TODAY's SHOOT: I saw this man across the room.. I had to marry him

MY FILM AND HAPPY DAYS

I have never been as happy in the whole of my life.  Nothing is better than hard work and creating something new. I have evan had fun eating Godiva chocolate which was truly delicious.  I am getting ready for the Jubilee buying buntings and flags for the front of the house. 
Sadly some little shits burgled my house taking my camera equipment.  Luckily I have some good friends who have been very supportive and I had transferred all my footage of my film from them to other places. 

AMANDA ELIASCH playing the piano

I have been working so hard that have had little time to think.  Justine Glenton  has been so creative that I hardly recognise my writing. It is interesting working with her in a different format.

GEORGE BLODWELL, CHARLES ELIASCH AMANDA ELIASCH ADAM 

MARGATE SHOOTING AND TRACEY EMIN's SHOW

Sophia Grace & Rosie Perform 'Starships'

JUSTIN GLENTON ON FIRST DAY OF SHOOT

PHIL SCALA SOUND
ALEX WEBSTER LIGHTING
FREDRIK ANDERSSON DP
HAIR AND MAKE UP JULIA LAVERNE
STYLIST GEORGE BLODWELL
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PHIL SCALA
ASSISTANT PRODUCER ANTOINE MONOT
WRITTEN BY AMANDA ELIASCH
ADAPTED BY LYALL WATSON
AMANDA ELIASCH DIRECTOR

Prince Poppycock & Esmerelda ~ Hellfire

Melanie - Ruby Tuesday 1975

DON'T LAUGH YOU MIGHT CHOKE ON THE JOKE

People are nagging me saying why do I do vanity projects.  I don't understand this concept or the problem. Is it better to ponce and squeeze others for cash, or is it better to put money where your mouth is?. I like to get the most out of life and to work with people I love and adore.  So many wonderful things get thrown away because money becomes the object.  So many other things that should not have been made, have managed to become a reality.  I like to do my own thing, be free, and I aim to be a good film maker not a successful ponce. If it goes right I will get my acceptance speech ready and if it goes wrong I will do choose another area to manifest myself in. If I want to do something I have learnt to do it myself, or forget it. It is as simple as that. Most of the people laugh when I say I am doing something and they have disbelief.  So I look at them and ask them when did they last make, direct, write or produce a film.  When they tell me they never have, I ask them how they feel qualified to comment?. I don't ask for their opinion they gladly announce it to me. So tomorrow morning production begins. It is a closed set, so anyone who doubts me don't come and don't ask for complimentary tickets at its preview.  I hope the box office does well out of it, but if not I will like it, because I already do.  It is a natural progression for me from the book, the play, and now this. Most of my friends in the biggest studios and who are successful never doubt me and have said to me "Do I need any help" and have offered me everything.  It's funny that the not so successful do not believe in me and have an irritating chuckle.

Ich habe genug - Dietrich Fischer Dieskau

THE WHIRLWIND FOUR DAYS IN CANNES

Cannes was so busy this year that my head is in a spin, where to go, what to do, so many invitations and exciting events. Best of all for me was Lawless with my favourite Gary Oldman, Memoir a wonderful documentary on the life of Polanski, Romeo and Juliet with the delicious new star Douglas Booth playing Romeo, written by Julien Fellowes and produced by Swarovski,  and lastly Moonshine Kingdom.  I evan managed a trip down memory lane to see Alfred Hitchcock's silent movie The Ring which has just been re constructed. With so much talent around it was difficult to see straight or take everything in. I even went to some first night parties among them Wes Anderson's on the pier at the Carlton with the lovely Nigel Daly.  There sort of needs to be a pre Cannes film festival so that you can preview everything.  The BBC showed their new films in a private lunch and the BFI too. Along with meeting lovely friends such as Rushka Bergman and Robert Robensteiner from Italian Vogue at the Martinez four days passed too quickly.  I sadly have had to miss the Charles Finch dinner for film makers and the Vanity Fair Party as I have had to return home to organise my own film this week.

