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Alison Bechdel, cartoonist: 'How can you argue with people who don't use logic?'

In 'Spent: A Comic Novel,' Bechdel depicts a queer community under siege by Trumpism, with self-deprecating humor. The Cartoonmuseum Basel in Switzerland is dedicating a retrospective to her work through October 26.

Published today at 4:00 am (Paris) Adrien Le Gal

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Isabelle Adjani's puzzling career, from disappearances to spectacular comebacks

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (6/6). Since the success of 'L'Eté Meurtrier' ('One Deadly Summer') in 1983, the actress has continually alternated between periods of intense activity and long breaks. If her career is hard to decipher, its diverse output attests to her genius for the trade.

Published on September 7, 2025, at 6:00 pm (Paris) Samuel Blumenfeld

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Venice Film Festival: Jim Jarmusch wins top prize while Palestine dominates awards ceremony

The Golden Lion went to 'Father Mother Sister and Brother' by the American filmmaker on Saturday, September 6, while 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, about the death of five-year-old Hind in Gaza, won the Grand Jury Prize.

Published on September 7, 2025, at 12:00 pm (Paris) Boris Bastide

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Indie favorite Jarmusch beats Gaza war film for Venice top prize

'Father Mother Sister Brother' is the first Jim Jarmusch film to compete at Venice. Jarmusch signaled his opposition to Israel's continued siege and bombardment of Gaza by wearing a badge saying 'Enough' at the Venice awards ceremony.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 11:20 pm (Paris), updated on September 6, 2025, at 11:22 pm Le Monde with AFP

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Isabelle Adjani, the masterfully ambiguous Queen Margot

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (5/6). After four years of hesitation that gave the director Patrice Chéreau many sleepless nights, the actress finally agreed to act in this bloody adaptation of an Alexandre Dumas novel.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 6:00 pm (Paris) Samuel Blumenfeld

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France's best art exhibitions this fall, in Paris and beyond

Here is Le Monde's selection of must-see art exhibitions, from painter John Singer Sargent to medieval forgeries to contemporary Nigerian artist Otobong Nkanga, which will go on display through the end of the year.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris) Harry Bellet, Philippe Dagen, Claire Guillot, Emmanuelle Jardonnet, Sylvie Kerviel, Emmanuelle Lequeux and Isabelle Regnier

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'Wednesday' season 2, on Netflix: The young Addams clinches her sophomore year

With Tim Burton at the helm, the hybrid series – part teen romance, part horror – continues to strengthen.

Published on September 5, 2025, at 10:44 pm (Paris), updated on September 5, 2025, at 10:47 pm Thomas Sotinel

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'Dear Salman Rushdie…': Isabelle Adjani's stand against religious fundamentalism

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (4/6). After Iran issued a fatwa against the British writer in 1989, the French actress used the César Awards ceremony to show her support for the author of 'The Satanic Verses.' She was one of the few in the film industry to take such a stand.

Published on September 5, 2025, at 8:30 pm (Paris) Samuel Blumenfeld

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Paris Design Week: A 15th edition marked by abundance

Some 375 locations across the French capital are hosting, free of charge from September 4 to 13, the very best in contemporary design. From Aude Franjou's textile coral installation to Hugo Falaise's embroidered furniture, here is our selection of must-see works.

Published on September 5, 2025, at 10:21 am (Paris) Véronique Lorelle

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French ceramics museum struck by €9.5 million porcelain heist

The Adrien Dubouché National Museum in central Limoges, which claims to have the largest collection of porcelain in the world, was burgled on Wednesday night, with three pieces classified as national treasures taken by thieves.

Published on September 4, 2025, at 4:22 pm (Paris), updated on September 5, 2025, at 9:01 am Le Monde with AFP

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In Thiers, in central France, Le Creux de l'Enfer transforms its industrial past into an artistic haven

'Strange places for an exhibition' (5/6). Le Monde explores six art centers set up in unusual locations. Today: Former factories that became contemporary art centers in 1988 and in 2021.

