Latest news with #Guillaume
Time Out
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Photograph: Cannes Film Festival
Back in 2022, The Night of the 12th examined an all-male detective team's attempts to solve the murder of a young woman in a small town and exposed sad truths about how women are perceived and treated. As its title suggests, his new film finds director Dominik Moll delving back into another true life case. This time, the French filmmaker digs into an internal affairs investigation of officers suspected of shooting and badly wounding a young man with rubber bullets at a 2018 Yellow Vest (' gilets jaunes ') demonstration in Paris. Dogged police officer Stephanie Bertrand (a superb Léa Drucker) methodically leads investigators through each aspect of the case, detailing life-changing head injuries that put teenager Guillaume in hospital, assessing the impact on his mother Joëlle and finding out who fired the weapon via tricky interrogations of suspects. She also interviews Guillaume's friend Remi, present at the incident, who has been rapidly charged, tried and jailed for three months for his part in the demonstrations. In a crucial moment, Stephanie takes her team to the road off the Champs-Élysées where the shooting happened, identifying a spot where a witness had a clear view of the event. There's a riveting extended sequence where witness Alicia (a hotel maid played by Saint Omer 's Guslagie Malanda) is tracked down at work, briefly interviewed, and then followed by Stephanie. It also opens up another can of worms entirely: would Stephanie's team have been as tenacious if the victim had been a young man of colour instead? Alicia vehemently suggests otherwise. Would the police have been as tenacious if the victim had been a young man of colour? Race aside, the knotty moral complexities of Stephanie's work set Moll's film above seen-one-seen-'em-all procedurals. Joëlle confronts Stephanie in a supermarket demanding to know why action takes so long. Public distrust and hatred of police is keenly expressed and brought up by Stephanie's son (who tells friends his narcotics division father is a teacher). The father's new girlfriend, another narcotics officer and union member, snarks that cops should concentrate on criminals rather than other cops. There's also the thorny nature of who the suspects are: members of the BAC (anti-terror cops who were considered heroes after the Bataclan nightclub terror attack in 2015) who were helping out on the day of the demo. Stephanie is damned if she does, damned if she doesn't.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: How the 'Game of the Year' was made
In 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Guillaume Broche was like millions of others around the world."Bored in their job and wanting to do something different."Working for French gaming giant Ubisoft at the time, he had an idea for his own project - a role-playing game inspired by one of his childhood favourites, the classic Japanese series Final would become Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 which, five years later, has become a sold one million copies in just three days, topped Spotify viral charts with its soundtrack, and even won praise from French President Emmanuel one of the most remarkable things about it is the story of how it was made - a tale of random Reddit messages, "massive luck" and an unusual approach to game development. Expedition 33 is set in Lumiere, a fictional world overshadowed by a huge monolith bearing a glowing numeral on its year an entity known as The Paintress emerges and lowers the number by one, causing everyone of that age to vanish, and the game follows a group on a quest to destroy the mysterious an intriguing set-up for an epic tale, but the game's aesthetic, inspired by 19th-Century France, and its old-school turn-based battles also set it the conventional wisdom when Guillaume began was that players didn't want something like five years ago, he started to recruit people for his passion project, firing out messages on Reddit and online forums to potential colleagues. One of those who responded was Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, who was under lockdown in Australia at the time."I saw a post on Reddit by Guillaume asking for voice actors to record something for free for a demo," she says. "I was like: 'I've never done that, it sounds kinda cool', so I sent him an audition." Jennifer was originally cast as a major character in an early version of the game, but eventually switched roles to become the team's lead eventually left Ubisoft and formed Sandfall Interactive to work on Clair Obscur full-time from its base in Montpellier, securing funding from publisher Kepler Interactive, the core team grew to about 30 of them were found in a similar, unusual manner to Jennifer. Composer Lorien Testard - who had never worked on a video game before - was discovered via posts on music-sharing website Soundcloud."I call this the Guillaume effect. He's very good at finding really cool people," says more modestly attributes his success rate to Covid - people looking for a creative outlet - and also "massive luck"."It's