Lawless Official Trailer #1 (2012) Shia LaBeouf Movie HD

LADY LOVE TO STARDOM

I have been surrounded by 'Lady Love' for three days. Positivity and comradeship goes hand in hand when you are around good friends. Everybody has projects here, they are being built brick by brick and it is fantastic to see. Films from their early days until finish are enthusiastically talked about.
I went to the most incredible lunch hosted by the BFI and the imaginative Amanda Neville. Barnaby Thompson, Livia Firth, Ally Bernstein, Katy Barker, Amy Ricker, Andrea Arnold and Lisa Gregg from American Express were there. 
I had a wonderful conversation with the brilliant Andrea Arnold, who was discussing her street casting for her film Wuthering Heights which she directed last year.  I loved the rawness of her film. The sound of it and the ugliness of Cathy.   Andrea is on the 'voting committee' this year at Cannes and so wasn't allowed to discuss what she had seen. 
(The BFI  is the leading organisation for making films in England, it has become a government arm and distributes Lottery funds.  It helps film education, distribution, publishing, library and national archive and media).


Yesterday I was thoroughly moved by the memory of Roman Polanski's life, "Memoir". His friend Andrew Braunsberg who interviewed him, showed us how he was influenced, how he was effected by the nightmare drama's that few people ever have had to go through.  A wonderful documentary.  Luckily I was given tickets by my friend's secret admirer. 


Calvin Klein gave the most glamorous party in a palace in Cannes last night with dishy Alec Baldwin as a star attraction. My favourite Ezra Miller, was again the best dressed. 

PHOTOGRAPHS TODAY FROM CANNES

A GOOD PAIR OF LEGS AND A STRIPY DRESS

BARNABY THOMPSON

KATY BARKER IN CHANEL

ANOTHER MODE OF TRANSPORT

GIRLS READY FOR THEIR CLOSE UP

AMANDA IN HER FAVOURITE CAR

KATY BARKER WITH SIMON BROOK

LISA GREGG FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS

JEANETTE CALLIVA

I WOULD RATHER THE FILM THAN THE PARTY

EZRA MILLER

AMANDA ELIASCH PHOTOGRAPHED WITH KATY BARKER

First night at Cannes and the beauties and bouncers are out.  The  armies of security stopping and clearing people as if they are in Belsen.  They were as expected thoroughly unpleasant so that you almost forget why you are there. The film festival has started and all I want to do is see and enjoy film. The after party was for Wes Anderson's film Moonrise Kingdom looked beautiful, at huge costs, but entertaining ropey looking hacks and hangers on. Better to stay on the terraces of the Carlton and Martinez. Wouldn't it be nice, if the money found for these lavish events, could instead fund new and interesting productions?. But then, despite having a reputation for being a socialite, I am not a big fan of 'the party'.
Brett Ratner with a beautiful girl, Alan Yentob and Johnny Pigozzi went, who are seasoned Cannites. I wondered what they thought?

Guilia Marletta in the most wonderful dress by Gianni Calignone

AMANDA ELIASCH AND KATY BARKER

THE  BEAUTIFUL GIRL WITH BRETT RATNER

                                                                  EMPTY VIP AREA              GUARDING NOTHING

It's the Marche opening night party, sponsored by the Chinese. Fireworks, Chinese lanterns and mandarin dancing..and then there is the Calvin Klein party too. Could be fun but based on last night no promises!

I AM DIRECTING MY FIRST FILM, I AM NOT SOAP SUDS AND CREAM CHEESE

Last week I was asked by my ex husband if I was going to Cannes.  I said" yes". He said" why"? I said because I was going to help a girlfriend get some financing to make a film.  He poo poo'd it.  This made me so furious that I said I was directing a film too.  On the strength of his raised eye brow I am now making my first movie. A mock documentary drama. Lucky I am a fast worker. I have been up all night for a whole week with two hours of sleep.  I was also horrified by the greed and extravagance within movies, and so I thought it would be a good idea to make my own, see and learn the pitfalls.   Last year I was moved by Angelina Jolie's film and the creative elements of Madonna's direction for WE and so I thought I would delve into my heart and try it too.
So here I go. My team is strong and dedicated and the actors good. Fuck the planet. I shall swing myself into action. I am not soap suds and cream cheese. 

I am joyfully dipping my toe into a man's world, and  thank goodness it's going to be fun. Cannes is slammed as 'a male only' club this year and there are protests all over the riviera that it is an all man's world with too few women directors.  Women are used as comperes whilst the judges just like their cleavages,  the main role of women being to look beautiful on the red carpet remain silent. I am personally fighting the raised eyebrows and question marks over my sex's abilities especially when the door is no longer opened for me and I pay for dinner.