Published on September 4, 2025, at 4:14 am (Paris) Emmanuelle Lequeux

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Why a judge ordered Depardieu to stand trial on two counts of rape

Gérard Depardieu, 76, is suspected of digitally penetrating actress Charlotte Arnould without her consent on two occasions in August 2018. Whether the trial will go ahead remains uncertain, as the actor's lawyer has announced that he will appeal the decision to hold a trial.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 5:54 pm (Paris) Laura Motet

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Esa-Pekka Salonen will be Orchestre de Paris' next maestro

Born in Helsinki in 1958, the Finnish conductor will succeed his compatriot Klaus Mäkelä for a five-year term in September 2027. He will serve as principal conductor as well as hold the Creativity and Innovation Chair at the Philharmonie de Paris.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 3:16 pm (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 4:15 pm Marie-Aude Roux

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Notre-Dame reconstruction costs were 'controlled,' praise auditors

The French Court of Accounts highlighted the efficiency of the ad hoc public structure set up for the restoration project and drew lessons from the process.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 2:21 pm (Paris) Roxana Azimi

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At the Venice Film Festival, a showcase of men in crisis

From 'The Smashing Machine' to 'Frankenstein,' the film competition features several works centered on male characters grappling with troubled identities.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 2:47 am (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 10:55 am Boris Bastide

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Heirs of businessman Severin Wunderman seek to revoke donation of Cocteau works

They argue that the southern French city of Menton has failed to meet its obligation to permanently display the collection since the museum was flooded in 2018.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 8:01 pm (Paris) Roxana Azimi

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Alain Delon's youngest son sues siblings to have actor's will annulled

The renowned French actor's youngest son, Alain-Fabien, is seeking to annul a second will, armed with previously unpublished medical documents that allegedly prove Alain Delon's lack of mental capacity at the time of signing it.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 5:00 pm (Paris) Laurent Telo

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Gérard Depardieu ordered to stand trial for rape

Depardieu will face trial on charges of raping actor Charlotte Arnould, sources said Tuesday. The actor was given a suspended sentence in a sexual assault case earlier this year.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 2:13 pm (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 7:42 pm Le Monde with AFP

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Venice Film Festival: Julia Roberts shines in Luca Guadagnino's 'After the Hunt'

The American actress plays a woman torn between ambition and principle in this film, presented out of competition, which examines morality and ethics in the wake of #MeToo.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 12:08 pm (Paris) Boris Bastide

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Louvre says 'game over' to its Nintendo 3DS visitor guide

Since 2012, visitors to the Paris museum have been able to use Nintendo's handheld console as a multimedia guide. The service ends on Monday, and the consoles will be returned to Nintendo.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 3:43 am (Paris), updated on September 2, 2025, at 10:09 am Pierre Trouvé

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In Saint-Louis, eastern France, the Fondation Fernet-Branca swaps stills for contemporary art

'Strange places for an exhibition' (4/6). Le Monde explores six art centers housed in unexpected locations. Today, the former distillery of a famous liqueur, now transformed into a venue for art exhibitions.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 12:29 am (Paris), updated on September 2, 2025, at 9:37 am Harry Bellet

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'Which series will win the Palme d'Or?': 'Twin Peaks' lauded at the world's temple of cinephilia

'Breaking The Script' (5/5). In May 2017, the Cannes Film Festival screened the first two episodes of 'Twin Peaks,' season three. This celebration of David Lynch's cult series marked a definitive recognition of television fiction's artistic legitimacy.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 12:05 am (Paris), updated on September 2, 2025, at 5:35 am Clément Ghys

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'Drag Race France': Ivorian drag queen Mami Watta's comeback victory

The 27-year-old queen won the second victory for an Ivorian contestant, after Keiona in 2023, in the French drag show on August 28. Her success has brought hope to Côte d'Ivoire's still-marginalized LGBTQ+ community.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 4:11 pm (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 4:12 pm Marine Jeannin

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Sylvain Amic, president of the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie, has died

Appointed in 2024, the curator viewed museums as places for sharing and made the circulation of artworks and access for younger generations his main priorities. He died on Sunday, August 31, at the age of 58.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 2:46 pm (Paris), updated on September 2, 2025, at 12:00 pm Roxana Azimi

News

Jude Law says he became 'obsessive' over studying Putin for film role as Russian leader

'The Wizard of the Kremlin' is one of 21 works competing for the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, a key forum for international film launches, which runs until Saturday.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 4:54 am (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 9:22 am Le Monde with AFP

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Lorde, New Zealand electropop sensation: 'With 'Virgin,' I wanted to document my femininity'

Twelve years ago, while still a teenager, the singer rose to fame with her hit song 'Royals.' Quickly endorsed by some of the biggest names in music, the 28-year-old's unique voice and bold songwriting were a departure from music industry standards. She has just released her raw fourth album, 'Virgin,' and will perform at the Zénith in Paris on November 10.

