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French lesbian love story set to open amid feud

A controversial lesbian love story that won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in May, opens next week amid a bitter feud between its two female leads and the director, who is accused of having "disrespected" them in 10 days of filming for a graphic 10-minute sex scene.

French lesbian love story set to open amid feud
15-year-old Adèle, played by Adèle Exarchopoulos (L), falls in love with art student Emma, played by Léa Seydox (R) in 'Blue is the Warmest Colour.' Photo: Paul Alex/Youtube

The three-hour-long "Blue is the Warmest Colour" (La Vie d'Adèle) caused a sensation at this year's Cannes film festival, making stars out of its two lead actresses, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux.

The pair were all smiles on the French Riviera as they posed for photographs with the film's French-Tunisian director, Abdellatif Kechiche.

Chair of the jury Steven Spielberg hailed it as a "profound love story", adding that the judges had been "absolutely spellbound" by the brilliance of the women's performances and "the way the director… let the characters breathe".

Another reviewer hinted at possible future controversy, claiming it contains “the most explosively graphic lesbian sex scenes in recent memory.”

IN PICTURES: 10 Must-see French movies of the Millenium

"He was screaming, 'hit her again!'"

But fast forward several months and the mood surrounding the film has soured, with bitter complaints from both actresses about Kechiche's working methods.

In an interview published on September 1st by US website The Daily Beast, Exarchopoulos said that she had been unprepared for the extent to which Kechiche required her to immerse herself in the role.

"Once we were on the shoot, I realized that he really wanted us to give him everything. Most people don't even dare to ask the things that he did, and they're more respectful," she said.

Seydoux complained that a 10-minute sex scene in the film took a full "10 days to shoot".

SEE ALSO: Léa Seydoux plays covergirl for relaunch of 'Lui' magazine, the 'French Playboy'

'

Both women also complained about a fight scene.

"It was horrible. She (Seydoux) was hitting me so many times and (Kechiche) was screaming 'Hit her! Hit her again!'," Exarchopoulos said.

With the film due for release in France next week, the pair again aired their complaints, with Seydoux telling TV magazine Telerama that filming was "horrible" and that she did not think the film should be released.

'I felt humiliated and dishonoured'

"For me, this film should not come out, it has been sullied too much. The Palme d'Or was only a brief moment of happiness, afterward I felt humiliated and dishonoured, I felt a rejection of my person, (and) that I live like a curse," Seydoux said.

Exarchopoulos, meanwhile, told French television that Kechiche was a "tortured genius" but that his demands had harmed both of them.

"He made us ill psychologically at times because he loves his actresses to let go and it's hard to do," she said.

For his part, Kechiche has responded by saying he believes the comments show "a lack of respect for a metier that I regard as sacred".

SEE ALSO: How Léa Seydoux went from lesbian icon to 'homophobic villain'

'Much less beautiful – a bit of a lesbian'

Seydoux caused a separate controversy in August when remarks she made about lesbians and beauty led some commentators to label her a "homophobe."

Speaking to French Grazia, the women’s fashion and gossip magazine, about her own self-image, the 28-year-old said the following.

“There have been moments where I’ve found myself pretty and sexy, but there are times when I find myself much less beautiful – a bit of a lesbian, you could say."

IN PICTURES: The hottest French film stars in 2013 – Léa Seydoux and who else?

"Blue is the Warmest Colour" opens in France and Belgium on October 9th, followed by other European countries between October 10th and 25th.

It will have a limited release in the United States from October 25th, as well as slots at four film festivals this month, including Chicago and New York.

Here is an official trailer for the controversial film, with English subtitles, by Movie Clips Trailers.

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ART

Italian man leaves million euro artwork on TGV

How could you possibly leave a 13th century work of art worth €1 million on the train? Well that's exactly what happened to an Italian art collector on a Paris to Geneva TGV train.

Italian man leaves million euro artwork on TGV
Italian art collector Francesco Plateroti left art worth €1 million on a French TGV. Photo: Marsupilami92/Flickr

Francesco Plateroti had more reason than most to visit the lost property section at a train station.

The art collector left a 13th century Chinese scroll “Le banquet des immortels à la terrasse de Jade” (“The banquet of immortals on the terrace of Jade”) by Wang Zhenpeng, estimated to be worth around €1 million ($1.25M), on the TGV train he was travelling on on November 21st.

After presenting the work of art, which dates from the Yuan dynasty (1280 – 1329) in the French capital, Plateroti took the high-speed TGV train from Paris to Geneva line and got off at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, a town close to the border with Switzerland and the final stop before Geneva.

Plateroti, who gives lectures on art around the world, didn’t realize immediately that he didn’t have the scroll with him. By the time a panicked Plateroti noticed that something was missing, the train had already left for Geneva.

“I was crushed when I realized I didn’t have it with me,” Plateroti told The Local France. “It was a massive shock".

He immediately alerted staff, who contacted colleagues in Geneva. The train was searched, but unfortunately nothing was found.

All lost property items are sent to a central office in the Swiss city of Berne, but so far no million-euro painting has been handed in.

The frustrated collector then took it into his owns hands to try to track down the work of art.

He published a small ad stating he would be willing to pay a reward to whoever returns it to him.

But that hasn't proved to have had the desired effect.

“People take advantage of my misfortune,” Plateroti told The Local France, adding the artwork would "sell for over €1 million at auction".

“They are calling me to say they have the painting and that they will send it once I put the reward money in their bank accounts.

"This all makes having lost the painting a lot worse.”

While he hasn’t received any good news yet concerning the loss of his prized possession Plateroti still remains hopeful.

“You have to be optimistic,” he said.

“After all, a positive attitude can overcome many obstacles.”

On the bright side, the painting can’t be sold legally at least, because Plateroti still has the certificate that made it possible to travel with the painting and confirms its authenticity. 

By Simone Flückiger

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