Latest news with #Hepburn
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Riviera Reels
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival officially closed Saturday with the anointing of newly minted Palme d'Or winner 'It Was Just an Accident.' The award thrust Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi into a rarefied group of directors to win top honors at Berlin, Cannes and Venice, the so-called 'Big Three' international film festivals. (The others so honored, Henri-Georges Cluzot, Michelangelo Antonioni and Robert Altman, make for a circle of legendary good company). The prize ceremony marked the end of two weeks of celebrating the best in world cinema from one of the most gorgeous places on Earth, events most of us could only watch from environs far less glamorous than Cannes' La Croisette. Even the lucky few who did attend have likely disembarked to their more humdrum hometowns. More from WWD Helen Mirren on Cannes, Culture Shift and the Power of Visibility Viola Davis, Jane Fonda Spotlight Emerging Directors at L'Oréal's Lights on Women's Worth Award Elle Fanning Masters Off-duty Glamour in Giuseppe Zanotti's Angular Heels and Max Mara Shirtdress for Cannes Film Festival 2025's Final Day Thank heavens, then, for good old movie magic, which can bring the French Riviera home with the click of a remote. Most silver-screen sojourns to the region begin with Alfred Hitchcock's trés charmant 1955 classic 'To Catch a Thief.' And with good reason. Watching Cary Grant's reformed larcenist John 'The Cat' Robie attempt to clear his name after a spate of new seaside burglaries never grows old. His mission is intensified by a romantic pas-de-deux with American heiress Frances 'Francie' Stevens, played by Grace Kelly in her third, and final, turn as a Hitchcock blonde. Sure, there's a twisty mystery involved, but it mostly serves as an excuse to marvel as Kelly, not yet a princess but every bit screen royalty, glides through the proceedings in a series of Edith Head costumes, including a glorious gold lamé number, bringing flinty élan to an heiress with more mettle than first meets the eye. But once the credits roll on John and Francie's Côte d'Azur courtship caper, fear not. Turns out, the evergreen appeal of a beautiful natural backdrop has led to a fairly expansive film library. And so, with the 2025 festival now over, those still looking to ogle the scenery can embark upon a cinematic tour of the South of France by watching these movies: 'Two for the Road' (1967): Couples trips. Sometimes they're great. Sometimes they're fraught. Through four pilgrimages to the French Riviera in Stanley Donen's time-hopping melodrama, Audrey Hepburn's Joanna and Albert Finney's Mark meet, fall in love, honeymoon and fall apart. Hepburn's thorny performance veers away from her typical sparkling ingenue presence toward something more brittle (watching Holly Golightly restrain herself from cursing out a precocious, irritating child delights). Shedding her famous onscreen Givenchy armor, Hepburn takes Joanna from Keds-wearing coed to Paco Rabanne-clad woman scorned. Never has a celluloid marriage dissolved in prettier surroundings than in this film, at turns charming, bittersweet and depressing. 'Under the Cherry Moon' (1986): How does the biggest star on the planet follow up the success of his bespoke, box-office smash rock movie musical? Why, with a tale of star-crossed lovers set in the French Riviera, written by a screenwriter with no experience and shot (against the studio's wishes) in black-and-white. His Purple Highness Prince plays soulful expat Christopher Tracy, layabout by day, pianist by night and gigolo by later night. He meets, snipes at and falls in love with Mary Sharon, a spoiled debutante (Saint-Tropez is lousy with them, it seems), played by Kristin Scott Thomas in a role originally intended for Madonna. An unqualified bomb critically and financially, with hindsight, 'Cherry Moon' is less misunderstood masterpiece than a fanciful oddity that makes one long for the days when pop-star side hustles tended toward audacious vanity projects rather than beauty brands. 'La Piscine [Swimming Pool]' (1969): A seminal entry in the canon of 'impossibly gorgeous, chic people are unfathomably miserable in a stunning setting' cinema. In Jacques Deray's sun-drenched psycho-drama, Romy Schneider and Alain Delon play Marianne and Jean-Paul, a couple vacationing at an opulent villa near Saint-Tropez. Their holiday bliss comes across more as holiday existential unease, and that's before the arrival of a pair of interlopers — Marianne's old flame Harry (Maurice Ronet) and his daughter Penelope (a lip-biting Jane Birkin). Old resentments simmer, new transgressions come to light, and the titular swimming pool plays a critical, climactic part. It's all contrasted by one of the best collections of sexy swimwear to ever hit the screen. 'Swimming Pool' (2003): A publisher sends a novelist suffering from writer's block to his country home in the South of France to reset. But is there enough wine in all of Provence to unwind a Brit as icy and buttoned-up as Charlotte Rampling's Sarah Morton in François Ozon's sharp, erotic thriller? Clad in tweeds, Rampling telegraphs the unsettled discomfort of a woman not naturally predisposed to fun in the sun. Her Sarah struggles to finish her latest detective novel, and matters worsen with the arrival of an interloper, the publisher's daughter Julie (played by a wild-eyed Ludivine Sagnier). Julie quickly embraces the local lifestyle of loud, passionate late-night imbroglios. In response, Sarah's emotional state swings between consternation and compulsion as her solitary writer's retreat morphs into a poolside war of wills between stuffy dame and slightly unhinged French gamine. 