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CANNES 2007 Market / France

Tautou to star in Fontaine’s Coco Chanel

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At the Cannes Film Festival today French production outifts Haut et Court and Ciné @ together with Paris-based sales agent Films Distribution announced the production on a new film on the life of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).

To be directed by Anne Fontaine (How I Killed My Father [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, In His Hands [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) in 2008, the film will feature young star Audrey Tautou as Chanel.

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Loosely adapted from Edmonde Charles-Roux’s biography L’irrégulière, the film – co-written by the director and British scriptwriter Christopher Hampton (Mary Reilly, Stephen Frears’ Dangerous Liaisons) – will focus on the early career of Chanel, who was only 12 when her mother died and was then abandoned by her father who left for the US.

Placed in an orphanage with her two sisters, aged eight and thirteen, the young girl first worked as a sales assistant, then a singer in a music-hall, before starting a more creative career in hat design in Paris, after which she climbed the ladder of success thanks to much support along the way.

Chanel’s life seems to be stirring up strong interest from producers. It is the third film announced on the life of the well-known designer in less than a few weeks. The other two projects are Danièle Thompson’s biopic, with a 2008-2009 shoot (see news), and William Friedkin’s Coco & Igor, set to begin production (Claudie Ossard) next year and star Marina Hands.

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(Translated from French)

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