France's Apocalypse Tapestry to Be Restored to Medieval Glory
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Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 France’s Apocalypse Tapestry to be restored to medieval glory Audience members wait to attend the opening cere- mony of the 21st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in Busan yesterday. — AFP Crisis-hit Busan A visitor looks at the “Apocalypse Tapestry” (1377-1382), A woman restores a section of the “Apocalypse Tapestry” the world’s largest and oldest surviving medieval set of (1377-1382), the world’s largest and oldest surviving Film Festival opens tapestries, at the Angers Castle in western France. medieval set of tapestries. — AFP photos he curtain was raised yesterday on the 21st Busan usty and somewhat fad- showing seven men sharing two International Film Festival (BIFF) after two years of ed, as befits its onetime beds. Such scenes offer those Tpolitical infighting almost derailed the premier Duse as insulation for who gaze upon them “a stun- event of its kind in Asia. “I just hope the festival will horse stables, a priceless piece of ning smorgasbord of color,” says become strong again and now we can all just focus on medieval artistic heritage, Yannou, marveling that time has the films,” said Yang Ik-june, star of the Zhang Lu-directed France’s Apocalypse Tapestry, is been kind to the color rendition Korean drama A Quiet Dream, which opened the festival. getting a welcome clean-up. As of the section. “Politicians should treat a festival like children and the French culture ministry says, “The reverse side not only when children grow up they should be left to live their it’s high time “to see what state tells a story of the beauty of its own lives.” Disgruntled Korean film industry representa- this old lady of upwards of 600 color hue but also the different years of age is in.” In truth, she is interventions which have tak- tives had threatened to disrupt BIFF’s opening ceremony a little frayed at the edges, her en place” over the centuries. over their support for axed former festival head Lee Yong- once gloriously vivid red, blue, “Here, part has been rewoven. kwan, who they say is the casualty of the 2014 decision to green and yellow threads less There, one can see retouching screen the controversial documentary Diving Bell. eye-catching than when the 104- techniques with new wool and The film focused on the Sewol ferry disaster of that metre (340 feet) oeuvre of wool threads going off in all direc- year that claimed more than 300 lives and BIFF had come and silk, showing the tions,” says Bouret, hunched under pressure from Busan mayor and then festival Apocalypse according to the over one section as a colleague organizing committee chairman Suh Byung-soo to Revelation of Saint John, was vacuums away to suck up dust remove it from its program. In the end the main action first crafted at the behest of This file photo shows a woman restoring a section of the before weighing a tapestry taken has been a boycott of the event by a number of Louis I, duke of Anjou, in 1373. “Apocalypse Tapestry” (1377-1382), the world’s largest that has endured being moved local film industry groups - including the Directors’ Guild This feast of dragons, angels and oldest surviving medieval set of tapestries, at the several times. of Korea. But their protest over suggested political inter- and seven-headed beasts Angers Castle in western France. ference hasn’t dissuaded international stars from the red depicting in gory style John’s southwest of Paris. deeply and carefully. Is the tap- ‘Like an X-ray’ carpet as BIFF prepares to screen around 300 films over its vision of the last days, was done The culture ministry has been estry dustier at the end on dis- After a century in the keep of 10-day run. about three centuries later than busy collecting data for “an play at the entrance or the exit the dukes of Anjou, Rene of There were wild cheers as the sun set over the Busan the better known Norman con- autopsy to decide what we do in of the gallery? Is there greater Anjou bequeathed the artwork in quest era Bayeux Tapestry the late 15th century to Angers Cinema Centre for the likes of Japanese superstar Ken terms of restoration and guaran- deterioration towards the top or embroidered cloth-but it is larg- tee its long-term public show- the bottom? They must also Cathedral. Some 200 years later, Watanabe (The Last Samurai) and local heartthrob Han er. The work, which purports to ing,” says castle administrator take into account