For his grand contribution to cinema, and for just having won France the Best Picture Oscar, President Sarkozy nominated Harvey Weinstein for the high honor and it’s just been announced he will be the recipient. It’s the least they can do, don’t you think?
Légion d’Honneur, in recognition of Weinstein’s contributions to cinema and his decades of work producing some of the most highly regarded films of our time. Weinstein was nominated personally by President Sarkozy on July 22, 2011 and will receive the award in a ceremony to take place in Paris.
President Sarkozy wrote the following upon nominating Weinstein to the Légion d’Honneur: “This prestigious distinction, which I wanted to come from my personal allocation, is a testimony of the admiration of millions of French citizens for the exceptional quality of the films that you have produced. It also expresses our gratitude to someone who has always shown great friendship towards our country and our cinema which you have enabled so many Americans to discover.”
Said Weinstein, “I am honored and humbled by this recognition from President Sarkozy and the people of France. All my life, I have loved and been inspired by French cinema. I am still the young boy who walked two miles to The Mayfair movie theater in Flushing, NY to see films by the greats – Lelouch, Godard, Renoir and my personal favorite François Truffaut. They inspired me and led me to the place I am in today. I hope tocontinue my friendship with France and its filmmakers for many years to come.”
France’s oldest and highest distinction, the Légion d’Honneur was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is awarded to outstanding individuals who have contributed to France and to the ideals itupholds. Past recipients include Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Akira Kurosawa, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, Satyajit Ray, and Steven Spielberg to name just a few. Weinstein requested to keep the honor private until now toavoid any conflict of interest with Academy Award® Best Picture winner THE ARTIST.
Weinstein will enter the Légion d’Honneur with the grade of “Chevalier.” Weinstein has been bringing interesting and cutting edge independent films to audiences for three decades, first as founder andChairman of Miramax from 1979-2005, and subsequently as founder and Co-Chairman of TWC, launched in 2005. In spring 2011, he acquired Michel Hazanavicius’s THE ARTIST, a French production that went on to win five 2012 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture. Over the years, the cultural impact of some of his most well known films – PULP FICTION, GANGS OF NEW YORK, THE AVIATOR, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE PIANO, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, GOOD WILL HUNTING – has been recognized and awarded on many levels. Weinstein has been responsible for the distribution and promotion of more than 30 French films in the United States, including previously released EDITH AND MARCEL (EDITH ET MARCEL, 1983); DELICATESSEN (1991); THREE COLORS: BLUE (TROIS COULEURS: BLEU, 1993); THREE COLORS: RED (TROIS COULEURS: ROUGE, 1994); THREE COLORS: WHITE (TROIS COULEURS: BIALY, 1994); AMÉLIE (2001); LE CONCERT (2009); SARAH’S KEY (ELLE S’APPELAIT SARAH, 2010); and upcoming releases including box office sensation THE INTOUCHABLES (UNTOUCHABLES, 2011); A GANG STORY (LES LYONNAIS, 2012); WAR OF THE BUTTONS (LA NOVELLE GUERRE DES BOUTONS, 2012); and PLAYERS (LES INFIDELES, 2012).
LETTER TO HARVEY WEINSTEIN FROM PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY
July 22, 2011
Dear Mr. Weinstein,
I have great pleasure of informing you that I have signed a decree which nominates you to the order of the Legion D’Honneur.
This prestigious distinction, which I wanted to come from my personal allocation, is a testimony of the admiration of millions of French citizens for the exceptional quality of the films that you have produced. It also expresses ourgratitude to someone who has always shown great friendship towards our country and our cinema, which you have enabled so many Americans to discover.
I would like to express my personal congratulations for the well deserved distinction which France has bestowed on you.
Yours sincerely,
Nicolas Sarkozy
Maybe this will help to rebuild the confidence in French/American relations, so shaked since the Iraq war? Who would think of it, Weinstein an an American ambassador of good will … 😉
Haters begone! Shoo!
There;s nothing wrong with Harvey getting this honor from France. Stop being all disgruntled about The Artist winning, many people will remember it if you don’t, no need to worry there.
I don’t get the hate for Harvey. He’s obviously passionate about films and advocate for his own favorites. I guess everyone hates him until he’s on their side. I think he’s the equivalent of Mark Cuban. They both have a tremendous amount of energy and it’s great to see.
