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lifestyle MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016 FEATURES Lock-up to library: France reinvents its decrepit prisons he ad on the French finance ministry web- site is deadpan and succinct: “For sale: late T19th century prison in the centre of Grasse, 1,277.42 square metres (13,750 square feet). No garage or parking space. Needs renovating.” Prospective buyers of the site in southeast France are required to lodge a deposit of 50,000 euros ($56,000). There are around 10 such notices for defunct prisons on the website, testament to a growing trend that has seen many urban jails turned into social housing or concert halls. Since many are protected buildings they can- not be demolished. But this means those that find no buyer are left to rot. Reprimanded at the European level for its overpopulated and dilapi- dated jails, over the past 15 years France has been busy modernizing its prison stock. This process has been given added urgency by grow- ing fears about the spread of radical Islam among the prison population after a string of People visit Guingamp’s 19th Century former prison, that is to be turned into a visual arts center after undergoing renovation work, on Aug 24, 2016. — AFP attacks in the last two years. for property on their land. In such cases sales Slovenia has been turned into a youth hostel; protected buildings, noting that buyers of old One in the southeastern city of Avignon, cov- In early September, Prime Minister Manuel take place by mutual consent,” according to the another in Oxford is now a luxury hotel. prisons have to promise to respect rules about ering 11,000 sq m next to the medieval Palais des Valls said France needed room for 10,000 more finance ministry’s website. A prison in the And not all French towns can afford to devel- national heritage sites. Papes and valued at €2.5 million ($2.8 million) for prisoners over the next 10 years. “Generally, it’s Parisian suburb of Coulommiers, a stone building op old sites. In such cases, the private sector example, has been on the market since 2015. The cheaper to build a new prison” than to renovate built in 1851, was bought by the municipal gov- sometimes steps in. This happened in From Nick to Nightclub Marriott group once thought about building a one, explained Laurent Vilbert, who is in charge ernment for €2.3 million ($2.6 million) and Fontainebleau, another Paris suburb, where a Although two 19th century prisons in the luxury hotel there but abandoned the project of urban planning in the western city of Nantes. turned into a library. Its cells are now lined with prison was sold at auction for €480,000 central city of Lyons have been converted and when it realised how much work would be The city recently bought the local downtown jail books. Guingamp, a commune in Brittany, ($538,000) to a buyer who plans to turn it into modernized into a vast university campus and involved. Avignon town hall, which owns the - which fell short of European standards-for 4.9 bought its prison back in 1992 and this month housing. “We are really watching the developer. housing, key features such as facades and a building, has put out a call for proposals with the million euros ($5.5 million). By 2018, the complex began turning the building into a visual arts cen- A whole section of the building is protected,” said watchtower rotunda have been preserved. Some idea of turning it into a space for artists, housing will become social housing, complete with a tre with its central courtyard transformed into a Pierre Tsiakkaros, chief of staff to the prisons find no buyers at all, for reasons includ- and shops. Another Avignon prison, which dates creche and underground parking. 160-seat performance space. France is not the Fontainebleau mayor. The ministry was quick to ing contamination, low real estate prices and the back to the Middle Ages, is now a nightclub that “Local authorities have the right of first refusal only country to sell off its disused prisons: One in point out that the law is strict when it comes to sheer complexity renovation would entail. is popular with students. — AFP Cahill’s film to premiere at Raindance Syfy celebrates regional debut only on OSN exus and The Weinstein Company will be heading to Raindance Film BCUniversal International Networks and channels and companion websites outside the U.S., From the producers of Orphan Black and Michelle LFestival opening night to premiere OSN officially celebrated the arrival of Syfy along with VR platforms the Oculus Rift and Lovretta, the creator of Lost Girl, Killjoys follows a an exciting new film The Nation Holds Its Nto the region at an exclusive launch event in Samsung VR Gear, powered by Oculus. Created fun-loving, hard-living trio of interplanetary bounty Breath, created