always the same story," he says. "I have a list of 15 people to contact and I'm like: 'Okay I'm probably going to get maybe no one at all'."And every time the first one is like: 'Yeah, let's do it'."But Guillaume does admit that he targeted people who seemed to be "in line with the direction" he wanted to take the project."Lorien, when we discussed the game for the first time, we had exactly the same references," he says."We loved the same thing. We watched the same things. The discussion was so fluid." Expedition 33 has also been widely praised for its production values - rivalling those of games worked on by hundreds, even thousands of attributes some of this to recent advances in tools used to make games, which allowed the team to work more efficiently. Having the backing of Kepler allowed the studio to attract actors including Daredevil's Charlie Cox, Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis, and video game actors Jennifer English and Ben while Sandfall did call on extra input from support studios, musicians and other specialists, Jennifer and Guillaume say the core team ended up "wearing a lot of different hats"."And so we all pitch in and do different parts, things that may be outside of our traditional role," says Jennifer, who was also in charge of translating the game into different languages. "We have, I think, an amazing team mostly of junior people but they are so incredibly invested in the project and talented," says Guillaume."Somehow it worked, which still makes no sense to me after all these years." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
European royal's real reason for abdicating the throne is confirmed just months away from stepping down
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa has revealed the reason behind her husband Grand Duke Henri's shock decision to abdicate the Luxembourg throne. The monarch, 70, made the announcement in December during what will now be considered his last ever annual Christmas broadcast, bringing his 24-year reign to an end. His son, Prince Guillaume, 43, will officially take the throne from October - and has already assumed many of his father's duties in recent months. He will be the second European monarch to step down in recent years. In January 2024, Queen Margrethe of Denmark decoded to give up the throne after 52 years, with her son Frederik taking over as King. In an exclusive interview given to HELLO! Magazine at her impressive home in Berg Castle, the Grand Duchess has revealed the real reasons behind the change in plan. She said that, unlike other monarchies, abdication is a tradition in the Luxembourg royal family. "It's a family tradition that goes back to Henri's grandmother, Grand Duchess Charlotte,' the Duchess explained. 'Then his father Jean did the same. What is special and doesn't exist in other monarchies is the transition period we have, which makes things smoother.' In 2000, Grand Duke Henri took to the throne when his father, Grand Duke Jean abdicated. Duchess Maria Teresa added: 'So the abdication isn't something radical. After reigning for 25 years, at our age and with such a well-prepared heir, we're able to pass on the baton and enjoy some rest.' She said that there will be a one-year transition period as the reins are handed over, with the Grand Duke remaining as head of state but delegating some of his powers. In October, the royal couple will retire to the Fischbach Estate to make way for their heirs, Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie. The Duchess herself, who has been married to the Duke for 44 years, grew up in Cuba but was forced to flee due to the Castro revolution in 1959. The couple share five children: Guillaume, Felix, Louis, Alexandra and Sebastien. Unlike other monarchies, Luxembourg is helmed by a Grand Duke, rather than a king or queen. The current house is Nassau-Weilburg, dating back to a family pact in 1783. During the broadcast in December, the outgoing Grand Duke said he was 'proud' to have served his country for a quarter of a century. He said: 'It has been a period during which Luxembourg has undergone great changes, and I am proud to have been able to, together with the Grand Duchess, walk this path with you.' While explaining that 'the Grand Duke is above political parties and does not interfere in political debates,' he said, 'nothing prevents me from speaking out when the fundamental interests of the country and its citizens are at stake.' He continued: 'This is what I have strived to do over the past 25 years, paying particular attention from the outset to the diversity of our population, the need for coexistence, and sustainability in all areas of our society, so that we can leave our children a healthier country.' Henri had hinted at stepping down in June this year when he announced his son would become Lieutenant-Representant. After the announcement, the Grand Duke appeared very moved and kissed his son whilst the room applauded. According to the official Palace website, 'designation of the Lieutenant-Representative traditionally occurs in the process of change of reign'. 