Jodie Foster Embraces ‘Vie Privée' Director as French Murder Mystery Gets 8-Minute Cannes Standing Ovation
Jodie Foster, flashing a broad smile, embraced director Rebecca Zlotowski at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday night as 'Vie Privée' scored an impressive eight-minute standing ovation. The crowd cheered wildly for Foster even as the actress kept gesturing towards Zlotowski, as if reminding the audience that this was the filmmaker's moment to bask in the applause. 'Vie Privée' is an off-beat mystery about a psychotherapist who becomes convinced that her patient's suicide was actually a murder — think of it as 'Only Murders in the Building' with a dose of ennui.
The crowd for the film was certainly star-studded, a sign of the esteem in which Foster is held. Gael García Bernal and Alejandro González Iñárritu posed for pictures before the screening, while Scarlett Johansson strode the red carpet with her husband, Colin Jost. Johansson was accompanied by June Squibb, the 95-year-old star of her feature directorial debut, 'Eleanor the Great.' Adrien Brody, who just won an Oscar for 'The Brutalist,' was also in attendance. James Franco, whose career was derailed by sexual harassment allegations, was seen entering the Palais, with an announcer hailing him as the star of 'Spring Breakers.'
More from Variety
'Private Life' Review: Fluent in French, Jodie Foster Steers an Upscale, Paris-Set Psychological Thriller
Guillermo Galoe Unpacks His Insider's Vision of a Family Riven by Its Shanty Town's Demolition in Critics' Week's 'Sleepless City'
New York Erotic Tale 'Drunken Noodles' Sells to Taiwan, France and Germany for M-Appeal (EXCLUSIVE)
'Vie Privée' features Foster in a French-speaking role and marks her first film shot in France since 2004's 'A Very Long Engagement.'
'I've been wanting to go back and do a French movie, because I haven't done one in a long time,' Foster told Variety shortly before the premiere. 'For me, it's always about trying to find the right piece of material. I didn't want to do some overblown American and French co-production. As an actor, I need a story. And a lot of French movies, which I love, are behavior films where you just sort of follow people around for three days or something. That's not what I do. I'm interested in narrative. I'm all about developing a character who propels the story. This ticked all the boxes.'
Foster has been a frequent presence in Cannes throughout her decades-long career, recently hitting the Croisette in 2021 to receive an Honorary Palme d'or. Several of her films have also premiered at the festival, including 'Taxi Driver,' which won the Palme d'or in 1976, as well as 2016's 'Money Monster,' a thriller with George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and 2011's Mel Gibson drama 'The Beaver,' both of which she directed. Foster speaks French fluently, having attended the Lycée Français de Los Angeles while growing up.
'Vie Privée' combines a number of genres — it's part thriller, part character study and part relationship comedy. Zlotowski, whose credits include 'Grand Central' and 'Planetarium,' also wrote the film's screenplay. Foster's co-stars include Daniel Auteuil, who plays her ex-husband, and Virginie Edina, who portrays a mysterious patient whose death triggers her unorthodox investigation. Sony Pictures Classics will distribute 'Vie Privée' in North America.
After stepping back from acting for many years, Foster has recently been busy in front of the camera. She was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress for 2023's 'Nyad' and won an Emmy for her role as troubled investigator in 2024's 'True Detective: Night Country.'
'I'm picky,' Foster said. 'I'm not really interested in acting just for the sake of acting. It has to really speak to me.'
