On
January 17th Vincent attended the premiere of his latest film, MA PREMIERE FOIS, at the
cinéma UGC de Bercy in Paris. Check out one of the
film's video clips featuring a scene with Vincent. Film
critic Coralie Agnimel of Abus de Cine predicts the ultra romantic
drama might become the new cult film among adolescent girls. The two
lead stars - Esther Comar and Martin Cannavo - put in decent
performances that reveal the emotions and feelings of first love.
Ms. Agnimel acknowledges the film's poetic aspects, but ultimately
finds the film far too naive. Yet, with its appealing romanticism,
it could appeal to younger and more sentimental audiences. The story
was inspired by the director's relationship with her husband (now
deceased) showing how love can disrupt a life.
Karine's next film,
Le Père Noël est
africain, was
originally scheduled to begin shooting in Senegal this month, but
the date has now been moved to March. It is a comedy about a blended
family starring the two men in Karine's life - Gerard Depardieu and
Vincent.
I've added quite a bit of new
content to the VPA. There are several new photos in the Karine & Children gallery
as well as more photos of Carla Bruni and Jacqueline Bisset in the
Friends gallery. Here are a couple from
the LA premiere of "Valmont" back in 1989. Love Vincent in long
hair!
07 January 2012
RT is the
first Russian 24/7 English-language news channel which brings the
Russian view on global news. While Vincent was in Moscow last month, he
appeared on the show called "Spotlight", where he's interviewed in
English! He has many interesting things to say and you can watch it
right here.
31 December
2011
Still trying to wrap up this
year's events. There are two
youtube Russian videos you might find interesting. The
first one concerns Vincent's photography exhibition and
it'll give you a chance to see several of his photographs though his
English cannot be heard over the Russian narrator. The
second video combines last year's visit to Vladivostok and
this year's. You'll also get to watch Vincent slow dance with this
rather tall lady and there are several clips from his old films,
such as "Le Voyage du Capitaine Fracasse"
from 1990.
The
16th Annual Capri Hollywood International Film Festival was
held this week in Italy with Vincent and Karine in attendance on
December 28th. The pair received the Capri Art Award and held a
"One-o-One: Let's Meet the Artists" along with Elsa Zylberstein.
Vincent shared how he had just finished shooting
"Prefetto di ferro"and admitted he had not seen the original
1977 film, directed by Pasquale Squitieri. He said, "I think it's
better that way. I prefer to have no constraints when I work."
Last
month Luc Besson's latest film, "The Lady" premiered in
France. Known for his usual muscular action and pumped-up visual
style, Besson clearly responded to something in the story that
prompted him to step outside his comfort zone. "The Lady", starring
Michelle Yeoh is a biographical drama about Aung San Suu Kyi,
the Burmese freedom fighter and Nobel Peace Prize winner who
challenged the country’s oppressive regime. The
consensus is that the dignified and well-intentioned film is a
disappointing biography with a pedestrian script by Rebecca Frayn.
The news here is that Vincent (the photographer) was called upon to
take some photographs, which would eventually be used for
promotional purposes. Several of his photos now appear in the media.
Here are a few. I'm especially fond of the one he took of his
brother-in-law.
On October 10th, Vincent and
Karine attended theFirst Grand Prix Cinema,
sponsored by Elle magazine at Cinema Gaumont Marignan
in Paris.
Back on May 3, Vincent and
Karine, along with the help of their 7-year-old daughter Tess,
hosted La Fete des doudous, a charity event in Paris that benefits
children with disabilities. More photos can be found on the 2011 Special Events Page.
On October 20th, Vincent and
Karine attended the third edition of the France Odeon
festival in Florence, Italy. They were there, along with Italian
actress Valeria Golino, to present "Un Baiser Papillon" on
the opening day. Festival director Ranieri Martinotti noted that,
increasingly, Italian actors are used in French cinema, with Valeria
being an example in her starring role in Karine's film. Here are
some photos from that evening and a few quotes:
Karine: I've worked
with actors and intelligence is the most important thing in their
approach, even more than talent. In Valeria, I felt a deep affinity
with the character and it was the same with Vincent.
Vincent: It's is
an ensemble film, composed of many stories, which
work together almost miraculously.
It's like building a house of cards. They are all true stories,
lived in one way or another by real people and this makes the film
even more concrete.
Valeria:It is an ensemble piece, but it is also a
family film. Besides Vincent, there
was also Karine's
two older daughters, who played my
daughters. Playing
Vincent's wife, I was not able to
enjoy so much because I was directed by his wife, so every kiss was
measured!
Among the many interviews
Vincent and Karine gave this year to television, radio and magazines in the promotion of "Un Baiser
Papillon", here are a few more photos taken at those various
times:
This year Vincent had his second
collaboration with the French childen's fashion magazine, Milk.
Last year he did a photo shoot with some of his own children, which
you can view here. Here are a
couple photos taken earlier this year for the June edition. I'm sure
working as a professional photographer brings him great
satisfaction.
