The movie, which portrays his rise to power in the five years before he was elected, opens with Mr Sarkozy waking up alone at a hotel on the Champs-Elysees after celebrating his election victory.
via Metro.co.uk
Embarrassing Sarko biopic to come out while he’s in office
GQ France’s “Man of the Year” is Basque babe Bixente Lizarazu
Bixente (pronounced bee-shent-ay) is a pro soccer player. Watch a video of the GQ photo shoot on the GQ Magazine site. (Have plenty of ice handy.)
French Resistance hero says “Indignez-vous !”
A 93-year-old former French Resistance spy who was once tortured by the Nazis says his runaway best-seller is a call to action to protect human rights and combat the yawning gap between rich and poor.
Buy Indignez-vous on the Francophilia Amazon store.
via NPR, image le-mont-parnasse.fr
Get the Emmanuelle Alt look (new French Vogue editor)
Alt is more tomboyish and trousered, less obviously sexy and pencil-skirted than her predecessor Carine Roitfeld. She is the Keith Richards to Roitfeld’s Jagger.
via The Guardian
French most pessimistic* in the world
The French live in one of the richest and safest countries in the world, yet they are global champions of pessimism, fearful of the future and longing for the past, according to a survey published this week.
*We say it’s realism rather than pessimism.
via AFP
Paris château of megalomaniacal African dictator sold
During his 13 years at the helm of the resource-rich African nation, Bokassa forged a reputation for ruthlessness and megalomania. In 1977, he had himself crowned “emperor” in a multimillion-dollar ceremony modeled on the coronation of France’s Napoleon Bonaparte.
Join us for a contemporary jewelry exhibit in Paris
Join us for the vernissage on Wednesday, February 2nd! We want you to meet one of our favorite jewelry designers, Claire Wolfstirn.
Jodie Foster to host 2011 César film awards
…the 48-year-old actress speaks fluent French without accent after attending Lycée Français, a French-language prep school in Los Angeles.
via LimeLife
Victoires de la Musique révélation: FéFé
Every year the Victoires de la Musique (French equivalent of the Grammy Awards) identifies the révélations of the preceding year; new artists with star quality. We’ve already introduced you to Zaz and Camélia Jordana, both of whom appear on this year’s short list. FéFé, another coup de coeur of ours, gives you sophisticated urban rap with an African flavor, or blues, or reggae… You can’t pigeonhole him. Here’s his official site if you want to hear more.
With French cooking, it’s all about the season…
No discussion of French cuisine occurs without some reference to using seasonal produce. And it’s a lot more écolo to cook with seasonal produce too. Download a nice PDF showing which fruits and vegetables are in season in France during which months of the year. Great for expats who have no clue (like me, but hey, I’m from Southern California, I have an excuse). Could be useful and fun for the classroom!
via Cuisine Campagne
Sarko willing to sell France’s soul to highest bidding hotel chain
Designed by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, it is one of the best examples of 18th-century royal architecture and its intact collection of furniture and decor is unrivalled, even by the palace of Versailles. But the state-owned building could be transformed into luxury boutiques, plush suites for billionaires or a hotel with swimming pool.
via The Guardian
Haunting photo essay of the Paris métro
Despite the crowds, the noise and the distinct odour of piss, I was in love. The kind of love which inspires one to risk life, limb and deportation to get up close and personal.
via sleepycity via BoingBoing
Sell on the NEW Francophilia Marketplace!
Help us test and stock the shelves of the NEW Francophilia Marketplace!
As you can see, we’ve put two items up for sale, but the idea is not for us to sell things; it’s for you to sell things. New, vintage, handmade… As long as they have a French or francophone connection.
January giveaway: Toulouse-Lautrec poster
We have one poster of the beautiful painting Au Salon de la rue des Moulins by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to give away this month, courtesy of Art.com, whose French Museum Collection we featured not long ago.
If you don’t win the poster, you can still go to Art.com and use the discount code FRANCOPHILIA for 15% off your purchases through January 14th, 2011.*
Details on how to win and *conditions for the discount code here.
Coup de coeur ! Meet Zaz, la Môme moderne…
We are just madly in love with Zaz. Heard her on the radio the other day. Gypsy jazz meets Piaf by way of pop… Here’s an acoustic version of Les Passants. You can buy her eponymous album at the Francophilia Amazon Store.