Published on August 31, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris) Aureliano Tonet

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'Adjani has AIDS': When the actress fell victim to a vicious rumor

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (3/6). In 1986, rumours spread that actress Isabelle Adjani, who had appeared little since the triumph of 'L'Eté Meurtrier' ('One Deadly Summer') three years earlier, was hiding an illness. It took her several months and a dramatic television appearance to dispel the rumours.

Published on August 30, 2025, at 12:43 pm (Paris), updated on September 5, 2025, at 9:15 am Samuel Blumenfeld

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Vanessa Paradis, a French icon

Recognized today as both a singer and an actress, the artist still appears affected by the attacks she suffered early during her fame. With the release of her eighth album 'Le Retour des beaux jours' ('The Return of Sunny Days'), Paradis agreed to an interview, but remained on her guard.

Published on August 30, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 10:23 am Elise Karlin

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Venice Film Festival: Baumbach, Lanthimos and Herzog test our belief systems with layers of nuance

Several of the films that premiered at the beginning of the festival invite viewers to reflect on questions of identity.

Published on August 30, 2025, at 1:02 am (Paris), updated on August 30, 2025, at 10:52 am Boris Bastide

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In Kyiv, Oleksandr Glyadelov's images defy the bombs

For 35 years, the Ukrainian photographer has documented the history of his country. Starting September 5, the Ukrainian House in Kyiv will present a major retrospective of his work. The exhibition pays tribute to the spirit of national resistance.

Published on August 28, 2025, at 11:43 pm (Paris), updated on August 29, 2025, at 10:16 am Ariane Chemin

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Andrea Branzi's 'Second Nature' on display in Giverny

A painted bamboo forest, a 'tree fountain' sculpture: The Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny is showing works by the Italian designer through November 2, where elements of nature blend with industrial materials.

Published on August 28, 2025, at 4:56 am (Paris), updated on August 28, 2025, at 9:48 am Véronique Lorelle

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Alberto Barbera, artistic director of the Venice Film Festival: 'We are witnessing a return to reality-based cinema'

The head of the selection committee for the Italian festival, whose 82nd edition runs from August 27 to September 6, told Le Monde in an interview that 'in such troubled times, films play an important role.'

Published on August 28, 2025, at 4:00 am (Paris), updated on August 28, 2025, at 1:17 pm Boris Bastide

Investigation Subscribers only

Macron ignored reports advising against transport of Bayeux Tapestry

Le Monde has learned that two expert reports from 2021 and 2022 warned against transporting the millennium-old artwork, which is to be loaned to Britain and exhibited in London in September 2026.

Published on August 27, 2025, at 4:08 pm (Paris) Roxana Azimi

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At the Venice Film Festival, French filmmakers take on literary adaptation

Valérie Donzelli, François Ozon, Cédric Jimenez and Olivier Assayas are all presenting films adapted from novels at the Mostra, running from August 27 to September 6.

Published on August 27, 2025, at 12:56 pm (Paris), updated on August 27, 2025, at 4:23 pm Boris Bastide

News

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce engagement on social media

Pop superstar Taylor Swift and American football player Travis Kelce announced their marriage engagement in a joint post to their Instagram stories on Tuesday. United States President Donald Trump wished the couple 'a lot of luck.'

Published on August 26, 2025, at 7:46 pm (Paris), updated on August 26, 2025, at 10:39 pm Le Monde with AP and AFP

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France returns colonial-era human remains to Madagascar

France returned three human skulls dating from the colonial era to Madagascar, including one attributed to a Malagasy king who was beheaded by French troops in 1897.

