This weekend, Helen Mirren was invited as the Godmother to discover a dozen installations by national and international artists to illuminate areas of Alberobello – the City of Trulli. Mirren has become an emblem in the fight against the killer bacterium, xylella, which has exterminated most of the olive trees in Salento. From 22 to 30 July, the streets and squares of Alberobello will host light installations by national and international artists, transforming the entire city into a path of light and color that will embellish the priceless UNESCO heritage of which we are all custodians. According to their website, the Alberobello Light Festival is much more than an event: it is an engaging experience suitable for visitors of all ages, in a unique and unforgettable atmosphere. Pictures from the event have been added with credit to the festival’s Facebook page.

As earlier reported, Helen Mirren is visiting Israel to attend the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival. “Golda” has been chosen as the fest’s opening film and Helen will also receive a Life Achievement Award while being there. You can read a comprehensive summary of the rather entertaining press conference at The Jerusalem Post – I’ll leave you with this bit: Asked about the coincidence of the fact that she is participating in another festival movie – she is the voice of the narrator in Barbie, which is having its sneak preview there – she said, “I think that we need a Golda Meir Barbie,” a remark which brought down the house and concluded the event. A couple of pictures from the press conference and the screening have been added to the photo gallery. In this excerpt of her acceptance speech, Mirren acknowleged the just announced actor’s strike in Hollywood.

Members of my tribe can be found in Germany, Belgium, the United States. Palestinians, Israelis, Africans. They are the tribe to whom I really want to dedicate this award and say thank you. I had the greatest time on “Golda” because immediately I felt that I belonged. Thank you to my wonderful tribe of actors, all over the world in every language there is. (Helen Mirren, Jerusalem Film Festival)

For the third year in a row, Helen Mirren was among the many celebrity guests of Dolce & Gabbana’s lavish Italian weekend festivities Alta Moda. She joined the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Angela Bassett, Christian Bale, and hundreds of other guests for a swirl that featured back-to-back glamorous events over five days including a concert by Diana Ross. On the first night’s welcome event, Mirren took the stage and pointed out that some of the region’s olive trees are as old as – or even older – than Rome’s Colosseum. The famous Roman structure has a couple of millennia on Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s business, but at 40 this year, their brand is its own kind of Italian institution: colorful, proud, and rooted in family and tradition, but also quite alive in the popular imagination. Pictures from the festivities – alongside another recent Italian appearance – have been added to the photo gallery.

We have established that Italy loves Helen Mirren – apparently, they adore her husband, too. On Saturday, Taylor Hackford received a Life Achievement Award at the 50th Premi Internazionali Ennio Flaiano in Pescara, and Helen was on hand to support her hubby, famed for “An Officer and a Gentleman”, “White Nights”, “Dolores Claiborne”, “The Devil’s Advocate” and “Ray”. A couple of pictures from the ceremony have been added to the photo gallery. According to their website, the Flaiano International Awards, founded in 1973 by Edoardo Tiboni to honor Ennio Flaiano, consist of a series of events, exhibitions, conferences, shows in which concrete cultural motives converge – literary, theatrical, cinematic and television. Many thanks to Joan for the heads-up. Edit: Lots of additional photos and a couple of videos from the event have been added. Check the list below for updates.

Helen Mirren is having an Italian Summer for all of us – and a very busy, extended weekend. After attending Saturday’s ORA! Film Fest (see previous update and find new pictures in the gallery), Mirren was seen on Sunday’s Lecce-Bologna Match at the Via del Mare stadion. And today, she was a special guest at the Università del Salento, where a new promotional spot for the university with her participation was released. Pictures and videos have been added to the photo gallery.

As previously reported, Helen Mirren attended Saturday’s opening night of Puglia’s new ORA! Film Fest, attending a Q&A with colleagues Matthew Modine, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro, who will be all honored during the festival’s run this week. Chances are good we will be seeing more of Helen during the festival. For now, pictures from the opening night have been added to the photo gallery.

Since being a frequent resident and visitor to Puglia, it feels only natural that Helen Mirren has been announced to open the first ever Now! Fest, an international film festival dedicated to the environment, sustainability and social justice. It’s scheduled in Monopoli, Puglia from 3 to 7 June. Mirren joins the numerous national and international stars who will parade on the red carpet of the Kermesse such as: Marisa Tomei, member of the Honorary Committee of Ora!Fest, chaired by John Turturro. Now! Fest wants to be a new cultural event that aims to enhance cinema as an instrument of artistic expression and reflection on the most urgent issues of our time such as social sustainability and environmental culture. The soon-to-be-launched festival website can be found here. Edit: Turns out that Helen has been quite active in the Puglia region as well, attending a couple of events between the promotion for “Fast X” and the Cannes Film Festival. Pictures from a benefit concert for “Save the Olives” and an appearance at the Artigianato d’eccellenza Market Exhibition have been added to the photo gallery.

Helen Mirren was a vision in blue at tonight’s opening night of the 76th Cannes Film Festival in France. For the “Jeanne du Barry” screening, the L’Oréal ambassador opted to arrive in a monochromatic look that was bound to turn heads. She paired her pale blue, off-the-shoulder gown with an undeniably blue head of hair. Pictures from the opening night premiere have been added to the photo gallery.

Yesterday, the first official premiere for “Fast X” was held at The Colosseum in Rome, Italy. The choice of the Italian capital as the first city in the world where the 10th installment in the “Fast & Furious” saga would screen honored the fact that some of the film’s most high-octane action scenes were shot in Rome and its surrounding cities. The film releases theatrically worldwide next week, so I’m sure there’ll be much promotion in the coming week. Also added is a press junket interview with Helen that was conducted in Rome on Friday as well, and a lovely behind-the-scenes featurette on the film, in which Vin Diesel and Helen Mirren are interviewed on the set during filming in July of last year.

The cast of “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” has moved to Los Angeles for the continued promotional tour, attending the very wet red carpet at yesterday’s premiere for the film. Many additional press junkets have taken place and Helen is scheduled to attend the Kelly Clarkson Show on Friday, so stay tuned for a final video update this Friday. In the meantime, enjoy the new pictures.