Welcome to the Reuters live blog of the MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin - hosted by U.S. pop singer Katy Perry (photo). 

A dozen Reuters reporters, photographers and television crew will be covering the event, one of the pop world’s biggest nights. From the news conference on Wednesday to the after-show party on Thursday we’ll bring you the highlights and low-lights. We’re using the #mtv as the hashtag if you want to follow us on Twitter:

The gradual return of Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, to mainstream rock reached another milestone at the weekend when the 1970s singer-songwriter hit the stage at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, telling the crowd that this was, remarkably, his first festival gig in 37 years.

Now performing as simply Yusuf, the singer’s appearance at the Oxfordshire festival was beautifully crafted, but in some ways as tentative as his emergence from decades of self-imposed exile as a devout convert to Islam.

His appearance was as a “friend” of Fairport Convention, meaning that he only performed briefly in the iconic folk-rock band’s top-of-the-bill closing set.

The handful or so of songs may also have been a disappointment to some. He repeatedly fended off requests for the angst-anthem “Father and Son”, saying he had not practised it. No room either for “Wild World”, “Hard Headed Woman” or “Where do the Children Play?”

But the crowd did get a fine taste of Yusuf’s lyrical new album, including title track “Roadsinger”, along with a couple of oldies such as “Ruins” from 1972’s Catch Bull at Four album.

And then there was a rollicking rendition of top-hit “Peace Train”, accompanied by old Fairporters and British folk rock godfather Richard Thompson.  So after 37 years that was pretty much alright then.

(Reuters photo: Mario Anzuoni. Yusuf Islam prepares for concert in Los Angeles in May)

South Korean director Park Chan-wook talked vampires and the movie industry at an interview with Reuters in Seoul this week as his movie “Thirst” prepares to enter the competition at the Cannes International Film Festival which opens today. Park’s movie “Oldboy” won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and this is his first film in competition since then.

"Thirst" stars Song Kang-ho and Kim Ok-vin  as a priest turned vampire and a femme fatale respectively.

Here is a transcript of the Reuters interview with Park,  translated from Korean.

 SPOILER ALERT: About halfway through this interview, Park speaks about the ending for “Thirst”

(Reuters pictures by Jo Yong-hak. Park Chan-wook at his office in Seoul and actress Kim Ok-vin)

Reuters: Your film “Oldboy” left such a deep impression with global audiences. A lot of people at Cannes are going to be comparing this film and “Oldboy”. How do you think these two films compare?

Park Chan-wook: Well, I made several other films after “Oldboy”, and now it feels like I only have dim memories of making that movie. So while shooting “Thirst”, I didn’t particularly have “Oldboy” in mind, nor did I try to make a better, or more interesting film than “Oldboy”. Of course audiences will be comparing the two. But as a person who made this film, it’s a difficult question to answer. I would like to direct the question to audiences and I’m curious about what they would say.

But if there’s a difference between “Thirst” and “Oldboy”. Audiences could watch “Oldboy” without preconceptions. But they will inevitably have various kinds of stereotypes about a vampire movie because of pre-existing film. They might watch this film with the conventional genre boundaries in mind.

Reuters: How do you think “Thirst” compares to other Western vampire movies?

Park: There are many types of vampire movies. But they in general have a certain romanticism in them, which “Thirst” lacks. Mysterious moods, sexually attractive male vampires and women who are captivated by them – those are some of the romantic aspects that are typical of vampire movies, possibly reflecting the (mood of the) time when a vampire became a popular subject matter in literature. “Thirst”, on the other hand, has more of a medical realism. It is a contradiction this movie has – there’s a clash between fantasies about vampires and the realistic approach this movie takes on as the subject matter.

Reuters: You’ve been working on this for so long. What is the fascination about the subject matter for you?

