French film director screenwriter and playwright [The Dinner Game] Francis Veber, made Honorary Member of MFT on 5 August 2011.
On Friday 5 August 2011 following a presentation in French at the State Library on his work, Francis Veber was the Guest of Honour at lunch in the French Brasserie [proprietor Mr Hadj Sadki] in Malthouse Lane, City, hosted by the Alliance Francaise de Melbourne [represented by its director Mr Patrice Pauc], at which were present the Honorary French Consul General Ms Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie, the head of French at the University of Melbourne, Dr Jacqueline Dutton, the director of MIFF Ms Michelle Carey, Mr Bruno Gutton, President of the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Philip Anderson, Lecturer in French at Monash University and Acting President of Alliance Française de Melbourne and myself Michael Bula, Co-Founder and Executive Director/Producer MFT, International Lawyer and Notary – to name a few.
MFT presented two Veber theatre plays which have subsequently been made into films, first in French and then as remakes in English in the United States –
- Le Diner de Cons [the Dinner Game] or in the American remake Dinner for Schmucks [MFT season 2006 directed by Morgan Dowsett and produced by Michael Bula] and
- L’Emmerdeur [a Pain in the @*#!] or the American remake Buddy Buddy [MFT season 2010 directed by Bruce Cochrane and produced by Michael Bula].
During that most entertaining lunch where all were privileged with hilarious anecdotes from Francis Veber [see his Memoirs published in 2010] on famous actors such as Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, Pierre Richard, Thierry Lhermitte and the late Jacques Villeret amongst others – on behalf of MFT, Michael Bula conferred upon him the appointment of Honorary Member of Melbourne French Theatre Inc.
Bruno Gutton who played Pierre Brochant, Chloé Brugale [representing MIFF] who played Marlène and Michael Bula who played Professeur Archambaud in the 2006 production – were all three present at the lunch!
