France travel ban could be lifted 'very soon' in alert for UK travellers

Gigi Hadid is taking on a new gig at Netflix!

Ben Croll In the wake of the Weinstein scandal and in an effort to quash the endemic issue of sexual harassment hardly limited to any one country, France’s Nation Film Board (CNC) launched a three-point plan that would require beneficiaries of financial support from the public film body to undergo sensitivity training sessions, to author detailed preventions protocols and to keep counselors on set.Though the plan authored in 2019 was targeted at senior level producers and executives – the heads of production outfits asking for public support, in short – the program has subsequently expanded to encompass a wider industry swath. In 2021, the film board tasked the Superior Technical Image Commission (CST) trade guild with running and organizing four separate sessions of differing lengths and focuses, aimed at the wider film production community.

France24, the National Assembly approved the new law with a unanimous vote of 142-0.Anyone who uses so-called ‘conversion therapy’ practices to change a person’s sexual orientation or sexual or gender identity will face two-year imprisonment or be fined 30,000 euros.The BBC reported the French Senate had already overwhelmingly backed the law. It was there that it was passed by “305 votes to 28.” The conservative Republicans were the only MPs to oppose it.The new law will allow campaigners, including campaigning groups, to file civil suits on behalf of victims potentially.

Following the recent easing of travel restrictions in the UK, many Brits will be looking forward to a holiday abroad this February half-term.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentXavier Giannoli’s sprawling period piece “Lost Illusions,” Valerie Lemercier’s Celine Dion biopic “Aline” and Leos Carax’s musical romance “Annette” with Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver are leading the race at France’s 47th Cesar Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscars. Other top Cesar contenders include Cedric Jimenez’s action-packed cop drama “Bac Nord,” Catherine Corsini’s social drama “La fracture,” Yann Gozlan’s thriller Boite noire,” Jacques Audiard’s contemporary love drama “Paris, 13th District” and Arthur Harari’s WW2-set “Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle.” Audrey Diwan’s Venice Golden Lion-winning “Happening” and Julia Ducournau’s Cannes’ Palme d’Or-winning “Titane” earned four nods each.

A long-gestating, hot-button move to revamp France’s arcane windowing system reached an important stage today as a new agreement between TV channels, streamers and the film industry was signed by Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentAfter months of heated debates and clashes, the French film industry has set new windowing rules for movies that are released in local theaters.The rules will apply to exhibitors, pay and free TV channels and subscription-based services. They’re expected to be signed by France’s Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot later on Monday (Jan.

Ben Croll For the past two decades, Raphael Benoliel has been Hollywood’s man in France. With more than 40 projects under his belt, the Nice-born Benoliel has turned his Firstep production banner into a kind of one-stop-shop for international shoots, amassing line producer credits on projects as varied as “Les Miserables,” “Stillwater” and “The Marvelous Mrs.

Ben Croll Founded in February 2021, French startup Dark Matters is set to unveil Gaul’s first virtual production facility. Setting up camp 23 miles from Paris, the 180,000 square-foot studio will open its doors this coming April, offering the local industry five new soundstages equipped for both traditional production and the LED-backed virtual sets made famous by the ILM Stagecraft system used on “The Mandalorian.”Backed by €10 million ($11.3 million) in VC funding from Paris-based firms Anaxago and CapHorn, and benefiting from another $2.2 million in public support, the full-service facility will be split between four core departments, focusing on hardware and software innovation, virtual production and creative development.

Martin Dale ContributorBrad Pitt has teamed up with Emmy-award winning music producer Damien Quintard to relaunch the historic Miraval Studios, where Pink Floyd, Sting, The Cure and AC/DC recorded their albums. It is being redesigned as an exclusive film and music production and post-production facility in a beautiful setting.The studio is located in a majestic vineyard estate, Château Miraval, that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie leased in 2008, purchased in 2011 and held their wedding there in 2014.

Kanye West and Julia Fox are enjoying a fashionable moment together for the first time.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentEgyptian producer, director, writer and mentor Marianne Khoury is being honored with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest prize.Khoury, who is the niece of late great Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, is a managing partner in prominent Cairo-based Misr International Films, which Chahine founded. She has directed several documentaries, most recently “Let’s Talk,” which premiered at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam in 2019 and interweaves a treasure trove of archive material with cinematic conversations between four women from different generations in her family.Besides having worked closely with Chahine, who was one of Arab cinema’s leading lights, Khoury –– who holds economic degrees from Cairo and Oxford Universities –– has shepherded some 30 Arab films and docs, many of which are centered around themes of identity, memory, marginalization and womanhood, and launched Zawya, which is Egypt’s first art house cinema circuit.

Ben Croll Recognizing that international productions would often shoot a handful of sequences in France before moving post-production responsibilities abroad, the French government passed a series of reforms to the country’s tax rebate scheme in early 2020 meant to spur on and encourage foreign investment.Since April 2020, France’s Tax Rebate for International Production (TRIP) scheme now offers a 40% rebate on all eligible expenses – including for live action spends that are not VFX related – for international projects whose VFX expenses surpass €2 million ($2.27 million) spent on local soil.The recent addition marks a 10% increase on the longstanding 30% rebate. In order to qualify, a live-action production must shoot (at minimum) five days in France while partnering with a local production service company to handle digital processing and rendering for any and all onscreen elements.

Gaspard Ulliel.The actor, who stars in Marvel’s upcoming “Moon Knight” series, died on Wednesday following a skiing accident. He was 37.Gaspard began acting while still at school. At the age of 12 he appeared in French TV movie “Une Femme En Blanc” (“A Woman in White”) in an uncredited role.

Surprise! Jenny Slate is married!

Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will be factors in this year’s movie awards race.

Jenny Slate! The 39-year-old actress shared that she married author and artist Ben Shattuck on New Year's Eve in an extremely intimate wedding that took place in their living room.In a new interview with, Slate shares that their wedding had already previously been postponed three times due to the coronavirus pandemic. While their wedding was initially supposed to be a large celebration, Slate couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.«We were planning on a [wedding] that ended up being almost 200 people, and then now, it's just our parents and siblings,» she says.

COVID can’t stop love. Jenny Slate revealed she and fiancé Ben Shattuck tied the knot in a private ceremony held at their home, after postponing the event three times due to the coronavirus pandemic.