Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt arrived into Nice airport a couple of days ago, en famille, to take up residence in the South of France for the summer. They family arrived in typical Hollywood style via private jet and were promptly whisked away by helicopter to the their new residence in nearby Cap Ferrat.
Cap Ferrat has been a long time exclusive retreat for many of the worlds rich and famous with it's quiet, secluded streets it is easy to find privacy behind the high villa walls.
The Jolie-Pitts will be staying for the duration at microsoft founder Paul Allens luxurious home on the tiny peninsula of St Jean-Cap Ferrat. The floretine style villa is naturally one of the grandest on the Cote d'Azur with commanding views of the Mediterranean, beautiful gardens and a permanent household staff of 12 to tend to guests every need.
Angelina and Brad Pitt have stayed there on several occassions before and so they will feel immediately at ease. The couple are thought to be staying for the remainder of Angelina's pregnancy with rumours abound that their newest addtion will be born in Marseille. France is said to have the best health care system in the world and Nice hospitals are some of the highest standards so it would seem like a good match. She will no doubt receive the very best of care.
The couple could also be looking for a more permanent home on the French Riviera as they were seen to be house hunting in nearby Monaco yesterday, 4th May. A move could be on the cards and they would be in illustrious company as many of the worlds wealthiest citizens choose Monaco as their permanent homes.
The family will find no shortage of friends already here and on Sunday they met up with U2 guitarist, the Edge, for a stroll on the beach. Bono, Larry and Adam all have properties in the South of France in Eze and Nice.
Angelina has French ancestery and is said to be keen to remain in touch with her roots. With her multiracial, rainbow family this is truly one woman who is a citizen of the world. The Cote d'Azur and France welcomes this new family to our beautiful blue coast.
The 2008 official poster for the Cannes film festival features a photo taken by super talented Hollywood director David Lynch.
Lynch has had a long association with the Cannes Film Festival presiding over the event in 2002 and having many films sunmitted to the competition over the years.
His first entrant into the film festival, Wild at Heart, won the coveted Palme d'Or. Other movies to have appeared at the festival have included the well known works; Twin Peaks Fire Walk with me, Mulholland Drive and The Straight Story with Lynch taking the award for best director for Mulholland Drive in 2001.
The use of the photo, which has been adapted by Pierre Collier, is to serve as a tribute to this talented director who can include the titles of producer, composer, writer, editor, cinematographer and even actor to his accomplishments.
And so the tone is set for the 61st Cannes Film Festival.
The Monaco Grand Prix is undoubtedly one of the most unique and exciting Grand Prix's in the entire Formula One calendar. It's narrow winding streets and unyielding barriers create admittedly one of the slowest Grand Prix on the circuit but also one of the most technically challenging, for both the teams and the drivers. The street circuit presents a unique set of problems for the cars and the drivers.
It is well known however, that the drivers love it. For many of them it is their home circuit as many choose to live in the tiny tax haven principality but this is not the reason they love, the reasons they love it are more attuned to machismo and ego than anything to do with local pride. Simply put, Monaco requires balls, big ones, to get around it quickly and everyone knows it. They must drive inch perfect at all times under the certain knowledge that one wrong wheel print will result in catastrophic destruction against the armco barriers.
If a driver can crack Monaco then he had made his reputation. At any other circuit a driver may be lucky, may have had the best tyres, the best team, the most suitable engine, the best aero package, the quickest pit stop. In Monaco none of this makes much difference, the pressure is all on the driver because nothing else will compensate. Nothing else can make the difference and if a driver pulls out all the stops and shines at Monaco then he joins a roll call of the greatest names in motor racing history.
Read back through the results, through the years, and you will find that there has never been a 'lucky' winner at the Monaco Grand Prix, only the best drivers in the world have conqueured this small twisty goliath of a track.
Brigitte Bardot is still revered as one of the film worlds greatest sex symbols. On the French Riviera she is still associated with all that is glamourous, sexy, wild and free spirited. She is closely linked to St Tropez, a place she laterly choose as her home and, of course, the Cannes Film Festival where she first caused a stir.
The first time Brigitte Bardot went to the Cannes Film Festival it was on the arm of her then boyfriend Roger Vadim. at the time Vadim was a reporter for Paris Match magazine and had been sent to cover the festival. Brigitte tagged along under his journalistic mantle and partied along with many stars and celebrities. Although not yet famous her beauty didn't pass unremarked and she still managed to cause a stir.
