Maiwenn had been wanting to do a film on Jeanne du Barry for 16 years before the historical drama was released in May. The film, which was a highlight of the Red Sea International Film Festival, tells the story of King Louis XV’s chief royal mistress in a tale that touches upon the social constructs and power plays of the French court in the 18th century.
For Maiwenn, a French filmmaker of Algerian descent, Madame du Barry was an embodiment of someone who aimed to live her life to the fullest. The countess pushed the envelope of the customs and expectations that women were subject to in the royal court. It gave her an air of infamy, but also made her a trailblazer for her time.
“I made a movie about her because I fell in love with her and her life story, and also the historical era,” Maiwenn says. “Maybe it's because she was a free woman. Maybe because she was an outcast. Maybe because she was self taught.”
“She was the first woman to wear men's clothing [at the court],” Maiwenn says. “She attended a hunting party dressed as a man. I wanted to show that scene because it was very important symbolically.”
Besides writing and directing the film, Maiwenn stars as the film’s titular protagonist opposite Johnny Depp’s King Louis XV. Balancing between the two roles on set was a challenge, she says.
“It's difficult to direct even when one doesn't play in the movie,” Maiwenn says. “I made movies in which I played and others in which I didn't play. It's always a challenge. At the end of a movie, I always feel empty because I've given my all to the project. I am both an actor and a spectator and there is something schizophrenic about it. But I don't think that it is in contradiction with the craft of the director."
"I think that's been a director has taught me a lot and as an actress, she says. "Look at painters when they do self-portraits, it’s always a work that has to do with analysis and psychology. It is not only a portrait of themselves. These are not people who are highly narcissistic or in love with themselves. These are people who feel like they have a calling.”
Yet, writing the script and spending years researching Jeanne du Barry meant that Maiwenn did not have to prepare for the role, as by the time the cameras were rolling, she already knew the character.
“I spent years reading about her,” Maiwenn says. “It’s all in memory, the dates, the famous sentences, the major events.”
Depp also underlined the difficulties that come with simultaneously directing and acting in a film. Having fulfilled both roles in his 1997 film The Brave, the actor called the experience “a nightmare".
“I was directing the thing, and I also had to act in it.,” he says. “There are such opposing entities. To be an actor, you need to be available to whatever's happening around you, but not necessarily awareness. As a director, you have to be aware of everything around. It was the most difficult thing in the world to do. But [Maiwenn] pulled it off beautifully.”
When Depp was first offered the role, he says he thought it was "a strange idea".
“Initially, my reaction was maybe a French actor should play Louis. But I stuck with it and just tried to find the things that I can add to this to give a little seasoning, try to do something that maybe hasn't been kind of bashed around too much,” he says.
Depp noted that for every part, he tries to find ways to captivate audiences within the first few minutes of appearing on screen. He also alluded to the media attention last year’s defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, saying he came in with “much baggage, train cars, and cabooses following me”, and that it was necessary to isolate his personal life from his depiction of King Louis XV on screen.
“That's the most difficult thing,” he says. “Get rid of all the baggage and expectations and get it done quick.”
Maiwenn also touched upon the media attention that the trial brought, and for some time wondered whether Depp was going to withdraw from the film.
“I said to myself, oh my god, maybe he's not going to do my movie because it's going to be so huge,” Maiwenn says. “I asked his agent if he’s still available and enjoying making movies. They said the question is ‘would you have him in your movie?’ I said yes, of couse, this is his private life. I showed them that I didn’t change my mind.”
Depp says what captivated him most about the king’s character was the several personas he embodied. “As king of France, you’re going to behave one way with the court, you’re going to behave differently when speaking with leaders of other countries. I was looking into that aspect of it.
"The various sides that he's had to learn to be since birth, at the very least since he became king at 12. He was not the luckiest of kings. Although he was not the unluckiest.”
Maiwenn was also keen to use 35mm film while shooting Jeanne du Barry, marking a first in her career. She says she has long aimed to make a film using 35mm, and that if she ever used the medium, it would have to be in a historical film.
“The movies, which talk about a specific historical time period that we're not using the 35mm, I thought that it had an impact on the movie at the end,” she says. “When there is movement with carriages and horses and it goes by very fast, I could see it. I could see that it was shot using [digital] video.”
She also decided on 35mm film to add an extra layer of pressure on actors, saying they would have to be “extra cautious about what they would say".
“If they were too spontaneous and if they made a blunder, there would be consequences. The camera therefore forced all involved on set to think about what they were going to say before saying it.”
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Elina Svitolina (UKR) [3] v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) v Belinda Bencic (SUI [4]
Not before 7pm:
Sofia Kenin (USA) [5] v Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Maria Sakkari (GRE) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) [7]
Court One
Starting at midday:
Karolina Muchova (CZE) v Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) v Dayana Yastermska (UKR)
Petra Martic (CRO) [8] v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Anett Kontaveit (EST)
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The years Ramadan fell in May
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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