'This is the beginning of a next chapter for our monarchy,' Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden told local media at the time. While the move over the summer on the country's National Day came as a shock to the public, Frieden said it had been mulled behind closed doors for a while. 'We have been talking about it for some time, and I think that on the national holiday it was the right moment, because the Grand Duke is the symbol of our nation,' he said. Grand Duke Henri is the eldest son of the five children of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte and took to the throne in 2000, after his father abdicated following a 36-year reign. Following his birthday last year, he admitted that he 'intends to retire at some point' in an interview with French publication La Libre. 'All this is planned in family consultation. I find that it is very important to give young people a perspective.' 'There are plans, it will happen,' the Grand Duke continued. Last year, Queen Margrethe of Denmark decided to give up the throne after 52 years, making way for her son Frederik to take over as King on 14 January. In a statement revealing the news, the former Danish monarch said: 'I have decided that now is the right time. 'The 14th January 2024 - 52 years after I followed my beloved father - I will step back as the Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son the Crown Prince Frederik.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Black South Floridians struggle to buy and keep homes in Miami's gentrifying communities
Sabrina Guillaume's parents always urged her to invest in a home in Liberty City. But when she started the homebuying process in early 2020 at age 24, she hit a lot of obstacles: After getting preapproved for a loan, the pandemic came, and the homes she'd been eyeing rose from the mid-$300,000s to $500,000 in a matter of months. Then there was the matter of getting her finances in order: As an entrepreneur, she had to set aside money for taxes while saving for a new home. And after dealing with what she described as 'red-bottom Realtors' — a nickname she coined for the Miami real estate agents who wear Christian Louboutins — who were steering her to $1 million homes, she kept having to start over until she found the right one. She finally closed more than a year ago on a duplex in Liberty City near the newly redeveloped Liberty Square. 'They literally dragged me to the closing table because I was discouraged,' she told the Miami Herald. But Guillaume, now 28, said it was important for her to buy back into the community she grew up in, one of Miami's historically Black neighborhoods that is currently undergoing massive gentrification and a decline in Black residents. The median sales price in the area is now $476,667, according to Zillow. At a time when only a fraction of Black residents can afford to buy property in South Florida, many Black residents and community members are saying it's more important than ever for Black people to hold onto generational property in historically Black communities like Liberty City and Coconut Grove, buy whatever they can afford and invest in Black neighborhoods that are at risk of gentrification. But the challenges are great: They face skyrocketing prices, increasing financial burdens and, for those who own property, the temptation to cash out in a soaring market. As what were once predominantly Black communities in the Miami area begin to change, Guillaume says Black residents can't afford to sit on the sidelines, but need to invest. Miami rapper Flo Rida is one example of a Black investor 'buying back the block' in South Florida. Two years ago he bought a plaza in his hometown of Miami Gardens. 'I feel like people need to be open-minded as well, and kind of get on the wave before the wave actually happens,' Guillaume said. 'So by the time you start considering maybe moving over there, you can't afford it. They've already developed.' Miami-area real estate agent Tamekia Daniels said it's important to preserve Black communities even as speculators are willing to pay what seems like a premium for land in areas with highly desirable locations, like Little Haiti and the West Grove. 'It's very important because as the neighborhoods become gentrified, it dismantles familiarity and legacy and all of the things that come with being in a certain area,' she told the Herald. Daniels has seen firsthand the challenges Black families face when it comes to purchasing homes. Her clientele has mainly been Black buyers looking to buy homes in the communities they grew up in, such as Liberty City or Little West River — areas where Black residents are being increasingly displaced because of gentrification. Daniels said Black buyers often face challenges during the homebuying process, such as predatory lending and not meeting income requirements to qualify for loans. Entrepreneurs in particular have a challenging time because they don't always have their finances in order, she said. She said she's seen cases where families don't qualify for loans because one parent may do odd jobs to contribute to the household, but their finances are not structured in a way that documents their annual income. While the share of first-time Black homebuyers increased during the pandemic, only 18% of homes were affordable to Black homebuyers in 2024, according to a recent Zillow analysis. In Miami, that number is only 12%, which makes Guillaume one of the lucky ones to close on a home in a market that outprices Black residents. Ned Murray, associate director of the research institute Metropolitan Center at Florida International University, said Black homeownership growth hasn't been substantial. 