'Ronin' (1998): Sure, the South of France lures beautiful people eager to indulge in sunning, day drinking and looking divine in a maillot. But it can also attract Russian gangsters, IRA operatives and lots of explosions. John Frankenheimer's gritty heist flick is packed with shifting loyalties, shady motives and not one, but two, figure-skating set pieces. Robert De Niro (who was this year's Cannes Honorary Palme d'Or recipient) plays Sam, an American mercenary member of a multinational crew attempting to swipe a Rimowa-esque suitcase from some heavily armed goons. This occurs at a constant, '90s-thriller, edge-of-your-seat pace. Bonus points, too, for the protagonist's transparent American pragmatism. Asked by a fellow conspirator if he lacks courage, Sam bites back, 'Of course I'm afraid. You think I'm reluctant because I'm happy?' 'La Cage aux Folles' (1978): Life's a drag for Saint-Tropez nightclub owner Renato Baldi (Ugo Tognazzi) and his longtime partner Albin Mougeotte, aka Zaza Napoli (Michel Serrault). But calamity lurks when Laurent, Renato's spoiled-ingrate son, comes home to announce his engagement, and that he has invited his fiancée and her parents for a visit. Un problème: his dearly beloved's father is a standard-bearer of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party, which is not big on men in fishnets, boas and faux lashes. Laurent callously asks Albin to make himself scarce so Laurent's estranged mother can step in for the evening. But when Mommie Dearest gets stuck in traffic, Albin comes to the rescue, donning frumpy drag to pose as the mater familias. Based on the 1973 play of the same name, Édouard Molinaro's loopy farce has had a long afterlife in Harvey Fierstein's oft-restaged 1983 musical and the 1996 American remake, 'The Birdcage.' Which goes to show that comedy is tragedy plus thigh-highs. 'Titane' (2021): Ah, the South of France. Gorgeous. Luxurious. Sunny. Well, most of the time. Through the twisted lens of Julia Ducournau, the typically idyllic locale curdles into something much darker. Set in and around Marseilles, this wild, weird body horror film centers on the seemingly stoic Alexia (Agathe Rousselle). After a childhood auto accident leaves her with a titanium plate in her head, Alexia develops a love affair with cars. Literally. The film is a remarkably auteur-y and artful delivery mechanism for high — and highly creative — shock value. Its ample guts and gore include an ear-canal stabbing that may send some viewers running. Fortunately for Ducournau, Spike Lee's 2021 Cannes jury was made of stronger stuff and awarded 'Titane' the Palme d'Or. Ducournau's follow-up, the AIDS allegory 'Alpha,' premiered at this year's festival to an 11-plus-minute standing ovation and a raft of mixed reviews. These ranged from 'absolute knockout' to 'insufferable misfire,' indicating a thorny, divisive departure from the clearly more obvious appeal of a classic 'girl-does-car' story. These films each put a distinctive spin on the French Riviera — as does that most obvious, aforementioned classic. 'The Riviera,' ever splendorous. High jewelry, ever tempting. Grace Kelly, ever enchanting. And Cary Grant, ever debonair, even in his character's shameless explanation of his life of crime: 'Why did I take up stealing? To live better, to own things I couldn't afford, to acquire this good taste…which I should be very reluctant to give up.' Ah, the good life, Cannes style. Best of WWD Model and Hip Hop Fashion Pioneer Kimora Lee Simmons' Runway Career Through the Years [PHOTOS] Salma Hayek's Fashion Evolution Through the Years: A Red Carpet Journey [PHOTOS] How Christian Dior Revolutionized Fashion With His New Look: A History and Timeline
26-05-2025
- Business
Vacant land in Clifton sells for R170 million
In one of the most significant residential property deals in recent years, two adjacent vacant plots on Cape Town's coveted Nettleton Road in Clifton have been sold for a staggering R170 million (£7 million). The combined land area of 2 700 square metres places this transaction among the highest ever recorded for undeveloped residential property in South Africa. The sale was facilitated by luxury property specialist Annette Hepburn of Pam Golding Properties, who described the deal as a rare opportunity in one of the country's most tightly held property markets. 'This is one of a few remaining vacant sites on this prestigious road, where sales are infrequent and vacant land is almost unheard of,' Hepburn said. Nettleton Road, perched above Clifton's four beaches and offering sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and Twelve Apostles mountain range, is widely regarded as South Africa's most exclusive address. The street is home to a collection of architect-designed residences, many owned by global business leaders and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. According to Hepburn, the plots were purchased by a multinational entity that intends to construct a single, ultra-luxurious home on the site. Although the land has existing planning approval for nine apartments, the buyer is reportedly focused on creating a landmark 'trophy home' to crown the road. 'This location offers a lifestyle that is virtually unmatched – privacy, exclusivity, dramatic natural beauty, and access to Cape Town's best,' Hepburn noted. 'That combination continues to attract discerning global buyers.' Market activity remains strong The sale comes as property prices in Clifton continue to climb. The median residential sale price in the suburb has reached R34 million in 2025 – up 29% year-on-year and 136% higher than a decade ago. Market activity has also remained strong, with 18 sales already recorded in the year to date, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. While the Atlantic Seaboard has long been a magnet for luxury investment, this latest transaction underscores not just demand for location, but the extreme scarcity of vacant land in South Africa's most elite enclaves. As developers and private buyers compete for prime space, record-breaking deals like this are likely to become more frequent. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