In 1956, three years later it was all change for both of them Vadim had filmed 'And God Created Woman' and Bardot had been catapulted into the limelight. She recalls her subsequent Cannes film Festival appearance as a lot less fun.
"The crowd and the press were hysterical, and hustled me, crushed me and abused me".
The public went crazy for Brigitte and her face and image became one of the lasting images of the Festival. In 2007 Brigitte returned to the Film Festival for the first time in forty years. She is still able to cause a stir although in recent years it is less likely to be because of her ravishing looks and more to do with her allegedly right wing views. In 2004 she was charged with inciting racial hatred in her book 'Un cri dans le silence'.
Today Brigitte's passion is no longer films and acting, today she fights a different battle with many animal rights campaigns on the go but she recognises the usefulness of her profile in publicising her causes. her profile may still remain and be envied but it made it no less difficult for Brigitte to endure. She recalls the difficulty of being a screen siren, "My private life became public. Overnight, I found myself imprisoned, a gilded prison but a prison nonetheless".
Of the Festival Brigitte recalls it as glamourous and glitzy despite everything.
The Cannes Film Festival has begun the countdown to the most prestigious film event in Europe by announcing actor Sean Penn as President of the Jury for the 61st annual Festival de Cannes.
"It seems there has been a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide; increasingly thoughtful, provocative, moving, and imaginative films by talented filmmakers: that a new generation of filmmaking may have begun."
"The Cannes Film Festival has long been the epicentre in the discovery of those new waves of filmmakers from all over the world. I very much look forward to participating in this year's festival as president of the jury," Penn said at the press conference announcing his appointment.
Previous presidents of the feature films jury include director Stephen Frears in 2007, director Wong Kar Wai in 2006 and Quentin Tarantino among others. An actor has not been elected to the role since Liv Ullman in 2001 seven years ago. Although, like Penn, Ullman laterly concentrated on her directorial and scriptwriting roles in addition to her acting.
Sean Penn began his acting career in 1974 in an episode of The Little House on the Prairie at the tender age of 14. Since then his rise has been steady and certain rather than meteoric with considered and studious choices in movie roles and an aversion for the full on Hollywood lifestyle.
He gained celebrity notoriety by becoming the first Mr Madonna when he wed the high profile pop star in 1984 but refuses to be drawn on the subject of his ex wife maintaining that 'they both acted as badly as each other' and so there is no need for finger pointing.
Penn's most famous movie roles include The Falcon and the Snowman, Carlito's Way, Dead Man Walking, I am Sam, Mystic River and 21 Grams to name just a few of the movies that he has starred in. He has won a best actor Oscar for Mystic River, been nominated for more than 35 awards and won 30 more in different categories and events.
Sean Penn has added writer, producer and director to his accomplishments aswell as earning critical acclaim for his work he has become known as a humanitarian, social conscientious and serious campaigner on several issues. He is straight talking and takes a hard line on the things he believes in including his own government and country.
"I was brought up in a country that relished fear-based religion, corrupt government and an entire white population living on stolen property that they murdered for and that is passed on from generation to generation" -Penn.
He stands firm on his principles and is quick to act. In the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katriona, Penn launched his own recue mission and took a launch to help with the rescue operations. An act that has received criticism as much as praise with many people questioning celebrities using their celebrity status in a political context.
"I don't consider myself specifically political, you know? I think of working as an actor as being a human thing. The concerns I have that fall into politics are human concerns"-Penn.
The 61st Cannes Film Festival runs from the 14th to the 25th May 2008.
Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt arrived into Nice airport a couple of days ago, en famille, to take up residence in the South of France for the summer. They family arrived in typical Hollywood style via private jet and were promptly whisked away by helicopter to the their new residence in nearby Cap Ferrat.
The 2008 official poster for the Cannes film festival features a photo taken by super talented Hollywood director David Lynch.
The Monaco Grand Prix is undoubtedly one of the most unique and exciting Grand Prix's in the entire Formula One calendar. It's narrow winding streets and unyielding barriers create admittedly one of the slowest Grand Prix on the circuit but also one of the most technically challenging, for both the teams and the drivers. The street circuit presents a unique set of problems for the cars and the drivers.
Brigitte Bardot is still revered as one of the film worlds greatest sex symbols. On the French Riviera she is still associated with all that is glamourous, sexy, wild and free spirited. She is closely linked to St Tropez, a place she laterly choose as her home and, of course, the Cannes Film Festival where she first caused a stir. 
The Cannes Film Festival has begun the countdown to the most prestigious film event in Europe by announcing actor Sean Penn as President of the Jury for the 61st annual Festival de Cannes.