November | 2021 | internationalfilmreview

In this streaming age, you’re likely to stumble upon a treasure trove of international hits as you scroll through your favorite digital platform’s ever-growing catalog. Shows and films from Spain, Mexico, Japan, and beyond have found their way into American living rooms, expanding our cultural horizons. But just a few years ago, these foreign flicks were far less accessible to audiences in the United States. This shift toward a more global entertainment landscape, can be attributed in part to the meticulous work of proficient business negotiators such as Nelum Pigeard.

A native of Paris, France, Nelum Pigeard has specialized in intellectual property and business and legal affairs for nearly two decades. Throughout this time, she has worked in France and the United States for a variety of agencies and firms, including her own.

Business Affairs Executive Nelum Pigeard

After graduating from the prestigious Paris-Panthéon-Assas University law program, Nelum began working as an Attorney at EBVA Law Paris, a firm that focused on clients in the entertainment industry. Here, Pigeard gained valuable experience managing contracts and handling litigation for a major modeling agency, as well as for la Cite de L’architecture, a renowned architecture institution in Paris.

Shortly after, Pigeard went on to open her own firm, Nelum Jayasinghe Law Firm, in Paris. Due to her experience working in the entertainment industry, Pigeard met some rather interesting clients, such as Michel Esteban, a music producer who was well-known for his work in the NYC punk scene of the ‘70s. At the time, Esteban was building Nouvelle Vague, an international festival and artist residency in Salvador, Brazil. As Esteban’s attorney, Pigeard handled international land purchases and assisted in assembling a global team of influencers, artists, architects, and financiers.

Pigeard’s impressive resume landed her a role at Young & Rubicam Group France, a leading global marketing communications company with offices worldwide. As a Senior Legal Counsel for their Business and Legal Affairs team, Pigeard handled massive retainer contracts that secured long-term working agreements with the agency’s major clients such as Danone and Surfrider Foundation Europe, as well as talent and licensing negotiations necessary to create advertising campaigns. Pigeard’s fluency in French, English, and Spanish made it possible for her to serve as a key negotiator for Young & Rubicam’s international clients, and would ultimately play a key role in her career progression.

After six years with Young & Rubicam, Nelum Pigeard made the move to Hollywood, where she would come to serve as Director of Business & Legal Affairs for Gaumont Television, an international television production and distribution company responsible for hit shows such as “Narcos”, “Hannibal”, “Hemlock Grove”, and “El Presidente”. Thanks to her multilingual capabilities, her deep cultural understanding and her experience working in the legal and business field for global companies, Pigeard has been entrusted with major development, production, distribution, and merchandising deals for Gaumont Television’s beloved franchises and properties.

“Nelum Pigeard plays an integral role in negotiating deals for some of Gaumont Television’s biggest IPs,” remarked Anne Bartnett, Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs at Gaumont Television. “Her multifaceted understanding of cultures, languages, and the entertainment industry continue to provide immense value to our organization.”

In the global entertainment industry, where creativity intersects with commerce, Pigeard has proven herself an adept navigator. Her understanding of film and television, as well as business, legal affairs and unrivaled international industry foresight, have positioned her as a pivotal player in this industry as it continues to expand across the globe. So the next time you sit down to stream an international show or film, remember that it might not have even been possible to do so without the work and passion of seasoned business executives like Nelum Pigeard.

Actor & Show Creator Cory Dagg – Photography by Vanie Poyey

Making the powerhouse decision to create an entire solo show from concept to curtain-down can be the pinnacle of any actor’s career, one that grants them unfettered artistic control over their own craft.

The fusion of a beautifully scripted storyline with an outstanding on-stage presence is the essence behind a truly successful solo show, which is exactly what industry veteran Cory Dagg delivered throughout his commanding debut performance in “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street” in Los Angeles this past August.

An intimate and compelling story behind the song that changed the course of rock and roll history, “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street” is an emotional rollercoaster full of excitement and tragedy. Throughout the show, Dagg invites the audience on a touching and personal journey of how iconic songs and childhood idols shaped the brilliant artist that he is known as today.

“A good solo show is told from the point of view of the actor performing the show,” explains Dagg. “To weave myself into the story that I wanted to tell in a truthful and hopefully meaningful way was not an easy task.”

