A French power couple went on trial this week, suspected of having hidden millions of euros in ill-gotten assets. We also take a look at the Eiffel Tower's 130th anniversary and, of course, the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

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ARTICLES

Luxury villas, shell companies and fiscal fraud: French political power couple go on trial

A political power couple – the mayor and deputy mayor of a wealthy town west of Paris – go on trial Monday on suspicion of hiding more than €13 million of ill-gotten assets, including two luxury villas, from the French state.

Far right enlists fresh-faced Jordan Bardella to steal Macron's thunder in EU vote

With voting for the EU Parliament set for May 26 in France, the far-right National Rally (formerly the National Front) is looking to put a dent in President Emmanuel Macron’s European credibility. Leading that charge, under Marine Le Pen’s watchful eye, is Jordan Bardella, 23.

Paris celebrates Eiffel Tower's 130th anniversary with laser light shows

Paris is marking the 130th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower’s public opening in 1929 with a laser light show retracing the monument's history.

Zakaria Abdelkafi, AFP | The Eiffel Tower opened up the public exactly 130 years ago, Paris, May 15, 2019

FRANCE 24’S CANNES 2019 COVERAGE

To view all of our coverage from Cannes 2019, click here.

Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin on the 'masculine fantasy' of running away

Jean Dujardin made history a few years ago when he became the first French actor ever to win an Oscar for the silent film "The Artist," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He's now back on the Croisette with the black comedy "Deerskin," opening the Directors' Fortnight sidebar. He speaks to FRANCE 24 about his new movie, why he was attracted to the "masculine fantasy" of running away and the moment he won the Oscar.

FRANCE 24 screengrab | French actor Jean Dujardin speaks to FRANCE 24 at the Cannes Film Festival

Behind the scenes at Cannes: The masters of ambient sound

As the 72nd Cannes Film Festival opens, we take a closer look at the lives of Foley artists: They are the sound engineers who reproduce everyday noises to perfection, whether it's the sound of a lawnmower or a fork scraping a plate. Their work may be essential to the success of a movie, but the industry has no awards for their craft.

Cannes 2019, Day 1: Waiting for film stars, zombies and scandal

Cinema's players, would-be players, film buffs and celebrity-watchers descended on the French Riviera on Tuesday as the 72nd Cannes Film Festival swung into action with Jim Jarmusch’s star-studded zombie fest.

FRANCE 24 screengrab | Cinema's players, would-be players, film buffs and celebrity-watchers have descended on the French Riviera for the 72nd Cannes Film Festival

Cannes 2019, Day 2: Waking the dead and putting the living to sleep

After a glitzy red carpet, the Cannes Film Festival soon slipped back into a torpor as Jim Jarmusch opened the competition and ended the world with his droll, lethargic Zombie satire, “The Dead Don’t Die.”

Cannes 2019, Day 3: Histories of violence and looks that kill

Cannes stuck to its apocalyptic vein with "Bacurau," an eerie Brazilian sci-fi western, and "Les Misérables," an angry French flick on police brutality, while Jean Dujardin got infatuated with his suede jacket in the loopy “Deerskin.”

TV SHOWS ONLINE

TECH 24

The battle against fake news ahead of EU elections

With parliamentary elections set to kick off in Europe, the EU Commission and tech giants are bracing for a one-of-a-kind battle against disinformation and hate speech. In this edition we speak to Eline Chivot, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation about what can be done to safeguard election processes.

YOU ARE HERE

Bursting with colours: France's unusual gardens

Some gardens look like something out of a dream. The garden of Roscoff, in France's western Finistère region, is one of them. It was created 35 years ago by a roaming botanist who brought back exotic plants from as far away as New Zealand and South Africa.

FRANCE 24 screengrab | We take a look at some of France’s most stunning gardens

THE EUROPE REPORT

French far-left candidate slammed as 'stink bomb' for defecting to far right

European election update: High drama in the French campaign as a far-left candidate calls for voters to back the far right – earning him some choice insults from French far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

THE 51%

The bride trade

In this edition, authorities bust a criminal network that had been trafficking young Pakistani Christian women to China as brides.

PEOPLE AND PROFIT

Transforming tech: Why Mozilla is urging Silicon Valley to rethink 'ad economy'

In this week's programme, we're delving deep into the world of technology and the role it plays - and should play - in our society. We're joined by Mitchell Baker, co-founder and executive chairwoman of the Mozilla Foundation.

To see previous editions of the Week in Review, please click here.

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