Latest news with #FrenchPolynesian
Los Angeles Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
In ‘Afternoons of Solitude,' bullfighting is presented both spiritually and as a blood sport
In the hands of great filmmakers, a documentary can render something that your sensibilities might willfully ignore — even condemn. Such is the rub you may find yourself in with iconoclastic Spanish director Albert Serra's 'Afternoons of Solitude,' his first nonfiction film, an unflinching gaze at bullfighting, its hushed, ornate rituals and gruesome realities. Whether you consider the corrida a cultural tradition worthy of specialized protection or a blood sport long overdue for the dustbin of cruel spectacles, there's no denying its ghastly singularity as an immutable confrontation of human and beast. That's the arena in which Serra, no stranger to a cinema thick with an air of finality, has trained his patient, eerily respectful camera, specifically following Peruvian star matador Andrés Roca Rey across a stretch of competitions. We witness reverent preparation, much ceremony and more blood than any slasher film, and eventually absorb the unmistakable sense that this macho performative world exists almost defiantly against anyone's notion of 'progress.' Just don't expect anything about this elemental contest to be explained to you, or even contextualized. As shameful as you may find bullfighting, the details are what drive this spellbinding, immersive work. Serra is a committed minimalist with a penchant for long takes and it makes him an unusually observant, artfully focused documentarian. His last film was the willfully obtuse 2022 French Polynesian political thriller 'Pacifiction,' which more often oozed colonial malaise through its painterly landscapes than any narrative. Before that, Serra could most often be found mining France's centuries past for mordant tableau vivants of corporeal concern, most notably in his protracted bedchamber drama 'The Death of Louis XIV.' All of which makes 'Afternoons of Solitude' — despite its reflective-sounding title — practically an action film for Serra, whenever longtime cinematographer Artur Tort's camera captures the business of the bullring. Wide views and environmental color are forsaken for a zeroed-in framing that tracks both the bull's grim gladiatorial journey from roving combatant to ritually stabbed, gradually defeated warrior, and Rey's role as foppish, face-contorting maestro with his flourishes of the muleta and theatrical stances. The danger is palpable. In a couple of instances, Rey barely escapes crippling injury. But just as tangible, almost pervasive, is the horror of a majestic creature's inescapable destiny, turned into a florid choreography of dominance. (To some extent, it only ever feels like an unfair showdown.) In the fight sequences, Serra rarely cuts away from an opportunity to watch the light leave a bull's eyes after the death stab, a moment that invariably feels merciful. That truth alone is what keeps the movie's viewpoint about the brutality at the heart of bullfighting breathtakingly honest. There are only two other locations. A fixed camera inside Rey's van captures this baby-faced legend at his most quiet and contemplative, while his team, a testosterone-fueled posse, judiciously pepper him with supportive exclamations ('What you did causes envy in the mediocre!'), wellness checks and analytical comments. In his luxury hotel room, packing Rey's lithe frame into the layers of his intricately embroidered torero costume is a two-person operation, while unoccupied moments can spur a quick sign of the cross or a kissing of rosary beads. The general takeaway is of someone with an abiding seriousness, as if this were a sacred calling, not a profession. Then again, to repeatedly survive facing off a bleeding beast, how could one think of it as just a job? Rey's relationship to the spiritual side of bullfighting becomes ongoing. The movie's title is plural, after all. For his horned opponents, one chosen afternoon — presented as entertainment — is violent and finite. In its graceful intertwining of meditation and obscenity, 'Afternoons of Solitude' gives an ancient, controversial tradition the chance to shock and awe without hype or favor. It's inhumane, it's human and it's a hell of a film.
Scottish Sun
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
90s music legend leaves restaurant stunned after blowing hundreds on luxury sushi order after epic UK gigs
Singer loved the restaurant so much he put in a second order the following day RAW DEAL 90s music legend leaves restaurant stunned after blowing hundreds on luxury sushi order after epic UK gigs Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BACK in his Nineties pomp, Robbie Williams was fuelled by a diet of drugs and alcohol. Nowadays things are very different – with the teetotaller instead preferring to gorge on high-class sushi to get through his gigs. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 Robbie Williams feasts on high-class nosh to get through his gigs Credit: Alamy 7 Robbie splashed hundreds on sushi from Bath's Robun restaurant Credit: Getty I've been told Robbie splashed hundreds of pounds on fancy nosh from Bath's Robun restaurant ahead of his two shows in the city over the weekend. He put in one order for himself and his crew on Friday afternoon for a feast including salmon sashimi, abura-age tofu nigiri and vegetable futomaki. And the Let Me Entertain You singer loved the Japanese restaurant – which features in the Michelin Guide – so much that he put in a second order, worth a hefty £278, the following day. Robbie played to sell-out crowds at the city's Royal Crescent, with a total of 30,000 fans watching him across the two nights. A source said: 'The order was put in under Robbie's name, but a member of his crew came to collect it. "Robbie and his whole team really enjoyed the food.' A spokesman for the restaurant said: 'We did receive a significant special order for collection on both Friday and Saturday.' You can't blame the star for treating himself to a healthy dinner before smashing it on stage. And all that fancy grub frankly sounds far better than my basic Itsu order. Robbie Williams kisses fan in Murrayfield crowd as he belts out Sunshine on Leith DEMI THE NEWLYWET MARRIED life looks good on newlywed Demi Lovato, as she sported striped swimmers for a honeymoon dip in the sea. Demi, who tied the knot last month in California, is holidaying with musician partner Jordan Lutes – who performs under the name Jutes – on French Polynesian paradise isle Bora Bora. 7 Demi Lovato stuns in striped swimmers for a honeymoon dip in the sea Credit: instagram 7 Demi with musician partner Jordan Lutes Credit: instagram 7 Demi and hubby Jordan enjoy a romantic dinner on the beach Credit: instagram Judging by her Instagram photos, they had the best time ever. It looked like she practically lived in a bikini the entire time – including when they hired jetskis. They also enjoyed a romantic dinner on the beach, as each of them wore floral garlands. Here's hoping real life back home in the States will be just as fun. KELLY: 'THERE'S NO JUNK IN MY TRUNK ON TOUR' STEREOPHONICS frontman Kelly Jones has revealed he's axed junk food and booze from his tour rider – after his jeans stopped fitting. The Handbags And Gladrags singer told Bizarre he's now more likely to ask for some weights to pump iron than lager and pizza. 7 Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones has axed junk food and booze from his tour rider Credit: Splash Speaking ahead of the band's Isle of Wight lead festival slot this weekend Kelly, inset, said: 'The Nineties were crazy – a totally different social situation. It's like another planet now. 'I think there are some things on our rider that are still the same as back then – because nobody has bothered to change it. 'There's always beer and wine. It used to be 12 boxes of pizza and a crate of lager. But when your jeans stop fitting you, you've got to get that right – those requests doesn't work at 50!' Hinting he's all about home-grown organic grub, the singer added: 'Let's say the takeaway order at the end of the night is a little more extravagant and healthier these days. 'Now there's more gym gear backstage – that was definitely not there in the Nineties. 'Like a weight bench and stuff. It sits there – it gathers clothes a lot. 