Vanessa Paradis competes in beauty with Monica Bellucci, emotion at its peak for Michel Blanc

Saturday evening, the 16th edition of the Lumière Festival kicked off with great fanfare in Lyon, with a moving tribute to Michel Blanc, emblematic actor, who died on October 3. In a packed house of 5,000 moviegoers, big names in cinema were present for this opening night. Among them, Monica Bellucci, Tim Burton, Vanessa Paradis, as well as Régis Debray and Lambert Wilson.

Vanessa Paradis and Monica Bellucci: icons in the spotlight

The event began on a nostalgic note with an extract from Tanned people go skiingwho made the whole room sing along, using the iconic lyrics of When will I see you again, wonderful country? Thierry Frémaux, president of the festival and director of the Institut Lumière, expressed his emotion in a sincere speech: “It was very beautiful, very strong.“

This year, the festival also honors emblematic figures of international cinema. Vanessa Paradis, essential figure of the French 7th artis one of the guests of honor. The 51-year-old actress and singer, who has won the hearts of the public with memorable roles in films such as The Girl on the Bridge et Café de Floreparticipates in retrospectives of his films. Lily Rose Depp’s mother also offers a masterclass where the latter looks back on her rich career, beginnings with Joe the Taxi until his rise in the world of cinema.

As for Monica Bellucci, the actress caused a sensation with her partner, Tim Burton, on the opening night red carpet. The couple, who appeared all smiles and hand in hand, continue to captivate the crowds since the formalization of their relationship in 2023. The Italian actress, magnificent in a draped taupe dress, and the cult director, elegant in a black suit, were one of the highlights of the evening. Their obvious complicity on the red carpets makes their couple one of the most followed romances in the world of cinema.

The Lumière Festival: a celebration of heritage cinema

The Lumière Festival, which celebrates heritage cinema, is offering exceptional retrospectives this year, notably around Benicio del Toro and Xavier Dolan, as well as special screenings of restored films. Among the distinguished guests, we also find Justine Triet, director ofAnatomy of a fall, and legendary Mexican director Alejandro Jodorowsky. The 157 films screened during the nine days of the festival bear witness to the importance of this event for the preservation and the rediscovery of major works of cinema.

The Franco-Greek Costa-Gavras, committed director made famous by his films Z (1969) et The Confession (1970) received a Special Lighting Prizewhich was given to him by Tim Burton. “It is such an honor to present you with this award.“, said the latter, saluting the cinema”human, beautiful and thoughtful” of Costa-Gavras, moved to tears. The 91-year-old filmmaker presents his Last breathwhich will be released in theaters in January 2025, in the presence of the film crew.

A highlight of this edition is the presentation of the Lumière Prize to Isabelle Huppertone of the most respected French actresses. The latter succeeds Wim Wenders, winner of 2023, and other legendary figures such as Catherine Deneuve and Jane Fonda.

Anthony Delon, invited to honor his father, Alain Delon

The closing ceremony, scheduled for October 20, will highlight Alain Delon with a screening of Plein Soleil, a masterpiece by René Clément. For this occasion, Anthony Delon will be present in Lyon, as the latter indicated in his Instagram story this Saturday, October 12: “Back in Lyon.”, wrote the eldest son of the cinema legend, accompanied by a press article confirming his arrival.