Park: First of all, I thought I could add some fresh changes to this old genre by approaching the subject matter – “vampire-ism,” so to speak – without the usual mysteriousness or romanticism but from a realistic perspective where being a vampire is sort of a disease. Also, the idea that a Catholic priest – not just anybody, and not even just an ordinary priest, but the one with “dark passion” for martyrdom to save humanity, which is actually hardly distinguishable from suicidal impulses – becomes a vampire prompted me to do this film. This priest, whose original intention was to sacrifice himself to save humanity, ends up with this completely different result. He is transformed into an existence that can only sustain itself by killing others. This new identity, and all the conflict and dilemma stemming from it, was interesting.

Reuters: When it came to a vampire movie, was it this discussion of morality that was more interesting for you, or this staple of Hollywood vampire movies, this long history of the subject matter that was more interesting for you?

Park: Needless to say – morality.

Reuters: What about moral dilemma that was interesting for you?

Park: The moments of choice that come to everybody. Whether it’s trivial or important, every choice has a moral aspect to it to a certain degree. Some are sensitive about it, while others are not. So I wanted to make audiences more conscious of the moral aspects of choices, whether large or small, by presenting a once-in-a-lifetime, life-or-death decision and exaggerating it to the extremes. I wanted people who watch this film to be keener on the moral questions presented by their decisions.
 
Reuters: You left the ending of the movie a bit ambiguous. What was the reason for that?

Park: The two main characters have two very different viewpoints at the end of the movie. The man says he will meet her in hell, and the woman says death is death and nothing more. So they have totally different perceptions about the afterlife. And it’s up to the audience to decide which is right.
 
The last scene has the woman’s feet crumbling to dust and put in the man’s large shoes. The image of it shows the two being together forever, which is the only thing resembling  a “romantic ray of light” in this movie.

Reuters: You reached a financing and distribution deal from the U.S. for this movie. What do you think about this cooperation with Hollywood, and what do you think it would do for the movie?

Park: South Korea’s movie industry has been in decline for the past several years and many investors have disappeared. And investors tend to avoid projects that are considered risky. So it was encouraging (to be cooperating with the U.S. studios) amid this atmosphere. For South Korean investors, the cooperation could reduce risk factors, and Universal could gain an early edge with the movie of a certain quality made at a relatively cheaper price than what they usually put into a Hollywood film. So this cooperation created a condition in which both sides can avoid worst scenarios. And in South Korea, it’s being used as a marketing tool to promote the movie. I was fortunate that this movie, which well could have been commercially risky, easily secured the investment. I heard South Korean audiences were pleasantly surprised to see the Universal logo at the beginning of the movie.

Reuters: The Korean title translates as “Bat”. Why the English title “Thirst”?

Park: There is a Hollywood film titled “Bat”, which even had a sequel and was quite successful in the U.S. And there’s this famous Batman series too. So I was concerned that these would give unnecessary preconceptions about the film.

Reuters: One more Hollywood question. What do you think of the Hollywood remake of “Oldboy”?

Park: I do not know anything more than you about what’s going on with the project. Steven Spielberg has been considered as a director for  the film, but since it’s such a different type of movie than his usual films, I am just guessing he might choose to be a producer rather than a director.  But anyway, whoever makes the film, I would like it to turn out as a completely new movie. I hope it wouldn’t feel too much like my “Oldboy”. I would enjoy watching the remake only if it’s a totally different movie. Watching similar movies won’t be that much fun.

Reuters: Is there any Hollywood film you want to remake as a director?

Park: Well, not really for now.

I’ve always though it’d be good to remake “Apache”. But then, it might not be a good idea to do so since it’s such a great film. People wouldn’t  really have nice things to say about my film when they compare it to the original work. When I see other directors who are remaking great films, I kind of envy their guts. I wouldn’t dare – I’m scared to be bashed. (laughs)

Reuters: What is it like to compete against Quentin Tarantino?

Park: I don’t believe directors will be coming to Cannes thinking about competing against each other. A festival is a festival, not a sports competition. Being part of the festival is what really counts. Also, getting awards depends heavily on the taste of the jury. If you think about it, too many great works have failed to get attention from juries in the past.

Besides Quentin Tarantino, there will be a lot of world-class directors at the upcoming Cannes Festival.

What’s particularly interesting about Quentin Tarantino’s new film for me this time is that it was inspired by Robert Aldrich’s “The Dirty Dozen”.