Published on August 26, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Paris), updated on August 27, 2025, at 2:51 pm Le Monde with AFP

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The 1960s in England, through the lens of Tony Ray-Jones

Tony Ray-Jones, who passed away in 1972 at 31, captured the leisure and relaxation culture of 1960s England. From seaside resorts to fairs and society events, the photographer cast an amused yet gentle gaze on his fellow compatriots. His work is on display at the Festival Photo La Gacilly in Brittany, through October 5.

Published on August 25, 2025, at 9:32 pm (Paris), updated on August 26, 2025, at 10:32 am Eric Albert

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Irish rap band Kneecap defies critics with 'Free Palestine' chant at Paris concert

They were performing on Sunday at Rock en Seine festival. Liam O'Hanna, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in England in May accused of displaying a flag of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah during a London concert in November.

Published on August 24, 2025, at 10:24 pm (Paris), updated on August 25, 2025, at 11:03 am Le Monde with AFP

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François Truffaut's obsession with Isabelle Adjani

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (2/6). While making a name for herself at the Comédie Française, the young actress became the French filmmaker's obsession, who courted her insistently on the set of 'The Story of Adèle H.' in 1975. She resisted him and made her mark with a performance full of restrained violence.

Published on August 24, 2025, at 8:00 pm (Paris) Samuel Blumenfeld

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'KPop Demon Hunters' is South Korea's latest global sensation

The film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation and propelled by a chart-topping soundtrack, has become the most-watched animated film in Netflix history.

Published on August 24, 2025, at 10:17 am (Paris) Hanna Siemiatycki

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Is French rap still political?

Far from the politically engaged artists of the 1990s, today's top rappers have built their success on largely depoliticized lyrics. Yet, through their stories, both established stars and amateur rappers still convey a strong sense of social engagement.

Published on August 24, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris), updated on August 24, 2025, at 2:21 pm Iliès Hagoug

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The mysteries of actress Isabelle Adjani's vocation

'Adjani, The Famous Stranger' (1/6). Nothing seemed to predestine her to become one of the greatest stars of French cinema. Yet the young actress, born to an Algerian father and a German mother, experienced a meteoric rise. She made her debut on stage at barely 17 years old and quickly transitioned to film.

Published on August 23, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris), updated on August 23, 2025, at 12:37 pm Samuel Blumenfeld

News

French official insists that Bayeux tapestry not too fragile for UK loan

France's planned loan of the medieval tapestry to the British Museum in London has come under fierce criticism, with some fearing the move would cause damage to the priceless object.

Published on August 22, 2025, at 3:33 pm (Paris), updated on August 22, 2025, at 4:18 pm Le Monde with AFP

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In 'Kolkhoze,' Emmanuel Carrère becomes his mother's son

In his new book, the French author reflects on his often tumultuous relationship with his late mother, Hélène Carrère d'Encausse, and explores what he owes her. This major work addresses themes of death, love and writing.

Published on August 22, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris) Jean Birnbaum

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La Piscine in Roubaix invites visitors to take a plunge into culture

'Strange places for an exhibition' (3/6). Le Monde explores six art centers housed in unique locations. Today: an Art Deco building transformed in 2001 into La Piscine Museum of Art and Industry in northern France.

Published on August 21, 2025, at 1:41 am (Paris), updated on August 21, 2025, at 9:36 am Roxana Azimi

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In 'Sentimental Value,' Joachim Trier explores family wounds that never heal

The Norwegian filmmaker delivers a highly emotional story that won the Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival.

Published on August 20, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Paris), updated on August 20, 2025, at 3:48 pm Boris Bastide

News

Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read

Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said that the measure was aimed at fixing Denmark's 'reading crisis.' The Scandinavian country's 25% sales tax on books is currently the highest in Europe.

Published on August 20, 2025, at 11:19 am (Paris), updated on August 20, 2025, at 11:21 am Le Monde with AFP

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In Hyères, gold bars are replaced by photographs, sculptures and paintings

'Strange places for an exhibition' (2/6). Le Monde explores six art centers set up in unusual locations. Today: a former financial institution turned municipal museum.

Published on August 20, 2025, at 3:04 am (Paris), updated on August 21, 2025, at 9:41 am Sylvie Kerviel

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With 'Weapons,' Zach Cregger films the nightmare lurking beneath ordinary America

In this horror fable, the mysterious disappearance of some 20 children mirrors the flaws that consume the adults.

