Monte-Carlo Television Festival Opens with Live Aid Film

MONTE-CARLO: The 51st Monte-Carlo Television Festival kicked off today, with the opening film When Harvey Met Bob, which tells the story of how the charity musical event Live Aid was created.

The film’s producer, Joe Dunlop, was among the attendees of the opening ceremony, which also included Maggie Q (Nikita), Corey Stoll (Law & Order), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Bonnie Bedelia (Parenthood) and Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey).

S.A.S. Prince Albert II took part in the opening ceremony, introducing jury members who will screen nominated entries and select the recipients of this year’s Golden Nymph Awards. The jury presidents are Sergio Mimica-Guezzan, producer of Pillars of the Earth, for television films; Barry Hanson, producer of The Naked Civil Servant, for mini-series; and Takis Candilis, the CEO of Largardère Entertainment, for TV series. They are joined by industry talent such as Lesley Sharp (Shadow Line, Scott & Bailey); Niels Arden Oplev, director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; alongside Adeline Blondieau, Catherine Burniaux, Frédérique Hebrard, Claudia Marachalian, Margaret Matheson, Jamal Salem, Rasmus Thorsen, Marco Turco and Hayma “Screech” Washington and Takayuki Yaguchi.

The five-day event will feature a host of star talent, including cast members from hit international TV series such as Call Me Fitz, Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, Game of Thrones, Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order, Misfits, Rookie Blue, Shameless, The Adventures of Merlin and The Mentalist.

David Tomatis, the CEO of The Monte-Carlo TV Festival, said, “We’re delighted to welcome some of the biggest names in the world of television to Monaco. As ever we are very excited to be hosting great talent and incredibly well-regarded jury members at this year’s festival.”