Opening Night (1977) by John Cassavetes

WHICH BOUQUET IS BEST?

A

B

C

D

                                                                          E

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THE BIGGEST LOSERS ARE THE BIGGEST SPONGERS

I am fed up of paying for dinner. I want to let all the ponces I  know, know this. It will not be happening any more.  I am also fed up of people not paying their debts and sponging off my friends. I have a generous nature, but enough is enough.  There is no free lunch and never has been, Go find yourselves new friends and perhaps do yourself a favour and change?.  

I have one particular friend who called crying that her boyfriend had chucked her out. All of the girls rallied round, I gave her some of my clothes, another girl gave her a flat at a very reasonable rent, another coloured her hair, another gave her a job. All for nothing, but friendship. Then this particular girl bitches about the people helping her, and she did not pay the rent or say thank you. She instead thought it clever to complain and in the process was sacked from her job.  People like this are never in the wrong, they will always have problems. Today when I questioned her, when she asked to stay in my house in Los Angeles, she started to blackmail me writing ridiculous things that should make her more ashamed. What she should have done is say "Thank you" and "Sorry" and paid back her rent money that she owed from a year ago. 
Whether she does or not is up to her, but there are too many people on this planet sponging and behaving greedily.  What I have learnt is that people that sponge are generally the biggest losers.

Meet the Artist: Mat Collishaw

Theater Talk: Sir Tim Rice 2012

THE ENIGMATIC VIDAL SASSOON

Vidal Sassoon died yesterday. Sadly I never had the opportunity to have my hair chopped and styled by the King of Hair. He was an enigmatic, well read figure in London. Full of life, fun and enthusiasm. I met him on several occasions with his charming last wife Ronnie.  He was energetic, fit and swam many lengths a day until the last two years of his life.  He was inspired, modest and able to make any woman up to date. Famous for his geometric haircuts in the swinging 60's he just grew and grew. From a modest up bringing and time spent in a children's home he transformed his life and the way we see and look after hair.  God rest his soul.

STEPHEN WEBSTER part of my series on interesting people.

I have been an admirer of Stephen's beautiful jewellery for many years. He has so much going for him with good looks, character, charm and a clever wife. He is someone England should be proud of. He made me a fantastic lobster with black diamonds, I love it.

Which Hollywood star do you find attractive?

Kate Beckinsale

What moves you emotionally?

QPR

Which film director inspires you?

David Lynch and Clint Eastwood

What food do you most enjoy?

Cheese, Pickle and Tomato toasted sandwiches

Which designer do you like to wear most?

I don’t like to stick to one person but I have a fairly comprehensive wardrobe of John Richmond, Ozwald Boateng, Vivienne Westwood and Uniqlo.

What was your most successful moment?

Meeting my wife

What makes you happy?

Being at my house at the seaside with my family

Which composer do you like?

Rachmaninov

What piece of music do you like listening to?

Almost anything I can get on vinyl

Where do you like to live?

London with an escape route

What piece of art inspires you?

A hybrid between Edvard Munch’s the Scream and The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals

What shoes do you like to wear?

Jeffrey West

What made you most happy in your career?

The variety

What person inspired you?.

Someone I used to work for who introduced me to the amazing world of gemstones and then equally uninspired me emotionally

What sport do you most enjoy?

I used to be a long distance runner which was really my sport for years. Fortunately I never damaged anything which means every now and then I jog around the block. My favourite sport to watch is football.

Where do you find serenity?

By the sea

What do you like to eat?

What is your biggest sin?

I’ve got no self control

What piece of advice can you give someone?

Follow your gut

What do you like to do at the week end?

I like to go and have a toasted cheese sandwich with a pint of bitter with my wife and youngest daughter (who doesn’t have the pint) then walk it all off along the Saxon Way on the White Cliffs of Dover

9 WOMEN WITH REAL STYLE FROM ANOTHER AGE

For me the following girls have style, and do you know they are mostly English?.  I like them because they borrow from the past, have old fashioned glamour, and make the most of what they have. 

POPPY DELEVIGNE

DITA VON TEESE

DAPHNE GUINESS

LILI LE SCALA

DIANA D'ARENBERG

CARA DELEVIGNE

BETONY VERNON

ANGEL BARTA

MARTHA SITWELL