Published on August 19, 2025, at 6:08 pm (Paris) Mathieu Macheret

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The third life of a synagogue transformed into a contemporary art center

'Strange Places for an Exhibition' (1/6). Le Monde explores six art centers housed in unexpected venues. Today: a former sanctuary that was blown up by the Nazis and rebuilt after the war.

Published on August 19, 2025, at 3:11 am (Paris), updated on August 21, 2025, at 9:40 am Roxana Azimi

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Soviet-era relics in Kazakhstan rescued from ruin

The monumental mosaics and frescoes adorning public buildings in the former Soviet republic are at risk of disappearing and initiatives to restore these works of art are proliferating.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 11:17 pm (Paris) Emma Collet

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'Who will survive?': How 'Game of Thrones' staged an unprecedented bloodbath

'Breaking the Script' (4/5). On June 2, 2013, the end of the third season of 'Game of Thrones' stunned viewers by depicting the brutal murder of one of the saga's houses, in an episode that immediately went viral on social media. The carnage sparked a trend of aestheticized violence in television fiction series. Spoiler alert!

Published on August 17, 2025, at 8:30 pm (Paris) Clément Ghys

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Chinese Hollywood races to cash in on minidramas boom

The Hengdian studios are taking advantage of the surge in super short productions, with episodes lasting only a few minutes and designed specifically for viewing on smartphones.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 10:53 am (Paris), updated on August 18, 2025, at 3:02 pm Harold Thibault

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In 'Together,' a codependent couple is put through the wringer of body horror

A surprising, playful and audacious debut that explores the dynamics of marriage and the torment of the attraction-repulsion cycle.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 2:25 am (Paris), updated on August 17, 2025, at 8:55 am Boris Bastide

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Henri Matisse and his heirs: The end of a financial windfall

Since Henri Matisse's death in 1954, four generations of his family have guarded his vast body of work jealously and with the utmost discretion. But when the painter's work entered the public domain in January, it ended the lucrative reproduction rights the heirs had enjoyed, as well as their oversight of everything concerning their ancestor.

Published on August 16, 2025, at 11:00 pm (Paris), updated on August 19, 2025, at 12:14 pm Roxana Azimi Clément Ghys

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'Brief History of a Family': A metaphorical tale at the heart of China's new middle class

Meticulously crafted, director Lin Jianjie's debut feature follows a family whose balance is upended when their son brings his best friend into their home.

Published on August 16, 2025, at 3:33 am (Paris), updated on August 16, 2025, at 10:00 am Jacques Mandelbaum

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A well-orchestrated response to illegal music downloads

'Click To Pirate' (5/5). The music industry, the first cultural sector hit by large-scale piracy, has found an effective defense in paid streaming. Yet some internet users remain resistant to this evolution.

Published on August 15, 2025, at 8:00 pm (Paris) Pierre Trouvé

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Who's going to lie down on the couch? 'The Sopranos,' the first TV series to tackle mental health

'Breaking The Script' (3/5). In 1999, the TV series 'The Sopranos' introduced viewers to a mafia boss suffering from depression. Through the intense exchanges between this anti-hero and his therapist, mental health became a central theme on television for the first time, where it has continued to thrive ever since.

Published on August 14, 2025, at 8:30 pm (Paris) Clément Ghys

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Trump targets cultural institutions in Washington to promote his vision of America

The US president's push to reassert control in the capital includes reshaping the country's historical narrative, through greater control over the Smithsonian and the Kennedy Center.

Published on August 14, 2025, at 5:24 pm (Paris) Nicolas Chapuis

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'Who can stop masturbating the longest?': The day 'Seinfeld' tackled sexuality

'Breaking the Script' (2/5). In November 1992, the sitcom's popularity soared when, in its fourth season, the four main characters, three men and a woman, made a bet on who could endure sexual abstinence the longest. This direct and funny approach to sexuality opened up new possibilities for television series. Spoiler alert!

Published on August 14, 2025, at 11:30 am (Paris), updated on August 15, 2025, at 2:51 pm Clément Ghys

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