'We all still travel on the bus together, we all still go out for dinner together, we go for a drink after together. "Thankfully, we all get on – not every band does – and we've had the same crew for 25 years, so it's a family-orientated vibe.' I try to be tucked up in bed as early as possible even at festivals, and I'm in my 30s, so I can relate. LIZ AND BILLY TOP OF BILL LIZ HURLEY has brought her boyfriend back to Blighty, as she stepped out on a red carpet here with Billy Ray Cyrus for the first time. The couple posed at the Royal Academy of Dance fundraising evening in Mayfair's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where she dazzled in a cream, sleeved dress. 7 Liz Hurley steps out on the red carpet with Billy Ray Cyrus for the first time Credit: Getty Achy Breaky Heart singer Billy wore a black suit and, for some reason, had his hair in pigtails. He had already met Liz's son Damien, but Billy's trip to the UK means that he can also now meet her extended family. Though if he wants to impress them, he really ought to ditch that hairstyle. THE second Wicked film might not be completed until just weeks before its November release, judging by the latest update. Filming wrapped in January 2024 although the cast were called back for extra scenes – and now composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz has said the soundtrack for Wicked: For Good is yet to be recorded. He admitted: 'This is crunch month.' AVA MAX is hitting the UK for one night only to celebrate her album, Don't Click Play, following its release on August 22. Last night, she announced a tour of the US and Europe, including a stop at the O2 Academy Brixton on October 25. I'm sure the singer will be encouraging plenty of early Halloween costumes in her crowd.
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
French Polynesia President Announces Highly Protected Marine Area
Article – RNZ President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia's waters. French Polynesia's president has announced his administration will establish one of the world's largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs). The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 square kilometres of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 square kilometers near the Gambier Islands. Speaking at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia's waters. 'In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory – it's the source of life, culture, and identity,' he said. 'By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas… we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations.' Once implemented, this will be one of the world's single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history. Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned. The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 kilometres from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55-and-a-half kilometres around the Society Islands. Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12 metres in length. Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France. President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands. He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the remainder of French Polynesia's waters. Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy's work in French Polynesia, said local communities have made it clear that they want to see stronger protections that reflect both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations. 'These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges.' Samoa announces MPAs Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan – a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean. The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 square kilometres of ocean. Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa's Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa is a large ocean state and its way of life is under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing. 'This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans – just as it did for us and our ancestors.'
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
French Polynesia President Announces Highly Protected Marine Area
Article – RNZ President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia's waters. French Polynesia's president has announced his administration will establish one of the world's largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs). The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 square kilometres of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 square kilometers near the Gambier Islands. Speaking at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia's waters. 'In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory – it's the source of life, culture, and identity,' he said. 'By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas… we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations.' Once implemented, this will be one of the world's single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history. Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned. The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 kilometres from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55-and-a-half kilometres around the Society Islands. Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12 metres in length. Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France. President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands. He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the remainder of French Polynesia's waters. Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy's work in French Polynesia, said local communities have made it clear that they want to see stronger protections that reflect both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations. 'These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges.' Samoa announces MPAs Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan – a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean. The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 square kilometres of ocean. Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa's Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa is a large ocean state and its way of life is under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing. 'This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans – just as it did for us and our ancestors.'
Scoop
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
French Polynesia President Announces Highly Protected Marine Area
French Polynesia's president has announced his administration will establish one of the world's largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs). The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 square kilometres of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 square kilometers near the Gambier Islands. Speaking at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia's waters. "In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory - it's the source of life, culture, and identity," he said. "By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas... we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations." Once implemented, this will be one of the world's single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history. Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned. The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 kilometres from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55-and-a-half kilometres around the Society Islands. Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12 metres in length. Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France. President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands. He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the remainder of French Polynesia's waters. Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy's work in French Polynesia, said local communities have made it clear that they want to see stronger protections that reflect both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations. "These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges." Samoa announces MPAs Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan - a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean. The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 square kilometres of ocean. Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa's Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa is a large ocean state and its way of life is under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing. "This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans - just as it did for us and our ancestors."
