CHIC !
 

North American Premiere • Comedy • France, 2015

DCP • 2.35 • Dolby 5.1 • Color • 103 min

 

Directed by: Jérôme Cornuau

Written by: Jean-Paul Bathany

Cinematography: Stéphane Cami

Film Editing: Brian Schmitt

Original Score: René Aubry

Produced by: Alain Terzian

Cast: Fanny Ardant (Alicia), Marina Hands (Hélène), Eric Elmosnino (Julien),

International Sales: StudioCanal

US Distributor: Distrib Films

US Release Date: May 1st, 2015

 

Hélène, the ambitious director of the prestigious Ricosi fashion house, has no time for a personal life. She faces a deadline for the new collection just when the company’s designer and diva-in-chief Alicia Ricosi has fallen out of love - a condition that never fails to produce a creative slump. To avoid the imminent wrath of her neurotic CEO, Hélène and her staff make herculean efforts to find Alicia the new muse she needs to get her creative juices flowing again. Fate intervenes when Alicia unexpectedly cracks for Julien, a seemingly unsophisticated garden designer played by Eric Elmosnino (Gainsbourg, COLCOA 2012) whom Hélène has unfortunately just fired. To gain Julien’s cooperation and save the collection, Hélène will need to use all her powers of persuasion, even the ones she’s forgotten she had.

 

For writer/director Jérôme Cornuau, one of the appeals of this project was working with comedy specialist Jean-Paul Bathany, who wanted his screenplay to show how the fashion industry can be a surprisingly harsh environment for romance. Although Cornuau had little previous experience with haute couture, his early years directing music videos gave him a taste of that world. After directing a video for French pop star Ophélie Winter, Cornuau convinced her to star in his first feature, Bouge! (1997) adapted by Jerome Cornuau, Emmanuel List and Guy Zilberstein. Since then, Cornuau has bounced between television and film. Notable features include The Tiger Brigade (2006), and The Crossing (2012). Most recently he has directed episodes of The Passenger, a Luc Besson-produced tv series based on a Jean-Christophe Grange novel.

 

Quotes:

“Cornuau… has produced a smart, sassy film which manages to stay fresh and engaging.”

- Judith Prescott FRENCH CINEMA REVIEW

 

“The film moves swiftly and humorously through its setup stage, giving Ardant free rein to play a cross between herself and a modern-day Coco Chanel.”

- Jordan Mitzner HOLLYWOOD REPORTER