culture

Johnny Depp Calls Life With Vanessa Paradis “Bliss” in Rare Interview

Johnny Depp's life with former French partner Vanessa Paradis and their two children was "bliss," the US actor told AFP in an interview on Thursday. "I have nothing but incredible memories from those days. They gave me time to be a tour father," Depp said in Tokyo. "Vanessa was doing her shows, you know, various tours. I got to be just Daddy for ...

Love Bombing: Irresistible Pull of Excess

In digital culture as in everyday language, love bombing is quite literally a “bombardment of love.” The term describes a seduction phase in which someone is overwhelmed with attention, declarations, and conspicuous displays of interest (streams of messages, unexpected gifts, sudden plans, sweeping promises). It is less the passion or joyful ...

Maroon 5 to Headline Chambord Live in Only French Date of 2026

Maroon 5 will perform their one and only French show of 2026 on June 27 at the iconic Château de Chambord, organizers AZ Prod confirmed Tuesday to AFP. Known for their signature blend of pop, funk and R&B, and for global hits like Sugar, Memories and Girls Like You, the American band will take the stage in one of France’s most celebrated ...

Boualem Sansal Calls for Bold Steps Toward Franco-Algerian Peace

“If there’s the will,” reconciliation between Algiers and Paris “can move very fast,” says French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in an interview with AFP. According to him, Algerians “are eager for peace” with France. Released on November 12 after nearly a year in detention in Algeria, the novelist says it is up to leaders in both ...

Hanoi to Welcome a Renzo Piano “Opera Island” in 2027

By 2027, a striking new landmark will rise from the calm waters of Hanoi. Built on an artificial island between West Lake and Đầm Trị Lake, the Isola Della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano and his studio, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), will unfold like a bright, sculptural form with fluid, organic lines. Revealed in autumn 2025, the ...

Pianist Behind Paris ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Flash Mob Aims Higher

The man behind a recent viral video featuring musicians playing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody to stunned bystanders in a Paris square has revealed to AFP the meticulous work that went into his latest, even bigger production. The "flash mob" Queen video has been viewed roughly 600 million times since being posted online in early ...

AI Nostalgia Videos Revive a Dreamy Vision of 1980s Life

“The 1980s are calling,” a teenager with a throwback hairstyle tells viewers as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” the Tears for Fears rock anthem from that decade, plays in the background. The fake montage — entirely generated using artificial intelligence — has racked up more than 600,000 “likes” on Instagram and is part of an ...

German Hollywood Veteran Udo Kier Dead at 81

German actor Udo Kier, whose offbeat charisma made him a cult figure in both arthouse and Hollywood cinema, has died at 81 in California, US magazine Variety reported. With a career spanning more than half a century, Kier appeared in hundreds of films, often stealing scenes with his unmistakable presence. Kier first rose to fame in the 1970s ...

'Wicked' Sequel Dominates Box Office With Record-Breaking Debut

Universal's musical sequel Wicked: For Good stole the box office spotlight in its North America debut this weekend, with a record-setting haul to the tune of $150 million, industry estimates showed Sunday. Variety said the film's debut was the highest ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, while analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment ...

Boualem Sansal Breaks His Silence After Release From Algerian Custody

In his first public remarks since being freed by Algeria and returning to France, French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal said on Sunday that he had always sought “reconciliation” between the two countries, while acknowledging that diplomatic sensitivities still constrain what he can say. Imprisoned in Algeria for a year over comments he made ...

The Gucci Jackie: Italian Elegance in Jackie Kennedy’s Hand

Named after an icon and defined by its unmistakable silhouette, the Jackie exemplifies the subtle interplay between Italian refinement and global elegance. As one of the Florentine house’s signature pieces, it rose to fame through Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who lent it an enduring aura of sophistication. This is the remarkable journey of an ...