France has a better Middle East foreign policy than the Brits and Americans?

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From Cardinal de Richileu to Sarkozy, French rulers have professed the mantra of raison d'etre (national interest) more zealously than Americans & British.

However, the Americans are consistent in whatever they believe. Whether its Wilsonian idealism or Kissinger's realpolitik, the Americans were not ambivalent while they pursued each paradigm.

French behavior has often been ambivalent. In 1976, the French refused to sell a nuclear processing plant to Pakistan. This decision was inconsistent with French national interests, because Pakistan's nuclear program didn'nt threaten France. Pakistan subsequently decided not to purchase even conventional arms from France and chose China instead.

Re: # 9 Mr. Mujumdar..... Yes Handhi may have got good prize in usa. I have heard they select movie as election and only movie related elites have right to vote. Lot of movie related people are Jewish and left wing minded and naturally they gravited towards Gandhi as he was left wing extremist and rabble rouser, law breaker and out to out revolutionary though he tried to hide it by peace and truth etc. Most of such crowd is pro poor do gooder.
I was talking about the commercial runs like block busters in India ? I can understand it can not run houseful in usa. ( wonder was it run in commercial movie theatre , and white people went to see movie paying money ?)
How it RAN in india , never heard Gandhi was making lots of money.
Hope person living in usa can honestly answer. Thanks have good morning.

Ahmedmadani sahib,

(Only "Gandhi" and "Jinnah" were subsidised by governments of respective countries and when govt subsidies things go down fast commercially.)

Gandhi won 8 Oscars Jinnah none at all.

Regards

Re: # 5
Naqshbandi

The problem in UK is all the top talent seems to leave for Hollywood as soon as they are any good, credit should be given to british TV for nurturing such talent, who would think kate beckinsale is a brit she even has an American accent.

There is a british director he’s from working class background, shane meadows he’s tackled the issue of racism really well in the film THIS IS ENGLAND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0jkv2bRFgQ&NR=1

Re: # 5 It is my feeling TV in advancved countries may be killing cinema as TV can produce "mini cinemas". TV watching people is lost movie goers.

Re: #3, 4
Thanks for your inputs.
It appears des is only place where only music is more appreciated in movies. This may be due to cultural background and appreciation of Raga notes. Practically all famous movie songs are are based on classical ragas.
French movie is subsidised is strange. May be they do not watch too many movies or they do not produce that many. Indian producers are simple in sense they want to make people happy and get paid. You need little snob people who do not get happy with simple stories which everybody can imagine. Des producers have more problems as they can not expect any help from govt. ( It will be impossible to help 400 movies produced per year and subsidizing will lead to more production of movies). The movie may not have many things but what it needs is drama and des gives that. Hopefully with time there will be more topics and even mid age and old people, animals, machines etc will be part of movies.
Only "Gandhi" and "Jinnah" were subsidised by governments of respective countries and when govt subsidies things go down fast commercially.
Anybody knows as they were in enlish were they exibited commercially in english speaking countries like USA, UK,Canada, Australia etc.
THanks, Good night everybody

aslam,

i think the British govt should subsidise our cinema more.
British cinema is not so healthy at the moment! Mike Leigh and Michael Winterbottom are exceptions but....

Re: # 3
It’s true European cinema is more realistic, it’s also heavily subsidised, recently I watched a French film “ a very long engagement” which is quite good.

UK also produces some good hard hitting films sometimes, one such film is “ this is england “ it explores the issues of race, immigration and the rise of skin heads culture.

madani sahib,

european films-esp. french--are, on the whole, what in india is called 'arthouse' or parallel cinema. i.e. realistic portrayals of human life. yes, you are right that though they are not musicals in the bollywood sense they employ background music to great effect. on the whole bollywood is crap and totally melodramatic with awful over-acting but i guess that's what sells to the great unwashed masses.

the common man in india or pak would not 'get' the average french film. that is surprising since next door in iran, iranian cinema is amongst the most booming and sophisticated and critically acclaimed in the world and they use a totally hyper-realistic approach.

i dont know where you live madani sahib but try to get some french films on DVD and watch one. Try Three Colours Blue.

Re: # 1 Mr. N I have not travelled to west or to many countries. I am curious to know are there any movie producers and countries in world where songs are not is most important part of movies. Indian/Pakistani movies have many songs, the producers do that as they know what people like and appreciate. Now these actors and actress singing songs appears very unnatural to me. ( my physical problems can not see mush good so have not seen movies for decades). But if people get used to then its does not feel unnatural. These are not uncommon like in Shakespear there are talks in drama where person say and is supposed to be heard by audience but not by other actors on stage. And we know that and is accepted from ancient times. Now i am aware musicals like sound of music movie.But english movies have not much Vocal music more is background music.
When i listened to movie Dr Zivago the music of Jarre Maurice moved me. Slower moving romantic "lara's theme " was wonderful. But that at start of movie the young man really boy attending mothers funeral and internment , Russian Orthdox Requirem Liturgy was very touching. Those short notes evoke Pathos of birth, life and enentual death painfully.
Then always felt just like vocal singing if desi directors start giving more importance to back ground they can add great appeal and cut little songs. But producers know best what will be liked and people will pay money.
As composer appears French by name do they have beautiful back ground music in french/ european movies?
Forgive me for diversion from political topics.

...and they make superior movies and have the most coquettish women! Vive La France! (Actually they are as unscrupulous as anyone else but are not as two faced as others...though Sarkozy seems to be a neocon lover.)