A man of extraordinary talent, Dagg also worked behind the scenes as the show’s producer, which he workshopped over three weeks at the famous Hudson Theatre in LA, during the 11th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival in August 2021.

“Producing involves a lot of work, you have to see the big picture as well as the small details,” he says. “Ultimately you are responsible for the entire show.”

Hollywood Fringe Festival official poster

In the dramaturgy phase of shaping his script, Dagg brought relevance to the team behind the unfolding of Elvis Presley’s iconic 1956 single “Heartbreak Hotel,” which deservingly went on to leave a monumental impact on the music we know today. Not only was the song the breakthrough to superstardom for Elvis Presley, but its impact on the next generation of musicians was mind-blowing.

Beatles legend John Lennon once said, “When I first heard ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ my whole life changed from then on. I was just completely shaken by it.” Fellow Beatlemania superstar Paul McCartney also declared the song “nothing less than the most important artistic creation of the modern era.”

The show’s storyline focuses on a selection of influential characters, including a 19-year-old Elvis and “Heartbreak Hotel” co-writer Mae Boren Axton who, under a starry midnight sky, made a promise to the king of rock and roll to compose his first ever nationwide number 1 hit.

The inspiration for “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street” was born after Dagg’s coincidental onset interaction with Boren Axton’s son, as well as fellow actor Hoyt Axton (“Gremlins”) whom they worked together on the 1989 crime comedy “We’re No Angels,” starring two-time Oscar winners Robert De Niro (“Joker,” “Raging Bull”) and Sean Penn (“I Am Sam,” “21 Grams”).

Throughout his captivating performance in “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street,” Dagg breathed life into a wonderful and varied cast of characters who shaped the unfolding of the most pivotal rock song of all time. His effective portrayal of a young Elvis Presly, Hoyt and Mae Boren Axton, his present self and as a 7-year-old paperboy, among numerous other characters, left the mesmerized audience with an overwhelming sense of emotion.

“It’s a big undertaking and you hope that people will say that those characters come naturally to you,” Dagg shares. “But the truth is it takes endless hours of rehearsal to get them right and to quickly transition from one character to another.”

Although the Hollywood Fringe Festival was essentially a workshop performance, this didn’t stop the devoted audience from feeling an overwhelming sense of attachment to Dagg’s stunning on-stage presence.

One crowd member quoted, “He [Dagg] tells the story with such tremendous insight and humor, that by the end of the piece, the audience, young and old, reward him with genuine applause and occasional tears.” While another claimed, “The show was fabulous! It was funny in parts, tragic and I can’t believe one person could take you through time and space seamlessly playing many compelling characters.”

Cory Dagg in his solo show “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street”
Image by Richard Clark & Projection Design by Jeffrey Elias Teeter

Following on from the tremendous success of the workshop in L.A, Dagg has also secured international exposure for the world premiere of “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street,” which is set to take place at the distinguished 75th Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in 2022.

“Seeing the characters and story come alive on stage has been a magical experience,” Dagg shares. “Especially after so many years of development, research and writing.”

Staying true to the iconic storyline and boldly moving forward with full freedom, action has once again landed Dagg at the heart of Hollywood greatness. Over the course of 30 years, he has flawlessly portrayed every character under the sun across film, television and theatre, often sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the game.

Hollywood royalty Robert De Niro (“The Irishman”) once threw his arm around Dagg on set while commending his phenomenal work as an actor, while two-time Oscar nominated director Mikael Salomon (“Band of Brothers”) offered Dagg a featured series role as General Michaelson in the seven-time Emmy Award nominated miniseries “The Andromeda Strain,” which was executive produced by Golden Globe winner and four-time Oscar nominated filmmaker Ridley Scott (“Blade Runner,” “The Martian”).

With a long list of illustrious film and television credits to his name, and an upcoming world premiere of his already successful one-man show “Cory Dagg’s I Walk A Lonely Street,” it’s fair to say that Cory Dagg is among the select few in the competitive industry who can truly master it all, and no doubt will continue to deliver timeless performances for years on end.

International Entertainment, and the Talents that Leave us Buzzing….