'I think it's really important to understand that things haven't improved a whole lot,' Murray said. 'In fact, they've gotten worse.' Murray noted that 2004 was a milestone for Black homeownership, hitting a highmark of 49%, but it's decreased considerably since then. The rate of Black homeownership nationally was at 46% in the final quarter of 2024, Murray said citing data from The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. But he noted that is 20% lower than the overall homeownership rate throughout the county. Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist with Zillow, attributes the lower level of Black homeownership in Miami to Black households not earning as much as white households on average. Citing Zillow research, Divounguy explained that while the median household income in the Miami metro area is about $70,899, Black households earn $61,111 on average, compared to $78,150 for white households. Divounguy also pointed out that metropolitan areas like Miami, which have a lot of Black households, haven't been keeping up with the demand for affordable housing, which makes Black residents even more cost burdened. Beyond income and housing costs, another challenge to Black homeownership is low credit scores. Teri Williams, CEO of the Black-owned bank OneUnited, announced a forgivable loan program for first-time homebuyers of color in February and expected to receive a number of qualifying applications from people in Miami. But to her disappointment, only three Miami applicants were approved. Many applicants had credit scores in the 400 and 500 range and were ineligible. Williams and her colleagues at the bank noticed that low credit scores and high debt-to-income ratios negatively impacted applicants and prevented them from qualifying. 'It has been a challenge,' she told the Herald. 'We've had a lot of applicants but very few approvals. What we're seeing is that a large part of our community isn't aware of what their credit score is and how to fix it.' Daniels and Murray emphasized that besides getting Black homebuyers into properties, one of the most important goals right now is to keep Black homeowners in their homes. As housing prices soar in South Florida, many say that holding on to family homes is more important than ever. Real estate and mortgage broker Danny Felton, who recently spoke on a panel called 'Don't Sell Mama's House' during the Black Wealth Summit at Florida Memorial University, said Black homeownership is fundamental to creating generational wealth. 'We have to look at real estate as an investment tool, not a burden,' said Felton, 54. 'If I purchase it today, it's a basic need, and it will appreciate. Owning a piece of property is paying yourself. You can't write off rent on your taxes.' Felton grew up in Liberty City with a father who showed him the importance of homeownership. In 1977, Felton's parents, Willie Felton Sr. and Freddie Lee Felton, sold their house in Liberty City, and the money they made helped them buy a property in Little River for $17,500. They built a new four-bedroom, three-bathroom home there that Willie Felton Sr. still lives in today. In order to get the house built, Felton Sr., a mechanic, had to trade skills with other Black men in the neighborhood, like the architect who drew his blueprints and the electrician who wired the house. Time has shown Felton Sr., now 91, the value of hanging on to the family home. 'I sold a different house around the corner from it for $490,000,' said Danny Felton, who has been selling and managing properties for 30 years. Danny Felton says that doing so has changed his life. He has prioritized sharing information he's learned about homeownership with other Black Miami natives and people like him. Over in Coconut Grove, Clarice Cooper, 74, has been telling neighbors for years to hold on to their homes. Cooper is the president of the Coconut Grove Village West Homeowners and Tenants Association, and her family has lived in the Grove for 100 years. She's been warning her community about gentrification and what they stand to lose if they sell. She is constantly seeing investors swarming to snatch up property. Most have no intention of living there. 'Even if they're not going to occupy it, they'll [buy] it, upgrade and rent it out,' she said. 'It's a lot of flipping, too. We try to urge people to see that if you sell your house for $500,000 to $600,000, it will be sold for $7 million to $8 million.' Cooper bought her home in Coconut Grove for $43,000 in 1981. Today, she has to regularly decline offers to buy her house ranging from $800,000 to $1 million. 'We're losing ground every day,' she said. 'A lot of people want to return to Grove but can't get back in here.'
Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Black South Floridians struggle to buy and keep homes in Miami's gentrifying communities
Sabrina Guillaume's parents always urged her to invest in a home in Liberty City. But when she started the homebuying process in early 2020 at age 24, she hit a lot of obstacles: After getting preapproved for a loan, the pandemic came, and the homes she'd been eyeing rose from the mid-$300,000s to $500,000 in a matter of months. Then there was the matter of getting her finances in order: As an entrepreneur, she had to set aside money for taxes while saving for a new home. And after dealing with what she described as 'red-bottom Realtors' — a nickname she coined for the Miami real estate agents who wear Christian Louboutins — who were steering her to $1 million homes, she kept having to start over until she found the right one. She finally closed more than a year ago on a duplex in Liberty City near the newly redeveloped Liberty Square. 'They literally dragged me to the closing table because I was discouraged,' she told the Miami Herald. But Guillaume, now 28, said it was important for her to buy back into the community she grew up in, one of Miami's historically Black neighborhoods that is currently undergoing massive gentrification and a decline in Black residents. The median sales price in the area is now $476,667, according to Zillow. At a time when only a fraction of Black residents can afford to buy property in South Florida, many Black residents and community members are saying it's more important than ever for Black people to hold onto generational property in historically Black communities like Liberty City and Coconut Grove, buy whatever they can afford and invest in Black neighborhoods that are at risk of gentrification. But the challenges are great: They face skyrocketing prices, increasing financial burdens and, for those who own property, the temptation to cash out in a soaring market. As what were once predominantly Black communities in the Miami area begin to change, Guillaume says Black residents can't afford to sit on the sidelines, but need to invest. Miami rapper Flo Rida is one example of a Black investor 'buying back the block' in South Florida. Two years ago he bought a plaza in his hometown of Miami Gardens. 'I feel like people need to be open-minded as well, and kind of get on the wave before the wave actually happens,' Guillaume said. 'So by the time you start considering maybe moving over there, you can't afford it. They've already developed.' Miami-area real estate agent Tamekia Daniels said it's important to preserve Black communities even as speculators are willing to pay what seems like a premium for land in areas with highly desirable locations, like Little Haiti and the West Grove. 'It's very important because as the neighborhoods become gentrified, it dismantles familiarity and legacy and all of the things that come with being in a certain area,' she told the Herald. What gets in the way of Black homeownership Daniels has seen firsthand the challenges Black families face when it comes to purchasing homes. Her clientele has mainly been Black buyers looking to buy homes in the communities they grew up in, such as Liberty City or Little West River — areas where Black residents are being increasingly displaced because of gentrification. Daniels said Black buyers often face challenges during the homebuying process, such as predatory lending and not meeting income requirements to qualify for loans. Entrepreneurs in particular have a challenging time because they don't always have their finances in order, she said. She said she's seen cases where families don't qualify for loans because one parent may do odd jobs to contribute to the household, but their finances are not structured in a way that documents their annual income. While the share of first-time Black homebuyers increased during the pandemic, only 18% of homes were affordable to Black homebuyers in 2024, according to a recent Zillow analysis. In Miami, that number is only 12%, which makes Guillaume one of the lucky ones to close on a home in a market that outprices Black residents. Ned Murray, associate director of the research institute Metropolitan Center at Florida International University, said Black homeownership growth hasn't been substantial. 'I think it's really important to understand that things haven't improved a whole lot,' Murray said. 