Reuters: How have you changed since the vengeance trilogy?

Park: A chapter in my career seems to have turned over. I felt exhausted and a bit devastated after the trilogy, which is why I made a “cute” film: I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK. So after the trilogy and the “Cyborg”, I felt like a full-course feast has ended, and of course the trilogy was a heavy steak and the Cyborg movie was a desert. “Thirst” marks a new start for me.

Reuters: Are you working on a new project?

Park: No, nothing has been decided yet. And it’s actually the first time that I have completed one movie and don’t really have anything immediate at hand. It’s giving me mixed feelings – I kind of get antsy about not planning anything at the moment, but then at the same time, I feel relaxed. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take some rest and ponder what’s next. There are some scenarios coming from Hollywood nowadays.

Reuters: Would you think about doing a Hollywood movie?

Park: It all depends on whether I can come across a good screenplay. People might think I can write on my own, as I do here, but it’ll be difficult to start out in Hollywood with a film written by myself. So if I ever do a Hollywood movie, the script would have to be written somebody else. I guess there’s no reason for me not to do it if there is a good scenario. But I have no intention at all to do a Hollywood film just for its own sake. I am not going to do a film based on a bad scenario just to make a big Hollywood film or work with Hollywood stars.

Reuters: What do you think is the appeal of Korean films to international audiences, especially at global events?

Park: I’m not sure if I can generalise different movies from different directors, but I guess there could be two reasons. Firstly many of South Korea’s modern films do not dodge but squarely confront moral questions that other films in other countries tend to see as anachronistic. Also, South Korea has a very complicated modern history, and many local directors have gone through it all, which contributes to huge fluctuations of emotions and dramatic effects in their movies.

Reuters: What’s the most fun about directing a vampire movie?

Park: Like I’ve said, breaking away from stereotypes. It was fun to think of what changes I could make within the tradition.

After exposing a Church cover-up in "The Da Vinci Code," symbologist Robert Langdon returns to the big screen as an unlikely Vatican ally in the latest movie adaptation of a novel by author Dan Brown.

"Angels & Demons," again starring Tom Hanks as Langdon and directed by Ron Howard, premieres in Rome on Monday at a theatre a mile (0.6 kilometer) away from Vatican City. It's due to open in the United States on May 15.

(Photo: Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer and Ron Howard (L-R) at a photocall at CERN near Geneva, 12 Feb 2009/Valentin Flauraud)

In the film, Langdon is recruited by the Vatican after the pope dies and four cardinals tipped  to succeed him are kidnapped. Langdon races through the "Eternal City" deciphering clues linked to a centuries-old secret society, the Illuminati.

"He is not the man the Vatican trusts -- he is the man the Vatican needs," Howard said in production notes for the movie.

The Vatican deeply disapproved of" The Da Vinci Code," especially its portrayal of the life of Jesus, and the Archdiocese of Rome refused permission for "Angels & Demons" to be filmed in historic churches there, forcing the crew to recreate them in Los Angeles. The Vatican has declined to comment on reports it would call for a boycott of the new film.

When "Angels & Demons" actor Ewan McGregor and actress Ayelet Zurer posed for a photocall in Rome with actors dressed as Swiss Guards, they had to do it in a deconsecrated church.

(Photo: McGregor and Zurer at photocall in Saint Marta Church in Rome, 15 Feb 2009/Alessia Pierdomenico)

But director Howard says it's not anti-Catholic and thinks that "Catholics, including most in the hierarchy of the Church, will enjoy the movie for what it is: an exciting mystery, set in the awe-inspiring beauty of Rome."

Will this Dan Brown movie go down better at the Vatican than "The Da Vinci Code"? Read the whole story here, plus our film Factbox.

“Entourage” star Jeremy Piven started rehearsals this week on another show about the inside world of show-business, only this time it’s on a Broadway stage.

Piven is starring in a revival of David Mamet’s play “Speed-the-Plow,” billed as a “scathing portrait of the film industry and the people who are willing to sell their souls for sex, fame and fortune.”

“It’s an incredibly timely piece. It’s actually more true today even than when he wrote it,” Piven told reporters at the start of the second day of rehearsals on Tuesday.

“We did a reading yesterday and I was surprised yet again how powerful and funny this piece is,” said Piven, looking a little-bleary eyed before the morning rehearsal.

The cast also includes Elisabeth Moss, star of the hit TV show “Mad Men” and familiar to many as the president’s daughter in “West Wing.” She is reviving a role played by Madonna in the last Broadway production of the play 20 years ago.

The third major role is taken by Raul Esparza, the only one of the three who has trod the boards on Broadway before.

Piven starred in the off-Broadway play “Fat Pig” by Neil LaBute in 2004 but this will be his Broadway debut.

Previews start on Oct. 3 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and opening night is Oct. 23. 

PICTURE: Reuters/Mike Cassese (Actor Jeremy Piven arrives at special presentation screening of ‘RocknRolla’ at Toronto International Film Festival, 4 Sept. 2008)

Ali G and Borat creator Sacha Baron Cohen has weighed into the Middle East conflict with a recent gag in which he confused “Hamas” and “hummus” and suggested a settlement of the problem through a “time share” on land between Arabs and Jews.

That’s right, the politically-incorrect prankster is back, this time in his latest incarnation as Bruno, a camp fashion presenter in a tight leather jacket and mohican hairstyle. And his latest victims? An Israeli analyst/former Mossad official and a Palestinian academic who thought they were being interviewed for a documentary aimed at explaining the conflict to young people.

Instead they are likely to end up in Baron Cohen’s new movie due out next year, joining the red-faced roll call of duped interviewees who failed to recognise the spoof character.

So, according to ”co-dupee” Yossi Alpher, the Islamist group Hamas is mentioned in conversation, and “Bruno” interjects, asking in a thick mock-German accent: ”Vait, vait. Vat’s zee connection between a political movement and food. Vy hummus?”

He also says: “Your conflict is not so bad. Jennifer-Angelina is worse,” referring to the ex-wife and current partner of Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. Other jokes by the comedian always out to shock include: ”Vy don’t you Jews and Arabs settle the conflict with a time share on the land?”, “Ven vill you Jews return the pyramids?” and ”Vy can’t Jews and Hindus get along?”

Nothing, it seems, is off limits to Baron Cohen, a Jew who Alpher accuses of exploitation.

“Yes, dear reader, Sacha Baron Cohen is loose in the Middle East,” he writes on the www.forward.com Web site. “The end product will undoubtedly be hilarious. We’ll try to be good sports about it. But will Sacha Baron Cohen? He is exploiting our tragic and painful conflict in the most cynical and deceptive manner. I doubt he’ll give us anything in return.”

Pierce Brosnan, who played the world’s best known spy James Bond in four movies, has taken on a new role — the narrator of Thomas the Tank Engine. Brosnan, 55, follows in the footsteps of ex-Beatle Ringo Starr and  U.S. actor Alec Baldwin who previously narrated the children’s TV show. The Irish star makes his debut in the movie “Thomas and Friends: The Great Discovery,” a DVD being released on Sept. 9 by HIT Entertainment Ltd. and Lionsgate.

The creation of Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, Thomas the Tank Engine made his first appearance in the 1945 children’s book “The Three Railway Engines”. The  TV series was first broadcast in 1984 and has since been seen in 140 countries and 25 languages.

Singer Ashlee Simpson and rocker Pete Wentz’s wedding last weekend had all the usual Hollywood glitz and secrecy attached but it seems the couple were well prepared for an un-Hollywood happy ending — walking down the aisle with a pre-nuptial agreement signed and sealed.  On Ryan Seacrest’s morning KIIS-FM radio show, Wentz, the bassist from Fall Out Boy, ’fessed up that the happy couple had signed a prenup agreement. While happy to talk about finances, when it came to rumors that Simpson was pregnant, Wentz was not so open.  Asked by Seacrest if they had picked out baby names, Wentz said: ”Ryan, this baby has not been confirmed. “