September 16, 2026

Dear Friends, 
Building on the success of the Lafayette Fellowship’s launch last year and following a successful Summer Leadership Program with our inaugural cohort, I am delighted to announce that applications for the 2027–2028 Lafayette Fellowship are now open. They will remain open through December 1, 2026. 
This program offers a unique opportunity to join the next generation of young leaders committed to strengthening the transatlantic relationship. The Lafayette Fellowship funds one year of master's-level study in France for up to 30 outstanding American students.  
Open to both Francophone and non-Francophone candidates, the program partners with leading French universities and grandes écoles across STEM, the humanities, the social sciences, and the arts, with degree programs offered in French or entirely in English. 
In addition to their academic studies, Fellows participate in the French-American Leadership Program, which provides an immersive introduction to French and European innovation, culture, and public policy, alongside mentorship opportunities. 
Last summer, our inaugural Fellows traveled to Paris, Avignon, Arles, and Marseille for the opening chapter of the program. Through masterclasses with leading figures, visits to major institutions, and unique cultural experiences, they discovered France from multiple perspectives while building a strong community of their own. Their journey will continue throughout the year, with additional sessions in Strasbourg and the Paris region. You can learn more about the inaugural cohort's Summer Leadership Program here. [ https://villa-albertine.org/va/lafayette/inside-the-2026-lafayette-fellows-leadership-program/ ]
As our inaugural Fellows now begin their academic year in France, we look forward to identifying our next cohort of Lafayette Fellows.  
Learn more about our upcoming informational webinars and additional program updates on the Lafayette Fellowship website.  [ https://lafayette.villa-albertine.org/ ]
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Florence Botello at lafayettefellowship@villa-albertine.org. 
Warm regards, 
Mohamed Bouabdallah
Cultural Counselor and Director of Villa Albertine
Founder of the Lafayette Fellowship 
French Embassy in the United States 

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Robert redford for me is underrated as someone who performed all the roles you can in film making. Thespian- the one who acts/Director- the manager of the collective artwork that is film making/Producer- the financier all films need as a collective work in an unfree medium
list of his film activities: actor/director/producer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Redford_filmography
FILMS AS THESPIAN I NOTE
1972 the candidate - a film so poignant it is devastating. My advice is to see "A Face In The Crowd" 1957 with Patricia Neal with this and be amazed.  Ever since this film Redford never left the theme of the hidden or not publicly acknowledged government in various ways.  I will note the following Candidate films CFers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Candidate_(1972_film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N97UYGGzNU

1973 the sting - I must admit here, I think of me and my father.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nAIb_J9T5M


A note to film making
https://youtube.com/shorts/m4xM8lmKEp4?si=tX2nzOyx4hgboqGV
SCOTT JOPLIN's Ragtime music was the soundtrack. Marvin Hamlisch said so much himself, when he received an award for the score. And I will add, Hamlisch placement of Joplin's songs, was excellent. 
Solace
https://youtu.be/Pod_Rwrx_q0?si=CRMmkW9AMnngT8d-


The Album
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kM5FA8Zvu40Aqvw1dtsHKBxMJDjbsqhW0
1974 the great Gatsby - my father always loved the cinematography of this one, he said that DiCaprio film is... not the same level
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby_(1974_film)
https://youtu.be/deg7g3Z5AHI?si=Ov4_mfG1z7BKtHQt


1975 three days of the condor -CFers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_the_Condor
1976 all the president's men -CFers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_President%27s_Men_(film)

excerpt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmLNzZsEgA4

1980 Brubaker -CFers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brubaker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scA0vHUcmLM


1984 the natural 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_(film)
Final at bat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i94ldGNNSQ0


1985 out of Africa  - my parents love the cinematography of this one
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_Africa_(film)
The Flight Scene
https://youtu.be/KDogVwHqixQ?si=tiD7zdvu7D6F8ivW


1993 the classe americaine - I am going to have to look at this film and see how it dubs. It is an interesting concept. I quote the wiki
La Classe américaine (French pronunciation: [la klas ameʁikɛn]; lit. 'American Class'), also known as Le Grand Détournement (The Great Détournement), is a 1993 French television film, written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius and Dominique Mézerette. It consists exclusively of extracts of old Warner Bros. films, put together and dubbed with new lines so as to create an entirely new film that is a parody of Citizen Kane.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Classe_am%C3%A9ricaine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8sop56DBUs


The director is making his first animated
https://youtu.be/Lm7DyvJHxRE?si=EzY9sWrWUG379lg7


2001 the last castle 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Castle
clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4yyQMt8Glo


2015 truth 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_(2015_film)
 
FILMS AS DIRECTOR I NOTE
1980 ordinary people  donal Sutherland was brilliant to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinary_People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjlLq1tqmU


1988 the Milagro beanfield war 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Milagro_Beanfield_War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuaKVk4hNAY


1992 a river runs through it 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_River_Runs_Through_It_(film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsIolBViUmc


2007 lions for lambs 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions_for_Lambs
One of the many good dialogs
https://youtu.be/V1hQuzJPRDA?si=WrgI1IBRpxrNfkcP


2010 the conspirator - this is my favorite film of his as a director
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conspirator
https://youtu.be/wXjFAN73Zmg?si=JE7dtwB-AZdL5794


2012 the company you keep - laboeuf was good in this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Company_You_Keep_(film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ4CTyDwoPM 


films as producer
2002 skinwalkers 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinwalkers_(2002_film)
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqQycRMpMMo


Series on PBS incomplete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYk6Q8lybo8&list=PL9PyRItII8cuOh1ohYJtq2OPSe1Ytmtak
2013 the march  can't find this anywhere online, not even a trailer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_March_(2013_film)
television 
Nothing in the dark twilight zone episode 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_in_the_Dark
Redford on Nothing In The Dark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuuAEEj1fq0
 

Redford on Butch Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP8yZi8UsM4

 
 

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