temperature the bishopric was faced with Hyo-joo, who co-hosted the opening ceremony with her be the longest tapestry in the Herve Yannou. As the deep clean and humidity levels, grime, what to do with the tapestry Cold Eyes co-star Seol Gyeong-gu. Hollywood’s Miles world, originally stood 5.8 progresses, the gallery has been warping or tension in the fabric when the political climate con- Teller (Whiplash) and Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) are meters high compared with its plunged into virtual darkness linked to hanging. Everything spired to see Church art fall vic- among the international contingent set to appear during current 4.6 meters, and was with scaffolding erected to per- gets measured. Four sections out tim to the chaotic aftermath of the course of the event. Workers meanwhile were toiling around 40 meters longer but it mit miniscule, “square centime- of a total of some 70 surviving the French Revolution. away on Busan’s Haeundae Beach, which was battered by has lost some 20 panels and part ter by square centimeter,” scruti- scenes have been taken down. That period saw various Typhoon Chaba on Tuesday and Wednesday. of its border over time. Surviving ny of the huge work. It involves The rest remain on display while works destroyed and the tapes- Pavilions and stages were smashed and organizers sections of the 14th century identifying, then quantifying all those removed from the work try was cut up and used variously forced to shift venues for a number of the festival’s popular masterpiece, state property kinds of deterioration, say restor- which, highly unusually, is as floor mats, stable insulation “meet-and-greet” events for fans and their idols. BIFF this since 1905, are now showing ers Suzanne Bouret and reversible, undergo examination and anti-frost covers for fruit. The year boasts 66 world premieres among its offerings while multiple signs of wear and tear Montaine Bongrand from the and cleaning. work, which had fallen into “a special programs include a focus on the life of the master as well as the effects of gallery Loire region cultural affairs Yannou points out a section thousand fragments,” was res- Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, who passed away in lighting after having been on department (DRAC). depicting medical examiners on cued in 1850 by a church canon, permanent display since the who took a first stab at restora- July and has been posthumously named BIFF’s Asian the reverse side of a scene called mid-1950s at Angers Chateau, Delving into pictorial past the Harvest of the Chosen Ones tion, says DRAC curator Filmmaker of the Year. BIFF runs until October 15. — AFP about 300 kilometers (190 miles) The inspectors have to probe and the Sleep of the Just panel Clementine Mathurin. — AFP Robert De Niro’s ‘The Comedian’ bought by Sony classics ony Pictures Classics has acquired Linson and John Linson. Related Cutting his efforts to reinvent himself, the audi- said in a statement, “Robert De Niro has North American rights to the Robert Edge Invests in Robert De Niro’s ‘The ence only wants to know him as the for- been nurturing this story for years, so SDe Niro comedy “The Comedian” Comedian’ mer television character he once played. we’re incredibly honored to have been from Cinelou and plans an awards-quali- Executive producers include Cinelou’s He’s a strain on his younger brother able to help bring it to life. Sony Classics fying run later this year. Taylor Hackford Scott Karol, the Fyzz Facility’s Wayne (DeVito) and his wife (LuPone) and is is tailor-made to release the film, as is directing from Art Linson’s script. Leslie Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones, Mad Riot being forced to serve out a sentence Michael Barker and Tom Bernard have the Mann, Edie Falco, Harvey Keitel, Danny Entertainment’s Mark Axelowitz and doing community service for accosting perfect sensibility for it.” Warner Bros. DeVito, Patti LuPone, and Veronica Ferres Lawrence Smith, as well as Iain an audience member. While there, he International will be handling foreign dis- also star. Producers include Hackford, Abrahams, Peter Sobiloff, Dennis Pelino, finds inspiration by meeting Mann’s char- tribution, under its deal with Cinelou. The Cinelou’s Mark Canton and Courtney and Fredy Bush. De Niro plays a comic acter, the daughter of a sleazy Florida real news was first reported by Deadline Solomon, and Linson Entertainment’s Art icon who has seen better days. Despite estate mogul (Keitel). Cinelou’s Canton Hollywood. — Reuters.