'In fact, they've gotten worse.' Murray noted that 2004 was a milestone for Black homeownership, hitting a highmark of 49%, but it's decreased considerably since then. The rate of Black homeownership nationally was at 46% in the final quarter of 2024, Murray said citing data from The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. But he noted that is 20% lower than the overall homeownership rate throughout the county. Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist with Zillow, attributes the lower level of Black homeownership in Miami to Black households not earning as much as white households on average. Citing Zillow research, Divounguy explained that while the median household income in the Miami metro area is about $70,899, Black households earn $61,111 on average, compared to $78,150 for white households. Divounguy also pointed out that metropolitan areas like Miami, which have a lot of Black households, haven't been keeping up with the demand for affordable housing, which makes Black residents even more cost burdened. Beyond income and housing costs, another challenge to Black homeownership is low credit scores. Teri Williams, CEO of the Black-owned bank OneUnited, announced a forgivable loan program for first-time homebuyers of color in February and expected to receive a number of qualifying applications from people in Miami. But to her disappointment, only three Miami applicants were approved. Many applicants had credit scores in the 400 and 500 range and were ineligible. Williams and her colleagues at the bank noticed that low credit scores and high debt-to-income ratios negatively impacted applicants and prevented them from qualifying. 'It has been a challenge,' she told the Herald. 'We've had a lot of applicants but very few approvals. What we're seeing is that a large part of our community isn't aware of what their credit score is and how to fix it.' 'Don't sell mama's house' Daniels and Murray emphasized that besides getting Black homebuyers into properties, one of the most important goals right now is to keep Black homeowners in their homes. As housing prices soar in South Florida, many say that holding on to family homes is more important than ever. Real estate and mortgage broker Danny Felton, who recently spoke on a panel called 'Don't Sell Mama's House' during the Black Wealth Summit at Florida Memorial University, said Black homeownership is fundamental to creating generational wealth. 'We have to look at real estate as an investment tool, not a burden,' said Felton, 54. 'If I purchase it today, it's a basic need, and it will appreciate. Owning a piece of property is paying yourself. You can't write off rent on your taxes.' Felton grew up in Liberty City with a father who showed him the importance of homeownership. In 1977, Felton's parents, Willie Felton Sr. and Freddie Lee Felton, sold their house in Liberty City, and the money they made helped them buy a property in Little River for $17,500. They built a new four-bedroom, three-bathroom home there that Willie Felton Sr. still lives in today. In order to get the house built, Felton Sr., a mechanic, had to trade skills with other Black men in the neighborhood, like the architect who drew his blueprints and the electrician who wired the house. Time has shown Felton Sr., now 91, the value of hanging on to the family home. 'I sold a different house around the corner from it for $490,000,' said Danny Felton, who has been selling and managing properties for 30 years. Danny Felton says that doing so has changed his life. He has prioritized sharing information he's learned about homeownership with other Black Miami natives and people like him. Over in Coconut Grove, Clarice Cooper, 74, has been telling neighbors for years to hold on to their homes. Cooper is the president of the Coconut Grove Village West Homeowners and Tenants Association, and her family has lived in the Grove for 100 years. She's been warning her community about gentrification and what they stand to lose if they sell. She is constantly seeing investors swarming to snatch up property. Most have no intention of living there. 'Even if they're not going to occupy it, they'll [buy] it, upgrade and rent it out,' she said. 'It's a lot of flipping, too. We try to urge people to see that if you sell your house for $500,000 to $600,000, it will be sold for $7 million to $8 million.' Cooper bought her home in Coconut Grove for $43,000 in 1981. Today, she has to regularly decline offers to buy her house ranging from $800,000 to $1 million. 'We're losing ground every day,' she said. 'A lot of people want to return to Grove but can't get back in here.'
