Lumière Festival Opens With Monica Bellucci

The Lumière Film Festival opened in Lyon, France, with a grand ceremony celebrating the event’s 10th anniversary. Institut Lumière Director Thierry Frémaux welcomed a host of French and international stars and filmmakers to the festivities at the city’s immense Halle Tony Garnier concert hall, among them Javier Bardem, Monica Bellucci, Jean Dujardin and Guillermo del Toro. It was Jean-Paul Belmondo who drew the evening’s biggest applause and a standing ovation, however.

The iconic French star was on hand for the opening night screening of Claude Lelouch’s 1988 comedy-drama “Itinerary of a Spoiled Child” in a newly restored print. Lelouch and co-star Richard Anconina were likewise in attendance. “For our 10th anniversary we wanted to show a French film,” Frémaux said.

“Lelouch was here our first year … and he’s here because he is one of the greatest filmmakers in France and the world.” Monica looked sharp on the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Lyon Lumiere Festival on Saturday (October 13) in Lyon, France. The festival was created in 2009, and has become one of the largest international festivals of cinema.

This year, Jane Fonda will receive the Lumiere Award in celebration of her body of work. The festival includes retrospectives, restored prints on the big screen, master classes, exhibitions and the International Classic Film Market.