and directed by Kev Dubai. The home of provocative and inspiring sci- and produced by Secret Location, the multi- hunters sworn to remain impartial as they chase Cahill, an award-winning writer and ence fiction entertainment, Syfy is the only sci-fi Emmy(r) and Cannes Lion Award-winning content deadly warrants throughout the Quad - a distant director. Cahill comes from a VFX back- focused TV channel in the Middle East. The event studio who specialise in emerging platforms, system on the brink of a bloody, multi-planetary ground and is a frontrunner in this space also showcased Halcyon, a ground-breaking short- Halcyon is a 15-episode short form scripted series, class war. The series stars British actress Hannah - known for his dedicated work on popu- form linear virtual reality hybrid series available directed by BAFTA-nominated Benjamin Arfmann John-Kamen, (West End musical Viva Forever), lar films such as The Huntsman: Winter’s In the Heart of the Sea as well as Irish exclusively on OSN’s Syfy channel in the region, as (Random Stop). The police procedural alternates Aaron Ashmore (Warehouse 13, Smallville) and War, Thor: The Dark World and Alice actress Barbara Brennan, who is known well as compelling content including cult classics between 10 episodes (fully localised in Arabic), as Luke Macfarlane (Brothers and Sisters). Through the Looking Glass. Cahill has for her roles in the films Veronica Guerin and genre-defining programming. well as five VR episodes exclusively available on VR also contributed to the hit HBO televi- and A Date For Mad Mary. Cahill’s cast A global brand with a presence in over 100 platforms. For viewers who are only watching lin- FACE OFF S4 - Prosthetic sion series Game of Thrones. This experi- embodies and highlights the momen- countries, Syfy brings extraordinary into the ordi- ear episodes, short recaps of each of the five VR makeup reality series ence coupled with his directorial expert- tous occasion that is featured in this film. nary, where viewers go to reinterpret and reimag- episodes will ensure that all fans are able to follow ise, has launched his career not only Viewers will be captivated by their per- ine the world as they know it. Syfy’s great story- the complete storyline. Set in the year 2040, the Premieres 23 October at 21:00 KSA within the digital industry but also the formance in more ways than one. telling delivers unique, high-calibre drama and series is centred on Blake Creighton (Michael This fascinating reality series returns giving anoth- film and television industries overall. The Weinstein Company co-chairman adventure enabling viewers to escape and Therriault) the CEO of the world’s leading Virtual er bunch of budding prosthetic makeup artists the Harvey Weinstein said, “There’s a tremen- “Imagine Greater”. Reality company; Halcyon. Having cornered the opportunity to compete against each other, put dous amount of untapped talent among Underlining OSN’s focus on delivering ‘nowhere market on VR, Halcyon has discarded the VR head- their wizardry to the test and dazzle the judges in a aspiring filmmakers. Kev Cahill’s drive to else’ content, Syfy brings a year-round roster of set and allowed users to access the virtual space series of tough challenges. This time round, the tal- make a name for himself within the acclaimed original series, popular movies, Japanese using neurological implants that manipulate the ented hopefuls are tasked with creating unforget- industry was clear from the moment he animation, classic science fiction and fantasy pro- senses to create a virtual world. When Creighton is table fantasy goblin kings, conjuring up original was selected to participate in this series. gramming only for OSN subscribers in the region, found dead, presumed murdered, Detective Jules superhero characters, dreaming up sinister We are thrilled that The Nation Holds Its with Arabic subtitles available for most content. Dover (Lisa Marcos) and her partner, Asha (Harveen demons, and more. Whose wizardry will win the Breath will be opening Raindance and Viewers can expect to see the following content Sandhu), must consider if this could be the world’s day? Guest judges include veteran character actor look forward to many more incredibly from Syfy: first virtual crime. John Rhys-Davies and Hollywood director Bryan directed films from Cahill.” Singer. David Nordstrom, global branding HUNTERS - From the Executive DARK MATTER - From the department General Manager of Lexus Producer of The Walking Dead Writer-Producers of Stargate MOVIES - Genre defining International, added, “Each year, the work movies and cult classics of our directors never ceases to amaze Premieres October 12 at 21:00 KSA Premieres October 5 at 21:00 KSA Movie highlights include cult classic Serenity, writ- us. We are honored to be in partnership