24-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Luxury real estate: adjacent 2,700sqm vacant erven in Clifton fetch R170 million
A multinational entity based in various countries, has indicated that it is intent on building one expansive trophy property to crown Nettleton Road. Image: Supplied Two adjacent vacant erven comprising a total of 2 700sqm have been sold for a total sum of R170 million, VAT inclusive. The plots of land situated in prime position in what is considered South Africa's most prestigious and coveted address-Nettleton Road in Clifton on the world-renowned Cape Atlantic Seaboard were sold by Annette Hepburn of Pam Golding Properties. According to Hepburn, a long-term resident agent and area specialist, while these erven have planning permission for nine apartments, the buyer, a multinational entity based in various countries, has indicated that it is intent on building one expansive trophy property to crown Nettleton Road. She said this is one of a few remaining vacant sites in this highly sought-after address, where properties rarely become available, and when they do, opulent, completed residences can be acquired for upwards of R150 million. 'Nettleton Road is the most exclusive of all roads in the country, with a limited number of residential properties, large luxurious, iconic homes which offer all the elements desired by high-net-worth individuals – an unparalleled lifestyle, exclusivity, privacy and rarity, and above all, the spectacular views which epitomise the essence of the globally acclaimed Atlantic Seaboard. "Panoramic views from Nettleton Road sweep from the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range to all four Clifton Beaches. This premium location is home to captains of industry and some of the most luxurious designer homes in South Africa.' Hepburn added that the prime, upmarket suburb, Clifton's residential property median sales price of R34 million for 2025 to date is +29.5% above year-earlier levels and 136% above levels a decade ago. 'Sales activity rebounded post-pandemic, remaining elevated ever since, with 18 sales already recorded this year to date (according to Lightstone data) – exceeding the whole of 2019 and close to the 2023 total of 27 sales. These figures include both sectional title and freehold homes.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In February, an independent real estate group said the residential property market on the Cape's world-renowned Atlantic Seaboard has experienced a particularly buoyant start to the summer season, driven primarily by increased demand for luxury property and characterised by stock shortages. Basil Moraitis, regional head in the Western Cape for Pam Golding Properties, said at the time that the fact that their trading in December (2024) was busy throughout the entire month was a positive indicator and underlines the ongoing demand for Cape Town's sought-after Atlantic Seaboard-notably for prime luxury properties. Furthermore, they said January (2025) was much busier than December, with February also promising robust sales. Currently, we have a waiting list of qualified buyers, both local and international, all seeking to acquire their own place in the sun on this highly desirable coastline. Among notable sales in January by Pam Golding Properties are homes in Clifton-sold for R47 million to a local buyer and R46.5 million to an international buyer from Germany, and a home in Camps Bay purchased by a UK buyer for R55 million. Currently, Pam Golding Properties is marketing a five-bedroom (all en-suite) multi-storey, residence which was designed by award-winning architect, Stefan Antoni, and which is also situated in Nettleton Road, priced at R160 million including VAT with no transfer duty payable. With 180-degree views across Clifton and the ocean, this world-class architectural masterpiece is said to have unique, oversized, open-plan entertainment areas carefully integrated into the natural environment. With specifications of international standards, the villa is spread over five levels, each accessible by a private glass elevator. It includes a bespoke Italian Assirelli designer kitchen, level garden with outdoor lounge and dining areas, exceptional views from the spacious entertainment terrace complete with a 16-metre heated infinity pool, four reception rooms, home office, media room, gym, laundry, steam room, three additional guest cloakrooms, staff apartment with two bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom plus a security suite at the entrance-on ground level. There is 24-hour security, four garages and four off-street parking bays. Meanwhile, this week, Transnet SOC Ltd ('Transnet') said in a statement that in July last year, it obtained government