SALOME AND AL PACINO

It was non stop on the Lido, Pablo Ganguli and I were in heaven with so many films to see. I really needed a water taxi strapped to my  side to get anywhere quickly from the Cipriani where I was staying.   Luckily I went to see Al Pacino's Salome which was incredible.  It is a documentary film, which is so interesting that the audience stood up for ten minutes clapping. Anything with this man is exciting.  He took us  through the history of one of my favourite playwrites, Oscar Wilde, who wrote Salome originally in French.
I saw a production with Stephen Berkoff, in my drama school years and I have loved it ever since.  Two years ago I saw another  version with music by Strauss at the opera house, this time in  Paris and now I have seen Al Pacino's. This is his second documentary and although he feels an amateur, who cares it was one of the most entertaining nights I had. He received the Jaeger LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award. Wilde Salome, a tale of lust and greed ending with Jessica Chastain kissing the lips of the very dead John the Baptist on a silver platter is something everybody should see.

The audience was clearly impressed.

Salome with Berkoff

Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain

Phillippe Garrel 

Since the opening of James Franco's Rebel  and  parties surrounding this I have been rushed off my feet.  I gave a lunch with Pablo Ganguli of Libertatum on Monday for brilliant and attractive filmmaker Phillippe Garrel. Who is famous for his intense dramatic work. I went to the premiere of his new film as well  A scorching summer which the critics have said was a crashing bore.  It is not, it is what is.  A portrayal of relationships the French do so well.  Of course Phillippe loathes sex scenes in films but for those wanting them, you have the luck to worship the looks of his son and of  seeing Monica Berlucci nude.  Quite frankly I like most films and you learn something from everything.  Chantal Akerman also came  She is a brilliant feisty director from Belgium who makes daring autobiographical works.  Chantal was thoroughly outspoken.  As Phillippe and Chantal have had a profound effect on film makers for their ideas, I listened to them.

Pippo Delbonno sat quietly, as a director dancer who has to be one of the innovative creator of shows I was in heaven. At lunch I sat next to a brilliant composer called Alexander Balanescu whose work I shall hopefully use in my film I am making about the power of coincidence with Tomas Aukas.  I really have had a dramatic trip.  I walked passed a priest and all changed in my life, finally dropping my telephone into the sea to forget the pain and remember just the pleasure.  Who cares, the sea will calm my past?.