historical monument.  

Matisse’s former home is on the third floor of the Excelsior Régina Palace and owns stunning views of the city below and the Baie des Anges. Thanks to its location within one of the most prestigious enclaves in Nice, the property comes with many modern amenities, such as a swimming pool and tennis courts, as well as a generous cellar and storage space and a double garage.  

henri matisse
The south-facing property is filled with the natural light that enticed Matisse and many of the other great 20th century artists who called the region home. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

The grounds of the Excelsior are beautifully landscaped and the entire address is protected by an on-site caretaker and a video surveillance system.  

It is currently on the market for €2,48 million. Click here to see the full listing.  

 

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Photos courtesy of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty

Use it or lose it: paid leave has an expiration date

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2023
paid leave

For private sector employees in France, paid leave does not necessarily roll over into the next year, and the deadline for use is fast approaching.  

Workers in the private sector, take heed. The government has put out a reminder that last year’s accumulated paid leave expires on 31st May, unless arrangements can be made with employers to extend it, or roll it over, into this year.  

The leave in question is anything acquired between 1st June 2021 and 31st May 2022, though in certain sectors the dates vary, whilst the principle remains the same.  

If a person has not taken all their holiday time by the end of the company’s cut-off date, they risk losing it altogether. This can be avoided in some cases by speaking directly to the employer and asking for it to be postponed, but as some organisations have “use it or lose it” policies, there is a risk they will not comply.  

Some situations allow for postponement, despite company rules. These include external constraints such as sick leave, maternity or adoption leave, or the impossibility of taking time for organisational reasons at the request of your employer.  

Employees who benefit from a time savings account (CET) can invest in it the rights resulting from periods of leave or rest (RTT) not taken. 

Paid leave is obtained at the rate of 2.5 working days per month of work performed.  

 

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Photo source: Vidar Nordii-Mathisen 

Visa rules for second home owners in France may be easing

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2023
visa second home france

Non-resident second home owners in France may soon be allowed a special five-year visa, allowing for a longer stay period and less red tape.

Blame it on Brexit. When the UK voted to leave the European Union, the chaos that ensued affected so much more than governmental agencies and trade. It also impacted the tens of thousands of Brits who, until then, were legally able to jump back and forth across the Channel to France, where an estimated 86,000 own second homes, and stay for as long as they wished.  

Under the current laws, UK citizens are only allowed, like any other non-EU visitor, to stay under the 90-day rule. This means that anyone coming into France can stay for a total of 90 days in a 180-day period, then they must wait another 90 days before re-entering.  

If they want to remain longer, they need to apply for a long-stay visa, giving them the right to stay from four to six months, but this needs renewing every year. It also has a fee attached.  

This may all change soon though, as the French Parliament is proposing a new visa for non-resident second homeowners that will streamline the process and eliminate the need for a certain amount of red tape.  

Introduced by Senator Corinne Imbert, this proposed amendment to the Immigration Bill states: “Any foreign national who owns a secondary residence in France may apply for an extended long-stay visa authorising him or her to stay on French territory for a period not exceeding six months per year. This visa [would be] valid for five years.” 

Support for the idea is growing, with several senators and MPs on board, particularly those from the northern reaches of France.  

The visa would be for any non-resident second home owner – not just Brits – making it a somewhat easier sell to the legislature, as well as making it more appealing for potential buyers worldwide.  

Proprietors of second homes from outside the Schengen Zone accounted for 1.5% of real estate owned in France at the end of 2019, according to Banque de France. This is up from 1% in 2001. The value of these assets came in at roughly €125 billion, a significant amount for the economy. Furthermore, second home owners pay higher property taxes than primary owners.  

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region accounts for just over 20% of the transactions, the highest in all of France.  

 

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Photo source: Jean Nicolas Fahrenberg