Veteran French star Jean-Paul Belmondo was still hospitalised in Corsica last night after suffering a suspected stroke while on holiday. The 68-year-old actor, who made his name as a wannabe gangster icon in Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless, was afflicted by what medical staff would only refer to as "a cerebral accident" which has apparently left one side of his face paralysed.

He is currently recuperating in Bastia Hospital.

The Aardman animated feature Tortoise vs Hare is reportedly up and running again after script wrangles threatened to derail the project altogether. After putting the film on hold at the cost of 30 jobs, the makers of Chicken Run have now appointed two new writers, Rob Sprackling and John Smith, to iron out the problems.

"They share the Aardman sense of humour," explained executive producer Michael Rose. Tortoise vs Hare is now running six months behind schedule, though the company still hopes it can be completed in time for a release next year.

Screenwriter Frank R Pierson was elected to the post of president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts in Hollywood yesterday. He succeeds Robert Rehme, who has now held the position for the maximum four-year term.

Pierson, an Oscar-winner himself, counts a number of screen credits to his name and worked on the scripts for both Cool Hand Luke and Dog Day Afternoon.