Hundreds of additional pictures from the 11th Rome Film Festival have been added. After yesterday’s photocal, press conference and conversation panel, the premiere for “Florence Foster Jenkins” was held. After the premiere, Meryl Streep was honored at the US Embassy in Rome. There have also been press junkets over the day to promote the Italian release of the film. Videos from the interviews and conversation panels will follow soon. For now, enjoy the additional pictures.

This update comes with a story, a personal one for Simply Streep. As you know this website runs in its 17th year, which is insane – it’s probably older than many of our visitors. Back in 1999, when I started this as a project, it was way harder to get hold of material. A fellow German, Anke, who has been a tremendous help over the years, sent me a VHS tape with some of Meryl’s talkshow appearances she did in the late 90s, among them her first visit on David Letterman’s late show, one of her first talkshow appearances. I had to learn the hard way that American NTSC tapes could not be played properly on European PAL recorders (in case any of you remembers a video cassette), so all faces turned out green like the Incredible Hulk and it was almost impossible to watch. I tried just about everything to get a video copy for Simply Streep, but nothing worked out. So I just settled and thought, with Youtube and other sources emerging, “one day it’ll be on Youtube”. That thought came and went for the past 17 years.

Well, mark you calendars. Today, with many thanks to Youtuber Daniel Poitras, the Letterman appearance has been posted in its entirity, and in good old fashioned VHS quality. The interview runs for a whopping 13 minutes, which is so much more than today’s talkshow snippets. Also, she gives the best excuse for declining to appear on Letterman’s show for 20 years. I’m so happ to finally add this to the archive, it makes Simply Streep feel a whole lot more complete. Enjoy the clip and make sure to view the screencaptures in the photo gallery.

It’s really not a good year for Meryl’s past movie directors, as the passing of wonderful filmmaker Curtis Hanson was revealed today. Hanson was probably best known for 1997’s “L.A. Confidential”, which was nominated for nine Oscars, including for best picture and best director and won for Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay (Mr. Hanson and his co-writer, Brian Helgeland). As Sasha Stone at AwardsDaily wrote earlier today, he was also a director of great women. Hanson had an ability to bring out fierce performances in his actresses – from Kim Basinger, who won an Oscar in LA Confidential, to the absolutely fantastic Rebecca De Mornay in the Hand that Rocks the Cradle. She should have gotten an Oscar nomination for that movie. And what can you say about The River Wild except that it’s a much better movie than it’s been given credit for, thank in large part to Meryl Streep – but also Hanson was a good director of thrillers, usually those that revolved around female characters, but he also directed 8 Mile with Eminem which came close to getting a Best Picture nomination.

Yesterday marked the big promotional day for “Florence Foster Jenkins” in New York. Dozens of press junkets were taped, Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant were guests at CBS This Morning and Good Morning America, and the N.Y. premiere for the film was held in the evening (see the next update). For a complete list of video addtions, have a look at the list below.

On Monday, Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg joined on stage at the 92nd Street’s cultural community center after a screening of “Florence Foster Jenkins” for Annette Insdorf’s Reel Pieces discussion series. Be sure to check this very insightful hour, filled with information on the film’s true story, the making and working with Stephen Frears. Streep, Grant and Helberg reflect on their early days as actors, their favorite work and the changes that were made to the final cut of “Florence Foster Jenkins” (spoilers ahead). On an even better note, 92nd On Demand has also posted a complete interview with Meryl Streep in November 2000, after a screening for “Postcards from the Edge”, in which she remembers filming the Mike Nichols comedy and also sheds light on the making of more recent films at that time, “Before and After” and “Marvin’s Room”, so be prepared for another great hour on video. Enjoy!

A compilation of 10 television spots for “Florence Foster Jenkins” has been added to the video archive, all promoting the film’s August 12 release in the United States. After positive reviews upon its UK release earlier this year, US critics are equally embracing the film. On Rotten Tomatoes, the go-to source for collected reviews, “Florence Foster Jenkins” has received a stunning 92% positive collected reviews. Visit their site for all collected reviews – here’s two snippets from Variety: “An audience picture first and foremost: one wholly sympathetic to its eponymous subject’s delusional drive to delight crowds with or without the requisite artistry,” and from The Hollywood Reporter: “Aiming for the same kind of affectionate comic tone as The King’s Speech, this gentle musical farce from director Stephen Frears hits more than a few flat notes, but still delivers gentle laughs and classy star performances.”

Florence Foster Jenkins didn’t make many recordings, but they had to be heard to be believed: “We heard them at drama school, when I was a student,” said Meryl Streep. “Yeah, it was pretty specifically great!” Streep plays Lady Florence, as she liked to be called, in the new film, “Florence Foster Jenkins,” about the amateur soprano often called the world’s worst opera singer. “Most of her notes,” as one critic put it, “were promissory.” Mason said, “So many of the great singers of her time are not remembered, but she is.” “Well, that’s a tragedy, actually!” Streep laughed. By the late 1930s, Florence’s performances were notorious. Mystifyingly, the society pages indulged her with glowing notices. “Madame Jenkins’ annual recitals,” the New York Daily Mirror wrote, “bring unbounded joy to the faded souls of Park Avenue and the musical elite.” Composer Cole Porter was a fan. And astonishingly, at the peak of her notoriety in 1944, Florence took the stage at Carnegie Hall and performed to a sold-out house. The full segment can be watched in the video archive with screencaptures being added to the photo gallery.

Today, the US theatrical trailer for “Florence Foster Jenkins” has been launched, which is slightly different (and way more showy) than the previous British one. Also, you finally get a glimpse of Florence’s/Meryl’s voice. Be sure to check it out in the video archive. Also, Meryl has been interviewed on the British morning show “Lorraine”. Further, a second featurette on the film, as well as a television spot, have been added. Enjoy.

A first promotional featurette for “Florence Foster Jenkins” has been released, including interviews with Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant and director Stephen Frears. Lots of new scenes (and a tiny bit of Florence’s singing) are included as well. Screencaptures from the video have been added to the photo gallery.

Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant were guests on this week’s The Graham Norton Show to promote the upcoming theatrical release of “Florence Foster Jenkins”. The full episode can be watched in the video archive. Screencaptures from the broadcast and promotionals from the taping have been added to the photo gallery.