In July Vincent graced the
cover of French magazine Homme Deluxe in a spread that
featured his IKKS photo shoot and the directorial debut of his
wife's film. The print in the images were too small to decipher so I
have no content to share.
On September 27th, Vincent
and Karine were among the invited show-business personalities to
attend the opening of a new Ralph Lauren shop on Avenue
Montaigne in Paris. This is a first in Europe
because the American brand has
dedicated the entire shop
to jewelry. The famous pair look as elegant
as their surroundings! The photo appeared in the 9/29 issue of
Gala magazine.
21 December
2011
2012 is approaching
and I wanted to post a few more additions to this year's news.
Certainly, the premiere of Karine's film, UN BAISER PAPILLON thrust all the
Perez family into the limelight. There was the actual opening of the
film in June at which time there was a good amount of media coverage
followed by more interviews with both Vincent and Karine when it was
screened at film festivals. Another major highlight of the
year was in March when Vincent took to the stage with "Le
temps qui passe", which Karine wrote and directed as well.
First of all, I want to post
the link to
the
Canalplus.fr video of a television interview where Karine is
joined by Vincent and daughters Roxane and Iman in a discussion of
her film.
In May when Karine was promoting her film, she was featured with two of her
daughters in Elle magazine. Karine explained how her film
was a successful family adventure. Two of Karine's daughters had
roles as well as each of their dads - Gerard Depardieu, father
of 19-year-old Roxane, and Vincent, father of 12-year-old Iman.
For the Elle interview in a Paris hotel, Roxane had just flown in from Los
Angeles the night before. Talkative and highly charismatic,
Roxane ended up at the piano. More reserved, Iman gave her
opinion on her mother's clothing.
Karine was questioned on how
she developed the story for her film. She related how the characters
were actually based on real people she had met over her lifetime and how she remembers everything - "From a phone number that
you gave me thirty years ago to a letter I sent twenty years ago."
Though many of the stories are imbued with sadness and tragedy, she
said, "I get up every morning very happy with the life I
lead. At the same time, I carry a heaviness
that I cannot erase because I come from an African culture where
death, for example, is part of life."
Apparently daughter Iman
has wanted to be an actress since she took the stage at school
and she referred to the experience as "fun" but "weird"
when she had to play opposite her father. Roxane said she did
not want to be an actress, but on the other hand, really enjoyed
acting with her father. She added, "My father is the person who makes me
laugh the most in the world." She is presently studying at the
California Institute of the Arts in LA, has a dog named "Sugar"
and plans to return to France later to breed horses. She is an
accomplished horsewoman. Roxane admitted she has some
disagreements with her dad. The fact that she's a vegetarian
irritates him. And being the daughter of a famous actor, Roxane
said people's reactions are sometimes strange. She related a
recent event when a taxi driver told her that her father should
lose weight. And some people don't always accept the fact she's
a Depardieu because she's black but, in general, she says this
doesn't affect her.
This is Iman's
official photo
at
Agencesartistiques.com
Karine revealed that their
7-year-old set of twins differ on their future plans. Tess loves the entertainment
world while Pablo would like to be an explorer. She also
discussed some details on her next film, which she'll direct in
January. It's a comedy about blended
families. The story of a father and a stepfather whose daughter
disappears with Gerard and Vincent in the lead roles. Blended
families are certainly a topic that Karine knows well.
15 December
2011
Back in September, I posted
news of Vincent's role in the two-part Italian mini-series called
PREFETTO DI FERRO. At that time it was reported that
filming would begin in late September. Apparently, the schedule got
moved because the eight-week shoot occurred in November and
December. Here are some photos taken earlier this month on location
in Nardo, Italy. Apparently, there were a bevy of young girls and
ladies near the Church of St. Anthony where they were filming and
they were anxious to get a souvenir of the Swiss actor. As usual,
Vincent granted the shots for his fans "with warmth and elegance."
Vincent has the lead role of Cesare Mori, known in Italy as the Iron
Prefect (Prefetto di Ferro) because of his iron-fisted campaigns
against the Mafia on Sicily in the second half of the 1920s. The
series, directed by John Hare and produced by Artis and the Apulia
Film Commission in collaboration with Rai Fiction, is
scheduled to be aired in the Spring on Italian television.
10 December
2011
The Moscow Exhibition featuring Vincent's
photography opened Wednesday and Vincent was there to mingle with
the crowd. He began by formally saying, "I am honored to be here
today in this wonderful gallery." The mood was festive with the
clink of glasses filled with champagne, and there were flowers and
light music during the evening. Some studied the pictures, some
wanted to speak with the photographer, while others shared their
views with friends. While they debated the merits of Vincent's
photography, the hero of the evening excitedly watched their
reaction. However, he was not worried.
