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The 61st Monte-Carlo Television Festival opened Friday with a phalanx of stars and TV industry execs walking the blue carpet for the event, attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene.
The opening screening was the world premiere of thriller “Last Light,” produced by MGM Intl. TV Production. The show’s cast attended, led by Matthew Fox (“Lost”), Joanne Froggatt (“Downton Abbey”), Tom Wlaschiha (“Game of Thrones”), and Amber Rose Revah (Marvel’s “The Punisher”), as well as director Dennie Gordon, and junior cast members Alyth Ross and Taylor Fay.
During the opening ceremony, Princess Charlene presented the first International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent to French actor Théo Christine (“War of the Worlds,” “SKAM,” “Suprêmes”).
In his welcoming speech, Prince Albert II said: “Our festival has always showcased on the one hand creativity, quality fiction production, and on the other hand, journalistic work for a better understanding of the real challenges, the major geopolitical and economic equilibria of the world we live in.
“Its content evolves constantly to integrate the technological developments which have turned the way we consume images, particularly with the development of digital platforms.”
At the festival to present “The Offer,” the drama series about the making of “The Godfather,” were Nikki Toscano, the show’s writer and producer, and Nicole Clemens, president of Paramount Television Studios.
Execs at the event included Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of National Geographic Society, who is the president of the festival’s news and documentaries jury; Anna Marsh, CEO of Studiocanal, who is on the festival’s fiction jury; Michael Hirst, the writer and executive producer of “Vikings”; Rola Bauer, president of international television productions at MGM; Danna Stern, the exiting boss of Israel’s Yes Studios; and Monika Bacardi, co-founder of AMBI Group and Iervolino Entertainement.
Acting talent who attended the opening included Taylor Kitsch from “The Terminal List,” Luke Kleintank from “FBI: International,” Camryn Manheim at “Law & Order: Revival,” Melissa Ordway and Jason Thompson from “The Young and the Restless,” Taylor Kinney of “Chicago Fire,” Marlyne Barrett from “Chicago Med,” and Hill Harper and Paige Spara from “The Good Doctor.”
Other actors at the event included Jason Priestley, Neal McDonough, Danny Glover, David Hasselhoff and Jane Seymour.
In his speech, Laurent Puons, CEO of the festival, said: “In the golden age of content, there is no doubt that our festival has become a leading force in the celebration of all aspects of the global television business. With an incredible lineup of the very best programs and talent, both in front of and behind the camera, we are looking forward to delivering an exciting edition over the coming five days.”
Shows competing at the festival include “The Offer,” with Miles Teller and Matthew Goode, “The Tourist” with Jamie Dornan, and “The Terminal List” with Chris Pratt. Also in the competition are “A Private Affair,” “Made in Oslo,” “Trom,” “Martha Liebermann,” “Romance of Ida,” and “Vincenzo Malinconico, Avvocato d’Insuccesso.”