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business of Fashion
2 hours ago
- Business of Fashion
Why Lace and Crochet Are Everywhere Right Now
The day H&M launched its Magda Butrym capsule collection, Butrym took her husband and son out of town for a quick vacation. 'I was so nervous it wouldn't do well,' the designer said, 'but when I checked my phone, it had sold out immediately!' In fact, just minutes after H&M's website went live with the collaboration on April 25, the site and app both crashed. Subsequently, the fast-fashion giant's Instagram was flooded with angry messages from shoppers who weren't fast enough to get their hands on one of the 45 pieces from the line. Clearly, the Polish designer's signature floral appliqués, lace crochet and romantic tailoring at high street prices had hit a nerve. The doorhandles at Magda Butrym's New York pop-up are adorned with crochet. (Magda Butrym) Butrym, who started her brand in Warsaw in 2014, is certainly having a moment. She is bringing crochet and lace everywhere — even the doorhandles at the brand's New York pop-up are adorned with crochet. But while she is undoubtedly a modern pioneer of the style, which in her hands takes its influence from traditional Slavic and Eastern European clothing, hers is not the only brand driving the momentum. Fellow Polish brands Chylak and Karen Arcanjo have handwork built into their DNAs. Latvian brand Skarule, by Sabine Skarule, was one of the first to popularise crochet headscarves, pants and tops. UK-brand Shrimps by Hannah Weiland and Canada-based Beaufille, founded by Chloé and Parris Gordon, both tout crochet or lace as key elements of their recent collections. Lace also graced the runways of fashion giants like Chloé, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen for their Fall-Winter 2025 collections, signalling that even big brands are returning to romantic, delicate aesthetics. 'In today's world where everything feels industrial and fast fashion, there's a growing demand for things that feel slow-moving and crafted,' said Ofri Weintraub, creative producer and founder of Spotlighttime, a page dedicated to highlighting independent brands and trending aesthetics. 'Intricate handiwork and delicate details feel like a rebellion against the noise of modern life. It's almost a form of soft resistance choosing something made with care, history and emotion over something made with speed.' Shoppers are taking note. On resale platform Depop, searches for 'Lace' are up 42 percent this year, while searches for 'Crochet' are up 95 percent. Google search interest for 'crochet' hit a five-year high this January. Part of this growth is driven by the booming bridal industry. Like many non-bridal brands, Magda Butrym has recently added her own bridal capsule collection, leveraging the seamless crossover in production that bridalwear bears with her core collection, along with added benefits like heightened social media exposure and added revenue. But the romantic connotations of lace and embroidery have also transcended weddings and crept their way, slowly but surely, into daily life. 'After the big trend of quiet luxury, crochet and embroidery are quite dreamy and stand out a lot,' Butrym said. 'I've been doing it already for 10 years, but now it's having its moment.' The Handmade Movement High street and fast-fashion brands have been quick to adopt the aesthetics of handwork in their collections. Weintraub pointed out that lace and crochet can be found all over platforms like Shein and Aliexpress, as well as at mid-range brands such as Reformation. Brands like Butrym's, however, are winning over customers with their authenticity. 'I think people are looking for something authentic,' said Weintraub. 'If you want to buy something authentic, you go to this designer where the aesthetic is woven into the DNA.' 'I can totally see how it's exploding, it's nice for me to see the comeback,' said Zofia Chylak, who is also from Poland and is the founder of her namesake brand, Chylak, which features traditional local embroidery and weaving techniques in its most recent collections. 'I feel we need a story when we buy something now, to know where it comes from, who made it. With crochet, lace and embroidery there is so much to say.' Chylak's Wilanow campaign inspired by the traditional clothing of Polish towns. (Chylak) The brand employs local Polish artisans, all female, to craft its handmade pieces. To make one of its signature collars takes more than 60 hours. The women who still know the techniques are usually retired and do the work out of love, according to Chylak, who worries that in a matter of years there may be nobody left who knows the craft any longer. Slavic Roots, Global Appeal Although lace and crochet have centuries-long histories that span various regions, it's no coincidence that Poland is one of the countries at the forefront of the nostalgic handmade aesthetic. 'All Polish grandmothers could crochet,' Butrym said. 'In the 1960s, during communism, there was not much in shops, no nice dresses or cute baby pieces — that pushed women to make things at home if they wanted to stand out.' Butrym feels there is a certain Slavicness in the romanticism of lace and crochet. One of her brand's recent campaigns was called 'Slavic Chic.' For her, the challenge is making the look feel relevant to the present moment. 'It was very hard for me to do it without looking too folk-ish and outdated for a modern woman,' she said, emphasising the importance of sharp styling and tailoring. What stands out about the handcrafted aesthetic is its unequivocal female dominance in a world where most big brands' creative direction is still white and male. The labels driving its resurgence tend to be female-founded and led. Both on the creative and the consumer side, lace, crochet and embroidery are resonating with women globally. It's helping Butrym connect with a growing number of female shoppers, as well as partners like H&M, despite not being a household name. 'I was surprised,' Butrym said about being approached by the Swedish retailer, 'but H&M told me that when they surveyed who to collaborate with next, my name came up the most.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Marvel's ‘Vision' Lands ‘Schitt's Creek' Star Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H.
Vision may have met his match. Marvel Studios' spin-off series about Vision has landed 'Schitt's Creek' star Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., the Stark Industries artificial intelligence introduced in 2019's 'Spider-Man: Far From Home.' She joins Paul Bettany, who is reprising his role as the now-reincarnated synthezoid character (who is the physical manifestation of another Stark Industries AI, Jarvis). More from Variety 'The Fantastic Four' Director Matt Shakman Reveals the 'Magical' Comics That Inspired the Film in 'Small and Large Ways' (EXCLUSIVE) Marvel Studios Skipping Comic-Con Hall H Panel for 2025 As Comic Book Movies Scale Back Releases, Marvel and DC Look to This Summer to Decide the Future of Superhero Cinema In 'Far From Home,' E.D.I.T.H. is introduced as a gift that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) bequeaths to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) after Stark sacrifices his life in 'Avengers: Endgame.' (The name stands for 'Even Dead, I'm The Hero.') Peter controls E.D.I.T.H. through a pair of high-tech sunglasses, which he unwittingly gives to the film's villain, Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), before retrieving them at the end of the movie. The glasses are confiscated after Peter's identity as Spider-Man is revealed to world, and E.D.I.T.H.'s ultimate fate is left unresolved. It's unclear whether Hampshire is just lending her voice to the role or will be embodying it as well, but the character will be one of several AI to populate the series. James Spader is reprising his role as Ultron, the villain from 2015's 'Avengers: Age of Ultron,' and T'Nia Miller ('The Diplomat') is playing Jocasta, another robotic character from the Marvel Comics. Other co-stars include Todd Stashwick ('Star Trek: Picard') and Ruaridh Mollica ('Ridley'). More to come. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘The Fantastic Four' Director Matt Shakman Reveals the ‘Magical' Comics That Inspired the Film in ‘Small and Large Ways' (EXCLUSIVE)
Before Iron Man, before the Hulk, before Spider-Man, there was the Fantastic Four. The quartet of astronauts transformed into superheroes were Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's first creation for Marvel Comics, launching the sprawling storytelling universe of interconnected characters that has endured for 64 years. Until Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019, however, Reed Richards (a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (a.k.a. the Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (a.k.a. the Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (a.k.a. the Thing), as were unable to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That will finally change in July with the premiere of Marvel Studios' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' starring Pedro Pascal as Reed, Vanessa Kirby as Sue, Joseph Quinn as Johnny and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben. To marshal Marvel's First Family into the MCU, studio chief Kevin Feige tapped veteran director Matt Shakman, who helmed every episode of Marvel's first streaming series, 'WandaVision,' as well as episodes of 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,' 'Succession,' 'Game of Thrones,' 'The Great,' 'The Boys,' 'Fargo,' 'The Good Wife' and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.' More from Variety Marvel Studios Skipping Comic-Con Hall H Panel for 2025 As Comic Book Movies Scale Back Releases, Marvel and DC Look to This Summer to Decide the Future of Superhero Cinema David Tennant Says He Had His 'Eye On' the Role of Reed Richards in 'The Fantastic Four' Before Pedro Pascal Was Cast: 'They've Gone in a Different Direction' Beyond his extensive resume, Shakman's biggest qualification for the job is his love for the Fantastic Four comics, as demonstrated in the foreward the filmmaker penned for the new Marvel Premiere Collection release, 'Fantastic Four: Solve Everything' — which Variety is exclusively previewing below. The volume, which goes on sale June 3, is a streamlined collection of Fantastic Four comics published between 2009 and 2011 (i.e. issues #570–588) written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Dale Eaglesham, Neil Edwards and Steve Epting, and cover art by Joe Quesada. In his foreward, Shakman singles out Hickman's work — and this particular run of issues — as a major influence on the new 'Fantastic Four' movie. Among several curious allusions to FF storylines and characters, the director specifically cites three of Hickman's inventions — Reed's philanthropic Future Foundation, the multiverse portal the Bridge, and the interdimensional Council of Reeds. How these may (or may not) be incorporated into the movie remains to be seen, but Shakman's love for the comics, and for these characters, is abundantly clear. Fantastic Four: Solve EverythingForeward By Matt Shakman I fell in love with the Fantastic Four when I was a kid growing up in Ventura, California. Encountering a family of super heroes that felt so familiar blew my mind: the humor, the heart, the sniping and griping, the messiness. At the same time, I was taken by the optimism and wonder of their world. With their roots in the '60s space race, the F4 have always been about exploration — whether it is to the cosmos or the Negative Zone or deep into the human mind. Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny may have incredible powers, but they are family first, scientists and explorers second and super heroes only when absolutely necessary. Every Marvel filmmaker attempts to build on what has come before in publishing while simultaneously reinventing the characters for the current moment. The same is true with comic creators. What Lee and Kirby launched in the '60s changed Marvel forever. Their bold gamble to center a realistic family turned into the biggest hit of the early Silver Age. Every artist and writer since has attempted to build on that legacy while finding something in the characters that made them sparkle anew. In preparation for Marvel Studios' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' I delved into the 60-plus years of comics history. Marvel's First Family has been continuously cared for by the best and brightest the company had to offer. None shone so bright as Jonathan Hickman. The humor and heart I loved as a kid? It's there and better than ever. The messy family dynamics? Made even more interesting as Val and Franklin take center stage. And that sense of optimism and wonder? I don't think the Fantastic Four have been quite as fantastic as they are in the pages of this book. As we developed the script for the film, I returned again and again to this epic run — thrilled by brain-bending innovations like the Council of Reeds and riveted by heroic standoffs against the likes of Annihilus. But it was Hickman's deep insight into the specific family dynamics of the Four that affected me the most. His Reed Richards is part Steve Jobs and part Oppenheimer, always on the edge of saving the world or destroying it. The author runs right at Mister Fantastic's weakness: believing that he can and should do it all on his own. Reed is determined to 'Solve Everything' — but he learns that the cost of solving everything is… everything. Ultimate knowledge risks ultimate sacrifice: the loss of his family. Sue has come a long way from the 'Invisible Girl' of the early '60s. In these pages, she is part United Nations Secretary General and part Field Marshal, backing up diplomacy with force when necessary. Hickman's Sue may be the most powerful member of the Four — she's the glue that holds the world together while Reed experiments in the lab with things that could destroy it. She brokers deals as the world's finest diplomat, ending up as the Queen of the Sea. In one of my favorite F4 moments, she declares to Namor, 'I am a Queen that bows before no King.' Damn right. How do these two very different people make up the greatest marriage in comics history? We see, page after page, that the secret is their unique balance of heart and mind. Before Jerry Maguire, these two completed each other. Sue and Reed are relatable not just as partners, but also as parents. We understand their anxiety, fretting over the destiny of Val and Franklin just as I fret over my 9-year-old daughter's future. I cherish the family intimacy of scenes in the Baxter Building and never doubt that these parents love their children and would do anything to protect their future. I know that Johnny and Ben would do the same. And we know that, as super heroes, they will fight just as hard to protect our world. Having absorbed six decades of F4 publishing, many of Hickman's magical moments and unique character dynamics stick with me. And they made it into our film in small and large ways. From Sue as a diplomat to Reed trying to solve everything even at the risk of imperiling his family. Johnny's need to be taken seriously. Ben's gentle nature, forever at odds with his appearance. The Future Foundation. The Bridge. The mystery of children and the anxiety we have as parents about their future. Hickman is a poet, of both the everyday and the extraordinary. His work beats with a heart as big as Sue Storm's, rendering an emotional journey that culminates in a scene that makes me tear up every time I read it. (I won't ruin it… just wait for 'Uncles.') His writing is thrilling, thought-provoking and tender…and, like the characters he writes about, fantastic. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
