“Les Bleus s’imposent dans le choc du Tournoi.” Really, the shock of the tournament?
I don’t think any Irish fans travelling to Paris would have seen a six point win for France as a shocking result on Saturday, but this was the Le Monde headline of their live blog after what was a thrilling match, despite the result from an Irish point of view.
Still, it shows just how delighted the French public was with the outcome, and by default how much respect they have for this Irish team given just how important this match was seen over there – Le Parisien making it very clear how they viewed Ireland as “one of the main contenders for the Six Nations title.”
Unsurprisingly, plenty of focus was placed upon France’s immediate purple patch that threatened to blow Ireland away from the opening whistle. To jog the memory, Antoine Dupont latched onto a Romain Ntamack offload to open the French account with less than two minutes on the clock.
As Midi Olympique’s Vincent Bissonet put it, it was “almost too good to be true.”
Elsewhere, writing for Le Monde, Clément Martel pointed to the jubilant mood in the Stade de France when Dupont crashed over so early. However, a touch surprisingly, he is of the opinion that the spectacle did not live up to the expected billing after that breathless start.
“After seeing Antoine Dupont dashing over with the opening whistle barely blown, going to open the scoring in the Irish in-goal area, the 80,000 spectators in the Stade de France could think, just for a few moments, that a dazzling game of rugby awaited them. That was not the case.
“The French XV defeated Ireland on the Saint-Denis turf on their second outing of the Six Nations during a ‘rough and tough match’, according to backrow François Cros.”
It looks like Martel is mistakenly equating a player account of contest’s brutal physicality with a negative spectacle. No matter, he clearly displays his respect for Andy Farrell’s side while at the same time highlighting an impressive trend when it comes to how France are able to start big games so well.
“Facing a team on nine consecutive wins, with gleaming mechanics in their meticulous rugby, the Blues knew what awaited them. But as in the autumn against the All Blacks, they unfurled their game plan in a first period of which they were in total control.”
Antoine Dupont got France off to a flying start. Photgograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
Speaking of trends – or the lack whereof – we can all remember the now forlornly distant chatter of Ireland’s near impeccable discipline against Wales in the opening round. This time around, as Midi Olympique’s Léo Faure helpfully points out, it was the French side that got on the right side of the referee Angus Gardner.
“Facing a team that held onto the ball and put plenty of intensity into the collisions, the French deserve immense credit for their discipline. Even when under pressure, they completely controlled their nerves. At the end, only seven penalties were conceded (11 for Ireland). And no player gave away more than one penalty.”
The same publication goes onto talk about the impressive nature of the French defence. If he read the papers, Shaun Edwards’ ears would be burning.
“The Blues’ victory rests mainly on two factors: a thunderous start to the match (10-0 after seven minutes of play) and a defence that was on fire, which also allowed them to resist the Irish waves until the final whistle.
“However, after a successful opening act, France suffered. In the end, possession belonged to Ireland (54 per cent) but there were only three line breaks through the blue defence.”
Thierry Dusatoir, the legendary French backrow, offered his thoughts to l’Équipe. No mug at the breakdown himself back in his day, the former captain highlighted the importance of French supremacy at the ruck to the result.
“In one sense, France used their head more than their limbs… by slowing down exits from rucks, by tackling the ball, by always holding the ball carrier off the ground, by showing their aggressive attitude in the middle of the park.
“Ireland wanted to construct their game by hitting the gain line hard, but they found themselves countered in the collisions and at the breakdown, and that gave them less space and less freedom to develop their game.”
Dusatoir’s colleague at l’Équipe, Renaud Bourel, sums up what victory means for France’s long-term aspirations, given they are hosting the 2023 World Cup of course. He flirts with making some incredibly grand predictions roughly 18 months out from the tournament.
“It’s a sweetness that we no longer hesitate to serve to quality guests. At 17 months out from organising the huge quadrennial festival of rugby at home, it is important to signal that we know how to host. France are unplayable at home. It is no longer a vision of the mind, it is a statistic (13 victories out of 14).
“Unless you believe that the Earth is flat, the debate is closed.”
Here’s when your favorite show may return as writers strike is on the verge of ending | Culture
A tentative agreement between striking screenwriters and Hollywood studios offers some hope that the industry’s dual walkouts may soon be over. But when will your favorite shows return?
Well, it’s complicated. First, the agreement needs to pass two key votes, and certain paused productions such as Deadpool 3 and Yellowjackets will still have to wait on actors to reach a deal with studios.
When is ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ coming back?
Once the contract is approved, work will resume more quickly for some writers than others. Late-night talk shows were the first to be affected when the strike began, and they may be among the first to return to air now. NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS could come back within days.
Saturday Night Live might be able to return for its 49th season, though some actors may not be able to appear. The actors strike limits promotional appearances that are the lifeblood of the late-night shows.
Shows that return while actors are still picketing could prove controversial, as happened with the planned resumptions of daytime shows including The Drew Barrymore Show and The Talk. Those plans were later abandoned.
One show that’s likely to make a speedy return? Real Time with Bill Maher. The host plotted a return without writers but ended up postponing once last week’s negotiations were set.
What about ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Superman’?
Writers rooms for scripted shows that shut down at the strike’s onset, including Netflix’s Stranger Things, Severance on Apple TV+ and Abbott Elementaryon ABC are also likely to reactivate quickly. But with no performers to act out the scripts, long delays between page and screen will be inevitable.
Film writers will also get back to work on their slower timeline, though those working on scripts or late revisions for already scheduled movies — including “Deadpool 3″ and “Superman: Legacy” — will certainly be hustling to avoid further release-date delays.
When are Drew Barrymore and other daytime shows coming back?
Barrymore’s planned return to her daytime television show became a rallying point for picketers earlier this month, prompting her to cancel her plans. The Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show, which also employ some screenwriters, also called off plans to return.
Barrymore and the other shows have not announced their plans for returning. However, the Writers Guild of America has made it clear: Guild members cannot start working again on projects until the tentative contract is ratified.
That vote has not yet been scheduled.
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Milan fashion celebrated diversity and inclusion with refrain: Make more space for color and curves | Culture
More curvy models than ever showed up on Milan runways this season, due mostly to a single show by Brazilian designer Karoline Vitto, while designers of color showcased their work at collateral events meant to promote their visibility — along with diversity — in the backrooms of Italian fashion.
Wherever diversity and inclusion were being celebrated during Milan Fashion Week, which ended Sunday, there was one underlying refrain: Make more space.
Curvy models get outing at Karoline Vitto
“We made history! It was incredible,’’ world-renown curvy model Ashley Graham gushed as she embraced London-based Vitto after Sunday’s show. Graham is often the only curvy model on major fashion runways, but for this show she led a cast of models ranging in size from UK 10 to UK 24 (US 6 to US 20).
By comparison, some Milan brands typically size up to 48 Italian (US size 12), while some, notably Dolce & Gabbana which sponsored Vitto, has extended some looks up to an Italian size 52 (US 16).
Graham wore an edgy black ripped corset and long sheer skirt, while other models wore form-hugging jersey dresses fitted with S-shaped metallic fixtures that sculpted their curves. She used the same technique for bathing suits.
“It feels normal,’’ Graham said, calling on more designers to get more curves on the runway. “If I feel normal on the runway with this many girls, that means that there is something that doesn’t feel normal when I am on the runway with everybody else.”
Diversifying small brand profiles
After working in fashion for decades, Deborah Latouche launched her own brand after converting to Islam and realizing how hard it was to find clothes that were “luxury, high-end and modest.”
Latouche brand, Sabirah, was highlighted along with US brand BruceGlen at the Milan Fashion Hub for new and emerging designers, sponsored by Blanc Magazine’s Teneshia Carr and the Italian National Fashion Chamber. The Hub offered space to meet buyers and other people interested in new brands.
“Something like this is really important because small brands such as myself can get really overlooked,’’ said Latouche, who has shown her brand in London, where she is based. “We put a lot of work in but we don’t necessarily get a lot of recognition.
Being invited to Milan “is an amazing platform that gives us the potential to elevate and that is really important,’’ she said.
Twins Bruce and Glen Proctor have been working on their brand for 17 years, and relished the time in Milan showing their creations to a new audience while they also connect with their true creative intentions.
“For a longtime we did black and white, based on what we thought the industry wanted,” Bruce Glen said. Now they are doing what comes naturally, “Colors, prints and fur.’’
Carr said presentations where people can touch the wares are a great way to connect people with a new product, without the huge expense of a runway show.
“The fashion system isn’t working for anyone but the 1 percent. I am all for trying to make new systems where everyone gets paid and people get clothes that make them feel better,’’ she said.
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Hollywood Studios Reach Tentative Agreement With Screenwriters To End The Strike
The picket line of writers and actors outside Netflix offices in Los Angeles.
A happy ending in Hollywood. The studios and the writers’ union have reached a tentative agreement to end the screenwriters’ strike that has brought the world of film and television in the United States to a halt for nearly five months.
“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional, with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership” the WGA stated in a press release. The leadership of the screenwriters’ organization must ratify the pact on Tuesday by a vote. The studios must now focus on resolving the conflict with the actors’ union, which is still on strike, so that productions can resume operations.
The studios and the WGA resumed negotiations on Wednesday after months of tension and a failed attempt to reach an agreement in mid-August. This time, there was a greater sense of urgency from both sides, who were concerned that further disagreement could have stretched the strike to 2024.
The main executives of the four studios attended the meetings with this in mind to show their willingness to negotiate. The parties set the goal of drafting the new contract before the Yom Kippur holidays, which began Sunday afternoon.
The negotiations were attended by Bob Iger, from Disney; David Zaslav from Warner Bros. Discovery; Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley. The studio heads were present for three days at the meetings, which were held at the offices of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
SAG-AFTRA actors and Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers rally during their ongoing strike, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
In the press release to announce the tentative agreement, the WGA made it clear that the strike is not over yet: “No one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then.” The WGA’s 11,500 members must vote on the agreement.
This will happen after Tuesday, when the Negotiating Committee ratifies the deal once the final version of the text is ready. The deal is likely to be overwhelmingly approved by screenwriters, who have expressed their satisfaction for the resolution. Union members have also recognized the work of the Negotiating Committee, headed by Ellen Stutzaman.
While the strike continues until the deal is voted on, the WGA has brought an end to the picket lines at the gates of major studios in Los Angeles and New York, which have been in place since May 2.
If the strike had reached September 30, it would have become the longest in the history of the WGA, surpassing the 153 days of the 1988 strike. Actors, in the meantime, remain on strike, until they reach a deal with the studios.
According to the writers, the agreement was made possible after the studios agreed to reformulate the scope that artificial intelligence will have in the writing of content, and to set minimum rules for writers’ rooms.
During the strike, screenwriters complained that studios were abusing so-called mini rooms, a more compact version of a writers’ room. These mini rooms were used to develop more content for streaming platforms in less time and with fewer hands, which made the work more precarious. The new agreement establishes a minimum number of people who must write a television series.
One of the most insistent demands by the WGA was a review of the residual payment model. Residuals are compensation paid for the reuse of a credited writer’s work. The union argued that the previous scheme worked in the times of broadcast TV, but that adjustments needed to be made for the era of streaming. In the digital age, writers, producers and actors receive see hardly any compensation for shows that become hits on platforms.
The studios agreed to change the model to increase compensation depending on a show’s audience figures. This issue is also key to resolving the conflict with the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA, which has 160,000 members, and has been on strike for 72 days.
After the failed negotiations in August, the pickets at the doors of the studios became larger in September. The writers flexed their muscles when Drew Barrymore announced she would return to filming her CBS talk show. This provoked the anger of the scriptwriters, who argued that the popular actress was violating the strike. Barrymore defended herself by stating that many members of the production were suffering financial hardship after months without work. But she came under a lot of pressure.
After a week, Barrymore tearfully apologized in a video posted on social media and announced that she would not resume filming. Other television productions followed, reporting that they would not return until the strike was resolved.