WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Veteran actor Sean Connery, the
original incarnation of James Bond on the silver screen,
received an award for his services to Scotland in a colorful
ceremony outside the U.S. Capitol last week.
A wave of blue and white Scottish flags, coat of arms
placards and multicolored tartan kilts fluttered in the breeze
as American Scots gathered in the sunshine to celebrate Tartan
Day.
The American Scottish Foundation awarded Connery the
William Wallace award in recognition of his public affirmation
of Scotland, his financial support of its education system and
film industry and his passion for the country.
“I'm glad this is not an audition, I don't think I'd get
the part,” the sun-tanned Connery apologized before making his
acceptance speech. The crowd, with a high proportion of
middle-aged swooning women, laughed raucously.
Connery, a high-profile supporter of Scotland's national
movement, said he was honored by the award and encouraged
Americans to visit his homeland in spite of the foot-and-mouth
epidemic currently ravaging the U.K.
“Come this year in particular. You will find our majestic
countryside open … our championship golf courses open, though
not that easy, and you will find the hearts of our people
open,” said the Oscar-winning actor, who lives in the Bahamas.
At the White House, President Bush marked Tartan Day by
meeting Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish for 10 minutes.
A U.S. official made clear Bush was not getting involved in
Scotland's quest for independence. “Our position on this has
consistently been that this is a question for people of the
U.K., which includes Scotland, to work out among themselves,”
the official said.
Depardieu And Son to Star in Honor Thy Father
by Alison James
CANNES, France (Variety) – Gerard Depardieu and his son,
Guillaume, are set to star together in “Honor Thy Father,” a
feature film about a complex father-son relationship.
The $4.8 million movie, which will shoot in September, is a
big-screen first for the seasoned TV filmmaker Jacob Berger,
who will write and direct.
It will also be television producer Jean-Pierre Guerin's
(“The Count of Monte Cristo,” “Les Miserables”) first feature
film.
“Cinema and television permit you to do different things,
and this film will be able to show the extreme emotions of the
father-son relationship in a way we couldn't in television,”
Guerin said at the Mip TV convention on Wednesday.
Gerard and Guillaume Depardieu previously appeared together
in the “All the Mornings of the World.” But this will be the
first time they play father and son.
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