GERARD DEPARDIEU - DEPARDIEU PICKS UP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

DEPARDIEU PICKS UP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Veteran French actor GERARD DEPARDIEU was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 28th Moscow International Film Festival last night (02JUL06). The CYRANO DE BERGERAC star told the audience how he has attempted to make a movie in Russia for years, but has now given up hope of it ever happening. Depardieu also revealed how author FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY influenced him. He said, "Since 1989 I have tried to make films in Moscow. After around 10 attempts with directors and producers nothing ever got off the ground, so I grew a bit tired of it. "(I've) always had a good feeling for the soul of the Russian people, maybe because I learned to read with Dostoevsky." BERTRAND BLIER won the Best Director award for HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME, which stars Depardieu.