****I wish the LA Times’ investigative team turned its sights on Swinestein; the stuff that they’d be able to uncover would probably have him banned from the Oscars for multiple years. Nikki Finke railed against him on Oscar night and suggested influence peddling deluxe.***
And just what do you think this site is doing when it pushes and criticizes? Every one of us when we participate in these forums hoping that someone will listen to our opinion is in some way attempting to influence. So when they investigate Weinstein will they investigate everyone? Or is this suppose to be a singular witch hunt?
“The Artist is on track to make 4 Million Dollars this weekend. That’s right, a whopping 4 Million after winning BEST PICTURE. Congrats Harvey and your Hollywood brethren – you made a movie that no one cares about except yourselves.”
Of course, it’s made more money domestically than some other movies that apparently no one cares about–Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Mulholland Drive, for example. In fact, The Artist’s $4 million weekend haul is over half as much as Mulholland Drive made its entire run.
Those damn movies that don’t make money and no one cares about!
JJ: “The Artist is on track to make 4 Million Dollars this weekend. That’s right, a whopping 4 Million after winning BEST PICTURE. Congrats Harvey and your Hollywood brethren – you made a movie that no one cares about except yourselves. Hope that awards campaign spend wasn’t too high! xo”
+1,000,000,000,000,000,000
I wish the LA Times’ investigative team turned its sights on Swinestein; the stuff that they’d be able to uncover would probably have him banned from the Oscars for multiple years. Nikki Finke railed against him on Oscar night and suggested influence peddling deluxe.
Seriously, I admire Harvey Weinstein for his passion and dedication. I know most of you think he’s the Antichrist himself, but I really look up to him. He truly believes in his movies.
The Artist is on track to make 4 Million Dollars this weekend. That’s right, a whopping 4 Million after winning BEST PICTURE. Congrats Harvey and your Hollywood brethren – you made a movie that no one cares about except yourselves. Hope that awards campaign spend wasn’t too high! xo
“la Legion D’ Honneur is not what it used to be!”
YEAH! Like when they awarded it to Jerry Lewis 35-40 years ago.
A la decadence! Well la Legion D’ Honneur is not what it used to be! 🙁
Looks like two blind people who accidentally bumped into each other, and now Harvey nervously farted, and is embarrassed
I don’t get it. What is it you want Harvey Weinstein not to do or to do? From what I can see he throws money at films where he has a vested interest. That’s what a Producer or Distributor does. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of Weinstein ever making a deraugatory comment about any other film or actor or director. So what is it you want him to do? Give up his passion? You want him to play by who’s rules? Yours? He’s a businessman who happens to love film, probably as much as you. The difference is that he can promote the films he has a vested interest in or can decide which films he will promote. I’ve seen you do the same thing year after year. So what is it you want him to do?
Well, people like Sharon Stone, Michelle Yeoh and Shakira have been awarded this.
Maybe it’s a way to hire his team to whitewash the image of the combo Merkel-Sarkozy.
Nah, they don’t need it, everybody loves them. Particularly in Greece.
I still don’t get all the Harvey hate. The guy does what he’s supposed to do – to campaign. Yes, I disagree with some of his tactics but the other studios aren’t fair players either. Harvey simply gets all the hate because he’s better than other studios in winning Oscars. They try as well but the results aren’t as good, so let’s hate Harvey. This is human behavior all over again. Just the basics of human behavior.
honnestly who cares ?
the guy won a medal that doesn’t have any values, a medal that have been awarded to so many who didn’t deserve it (and I don’t mean the ones in the list below) !
in fact Sarkozy gives a medal to a powerful lobbyist, good for them both !
Yeah, right?
Wouldn’t things be more interesting, though, if Harvey had a little more competition every year? Like two or three other studio chairpeople that could consistently give him a run for his money?
I thought the Weinsteins were infamous for buying foreign films and then shelving them so that they don’t interfere with the Weinsteins’ own projects? Have others heard that story?
Does he even have any more room on his shelf?
Gotta give credit where it’s due – well done, Harvey!
Given the reception the gang got on their arrival back in Paris last week, I’m surprised they didn’t make Dujardin president by default (the current election is probably why Sarkozy moved fast with this!)
Fair enough. But what’s that got to do with Joe Pesci?
Harvey looks like a veritable troll. May Buddha forgive me for this transgression but I cannot help myself. This resemblance is uncanny. With that said, felicitations Harvey. People might hate your tactics but your die hard approach is commendable. Cheers!