approval to dispose of its residential properties through auction. The South African rail, port and pipeline company said the disposal of the residential property portfolio is a strategic imperative, positioning Transnet Property to focus on its main mandate of commercialising the portfolio and maximising returns through best practice asset management principles and standards. It said the decision to disinvest from the residential portfolio, except for employee accommodation in remote operational areas, is informed by recent loss-making performance and heightened risk exposure. To action this, Transnet Property has adopted a dual approach, which includes a self-funding component realised through the completion of several disposal transactions for non-core properties, particularly within the residential portfolio, including residential houses, hostels, lodges and line camps. Transnet Property has taken a strategic decision to urgently exit this portfolio, and the non-core properties will be disposed of through several transactions. The auctioneering process will be handled by independent auctioneers to ensure transparency and good governance. Independent Media Property
TimesLIVE
23-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Two vacant erven sold for a combined R170m in Clifton
Two vacant erven in one of the country's most exclusive addresses have sold for a combined R170m in Cape Town. The plots, a combined space of 2,700m 2, are in Nettleton Road, Clifton. While the erven have planning permission for nine apartments, the multinational entity which purchased them plans to build one 'expansive trophy property to crown Nettleton Road', said Annette Hepburn of Pam Golding Properties, who secured the sale. 'This is one of a few remaining vacant sites in this highly sought-after address, where properties rarely become available and when they do, opulent, completed residences can be acquired for upwards of R150m,' said Hepburn. 'Nettleton Road is the most exclusive of all streets in the country, with a limited number of residential properties, large luxurious, iconic homes which offer all the elements desired by high-net-worth individuals — an unparalleled lifestyle, exclusivity, privacy and rarity, and above all, the spectacular views.' The street is home to captains of industry and luxurious designer homes. The combined sale price of the erven included VAT.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Broward school district to end universal free lunches, raise lunch prices
Broward County Public Schools will no longer offer free lunch to all students this upcoming school year. At Tuesday's meeting, the school board was informed that the surplus of federal funds that had been used to offer free lunch throughout the district for the past school year was finally depleted. For some Broward students, next school year will be the first time in several years that they will have to pay for lunch. In response to the pandemic, the federal government provided waivers for schools to offer universal free lunch, which expired in 2022. Some Broward schools continued to provide free lunches through the Community Eligibility Program, a nationally funded program for schools where 40% of the student population qualified for free or reduced meals, the Sun Sentinel reported in 2023. Dozens of Broward schools did not qualify for CEP, so for the 2023-2024 school year, the Food and Nutrition Services department applied for a federal U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program to provide the remaining schools with free lunch. Broward's universal free lunch continued into the current school year. Mary Mulder, the Food and Nutrition Services executive director, told the school board at Tuesday's meeting that the department had continued with the free lunch program in order to deplete a surplus of funds 'from the COVID years.' Federal rules from the USDA limit the amount of funds the district's nutrition program can have on hand. It costs about $9 million to provide free school lunch each year. Hepburn explained that over the past few years, the district 'utilized the strategy of feeding all students to deplete [the fund balance] back to the levels that are appropriate based on the federal government.' Not only will universal free lunch end for the next school year, the price of lunch will also increase by $1. School board members voted to increase school lunch prices during Tuesday's meeting. Each meal is now $3 for elementary schools, $3.35 for middle schools and $3.50 for high schools. According to a school district memo, lunch prices have not increased in 12 years. Food and Nutrition Services runs a self-operating budget within the school district and does not receive money from the district's general fund. The cost of food, equipment, supplies and labor has increased, Mulder said. Parents will be able to fill out paperwork to apply for free or reduced price lunch starting July 14 at Breakfast will remain free for all students. 'It's so vitally important that we have these robust conversations now so there's no confusion as far as parents that need to fill out the paperwork,' said school board member Lori Alhadeff. School board member Rebecca Thompson showed interest in expanding free universal lunch and encouraged the board to discuss it further. School board members said they would discuss the idea in a future workshop. 'The economic situation of our state is not going to get any better and if there is a way that we can explore this and help families then we should do that,' Thompson said.