Journalists covering the "From
Vladivostok to Paris" exhibition said Vincent spoke very
kindly with all guests and accommodated their questions. He was
asked if those photographed were aware that their portraits were in
the exhibition. He answered, "For the most part, yes." He drifted
from one handful of guests to another, smiling and comfortable with
the many conversations. Standing in front of the Sarkozy/Bruni photo
in which they're embracing, he explained how he took advantage of
photographing an intimate moment, working like a paparazzi and
capturing the couple just minutes before they were married.
For more photos from this
event, click the "Vladivostok to Paris" link. Vincent was also asked whether or not he
considered himself a sex symbol to which he replied "no", waving his
arms. Though he has played many a Casanova, in real life, no, he was
not a playboy but rather the father of several children. However, he
did admit that he was recently declared "the most atttractive
man in French cinema" and was embarrassed by this high-profile
title. And isn't it strange that the man does not have a drop of
French blood in him. Perhaps that's why he's the most attractive
man!
After scanning the Net for
information regarding Vincent's trips to Russia this year, I came
across these three photos from his 2007 trip when he filming and
promoting "Apocalypse
Code.
As part of the "French
Cinema Today" Festival in Moscow, Karine's film, UN BAISER PAPILLON was screened
Thursday evening and both Vincent and Karine participated in a Q&A
session. In one of their Russian interviews, Karine discussed her
charity work which I found very admirable. For 15 years, she has
volunteered her time to an organization dedicated to social
adjustment and aid to children whose parents are incarcerated. They
remain in enclaves with relatives, but do not have the opportunity
to live a normal life. She explains, "I do not do anything special.
I do what I can. Yes, I visit these children in their districts and
also visit penitentiary institutions for juveniles. These children
often require at least a simple conversation because they are very
angry at the whole world." And she admits to being an avid reader.
She responds, "I really love to read. I read at any time, at every
opportunity. I am very fond of Russian classics and
contemporary writers. I'm curious to learn how they develop the plot
and their heroes. And I love the book, the rustle of pages, the
smell of good paper, the cover. I hate all these modern tools for
reading." Yes, yes, I too am enraptured with all papyraceous things,
especially books. Touching the paper and being aware of its scent
and then being fascinated by the font, the binding, the book
jacket.... No nook or kindle for me!
05 December
2011
In celebration of the 7th
anniversary of Moscow's Gallery of Contemporary Arts Ruarts,
Vincent's photo exhibition, "From Vladivostok to Paris" will
be shown from December 7-11. The event is being held in assocation
with Quintiseentially, Why Not Sky Jewelry Design Studio, Hennessy
and Metropol Investment Finance. Vincent will be on hand on
Wednesday to personally present his photography. The exhibition was
previously shown in Vladivostok in September and will continue on to
Paris and then Cannes next year. Here is a
link to an English interview in which Vincent discusses his
photography. You can also access this Russian video to view the
footage of his Vladivostok visit, which includes several of his
photographs. Here are come of his more famous faces - Brother-in-law
Luc Besson and French President Nicolas Sarkozy hugging his wife
Carla Bruni.
It appears that Karine was
unaccompanied by her husband this year at the Marrakesh
International Film Festival. On Friday evening she wore a
gorgeous red gown for the opening ceremony and the following
night, she looked stunning in a colorful robe though the dress
seemed a bit ill-fitting for her.
11 November
2011
We
can add another movie to
Vincent's filmography. It's a surprise because I had no
inkling of its production. The name of the film is MA PREMIERE
FOIS (My First Time), directed by
Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar. (two hyphens!) and it stars Esther
Comar, Martin Cannavo, Judith El Zein, Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux, Lolita
Chamman, Anne Loriet and Xavier Maly. It's a story of young lovers.
Zachary is 20 and Sarah is almost 18. The bad boy and the angel.
He's what you'd call a serial lover while she has never fallen in
love. It appears that only Sarah's best friend Pauline and her
stepfather Richard (played by Vincent) really understand her.
Zachary will disturb Sarah's certainties. Dark, mature and haunted
by the violence his father inflicted upon him as a child, he has
grown up too fast. It'll take six months for the pair to realize
that sometimes fate will bring two people together to create a
lasting love. The film will debut in France on January 18, 2012. I
hope these recent "father" roles are not any indication that time
has moved on for Vincent and these small "older" roles will be
the norm for his future acting career. He's much too young and
handsome!
02 November
2011
While perusing the Net on
Vincent's recent photo exhibition in Vladivostok, I came
across a
YouTube video and several pictures of his photography
session with his Russian friend, Mikkail Slipenchuk. Once a
geographer and now head of investment and financial company
Metropol, Slipenchuk also has a passion for karate. Back in May
Vincent traveled to Moscow to photograph some of his Russian friends
for his upcoming exhibition, "From Vladivostok to Paris". In keeping
with his theme of presenting well-known figures of culture, sports
and business in both countries, Vincent felt that Mikhail was a
prominent representative of all categories. Metropol has indicated
it will become a partnerinthe Moscow exhibition
in December. In this same news article, Vincent shares his dream of
someday directing his own play at the Russian capital's famous
Lenkom Theatre.
For
previous news & photos, visit the following pages:
