International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2018: No Jonathan Rhys Meyers does not dampen excitement

Goa
India’s official film festival starts tomorrow and acv is here covering…

HEARTTHROB and star of TV series ‘The Tudors’ Jonathan Rhys Meyers cannot attend the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) because of the wildfires in California.

“He lives in Malibu and sends his apologies,” said Julien Landais, the director of tomorrow’s IFFI opening film and the world premiere of his debut feature, ‘The Aspern Papers’. Meyers is the lead actor in the lavish 19th century drama and had been billed as attending the fest. He first emerged as the coach in the Gurinder Chadha’s ‘Bend It Like Beckham‘.

Julien Landais

Landais and several of his acting talents appeared at a press conference this afternoon to talk about their film which will open the 49th edition of IFFI this year.

Barbara Meier

Landais also apologised for the absence of Morgane Polanski whom he said was shooting in London and could no longer make it to Goa. She also had been expected to attend the glittering opening here in Goa tomorrow. The film has an incredible array of acting talent, including Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson and relative newcomer, Poppy Delevingne.

Alongside Landais was Loius Robbins, Nicholas Hau, and Barbara Meier, all stars of the costume drama set in Venice and featuring such figures as Lord Byron (played by Hau).

Landais was in an upbeat mood and told the gathered Indian media he was absolutely thrilled to be in India and opening IFFI.

A first time director but well connected, and a former catwalk model, he spoke about the influence of James Ivory and how the film came to be made via a French stage version ‘The Aspern Papers’ and a screenplay by the same writer.

It is period adaptation of a novel by literary icon Henry James, an American who came to live in London at the tale end of the last century and was a chronicler of high society and it mores throughout the age.

Nicholas Hau plays Lord Byron in ‘The Aspern Papers’

A series of deadly wildfires in California have caused extensive damage over the last two weeks and officials have estimated the death toll from the natural disaster is well likely to rise in the coming days as a clear-up operation in many parts of the state continue.

More tommorow from the festival, including short interviews to camera with Landais and Meier…

To follow us in real time at IFFI…

The International Film Festival of India runs from November 20-28.