2013 Trophee des Arts Gala to Honor French Actor Francois Cluzet and CEO Carlos Ghosn

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ On Friday, November 15 th, 2013 Actor Jean Reno (The Big Blue, Nikita, Mission Impossible, Ronin, The Da Vinci Code) will present French Cesar Award Winner Francois Cluzet (The Intouchables) with the 2013 FIAF Trophee des Arts at 583 PARK AVENUE in New York. Both actors performed in the 1995 movie French Kiss.

During the gala evening, which will raise funds to support FIAF's educational and cultural programs, McKinsey & Cie CEO Dominic Barton will also bestow the Pilier d'Or upon Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Francois Cluzet, 2013 Trophee des Arts

One of France's most talented and prolific actors, Francois Cluzet achieved international recognition with his iconic performance in The Intouchables. His breathtaking interpretation of a wealthy quadriplegic garnered rave reviews, and the film became the world's highest-grossing film in a language other than English.

Mr. Cluzet also starred in Lawrence Kasdan's French Kiss as well as in Robert Altman's Pret a Porter, alongside Julia Roberts.

"To welcome Francois Cluzet at the Trophee des Arts not only recognizes an actor who represents today's French cinema and who gave a stunning performance in The Intouchables," says the President of FIAF, Marie-Monique Steckel, "but it also carries a lot of personal emotions because in The Intouchables, Francois Cluzet played the role of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, whom I knew when he was my young intern in New York City."

Created in 1992, the Trophee des Arts distinguishes an artist who exemplifies FIAF's mission of French-American friendship and cross-cultural exchange.

Carlos Ghosn, 2013 Pilier d'Or

"FIAF is also particularly honored to bestow the 2013 Pilier d'Or upon Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn weeks after the Nissan NV200 taxi has been introduced on the streets of New York," Mrs. Steckel says. "Carlos Ghosn is a true citizen of the world. Born in Brazil, educated in Lebanon and France and now leading a Franco-Japanese Alliance that is the most successful and enduring in the auto industry: clearly FIAF had to celebrate the leader of one of the largest companies in the world who demonstrates the benefits of having access to a diversity of cultures."

As the Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Mr. Ghosn leads over $170 billion in annual revenues and over 400,000 employees in 200 countries. In 2005, he became the first person to run two Fortune 500 companies simultaneously. Providing New Yorkers with a modern and efficient taxi is just one example of how under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn, Renault and Nissan are constantly innovating from zero emission vehicles to autonomous cars.

The Pilier d'Or recognizes a leading business figure, diplomat or philanthropist for outstanding contributions to the French-American Community.

SOURCE FIAF