France wants bigger slice of Hollywood action (AFP)

PARIS (AFP) - Because Hollywood spends a quarter million dollars a day when filming a blockbuster like Paris-located "Da Vinci Code", France is laying out the red carpet for 10 US screenwriters in hopes of seeing more movies set in France. From November 6 to 13, a bunch of "A List" writers linked to top directors and big studios are being offered a slate of unsusual decors and rare slices of action to whet their appetites. This does not include humdrum tourist sites like the Eiffel Tower or Louvre Museum featured in "Da Vinci Code". Instead the group is to go cruising with river police, buy veg with a star chef, and put up at Paris palace, Le Meurice. The 100,000-euro (130,000-dollar) movie Tour de France is being organised by Film France, which promotes movie shoots, a giant national industry currently under fire from its... [read full story]