Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque

[MulletProof]

Universal will make their first local-language French film which is to be based on the life of Gaul's iconic singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, who died in 1991, according to Variety.

Serge Gainsbourg (vie héroïque) will mark graphic novelist Joann Sfar's debut as a director.

Eric Elmosnino has been tapped to play the chanteur who was as famous for his glamorous lovers, including Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin, as he was for penning such hits as "Je t'aime ... moi non plus."

French model Laetitia Casta will play Bardot, with Mylene Jampanoi set to play Gainsbourg's last paramour, Bambou, and Anna Mouglalis tapped to play French singer Juliette Greco, who collaborated with Gainsbourg for many years.

The film will trace Gainsbourg from his youth growing up in 1940s Nazi-occupied Paris, when he was called Lucien Ginsberg, through to his transformation into the hard-living showman. He died in 1991 at age 62.

The film starts lensing Jan. 19 in Paris for 13 weeks. Universal Pictures Intl. Studio is co-producing with Studio 37, the production banner of French telco giant Orange.

One World Films' Marc du Pontavice and Didier Lupfer are producing, with Sfar also penning the screenplay.

"Joann Sfar's cutting-edge creativity and unique take on the character of Serge Gainsbourg is what really drew us to this project," said Universal Pictures Intl. Studio president Christian Grass.

Universal will retain French theatrical and homevideo rights to the pic, which will be released in France in 2010.

movieweb.com


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I thought it'd be perfect time to start a thread on this since marjanthelion brought us the first pictures of the film this week and there are many fans around here who might like to discuss this one.

 

[MulletProof]

I'm not really a fan of movies about musicians.. or any person that actually existed and that I like anyway, but seeing the cast made it intriguing and I'll definitely be lining up outside the theater when this comes out.

Eric Elmosnino as Serge Gainsbourg

Lucy Gordon as Jane Birkin

Laetitia Casta as Brigitte Bardot

Mylene Jampanoï as Bambou

Anna Mouglais as Juliette Greco

Yolande Moreau as Fréhel

Sara Forestier as France Gall

[from worldofkane.blogspot, ecranlarge via marjathelion]

 

[goldentouch]

Yay! I'm sooo excited!

 

[Gainsbourg]

I knew they were eventually going to make a movie about him and I've always been dreading it. He's just not someone that can be properly captured in a film and his story is insanely long and complicated and cutting any part out isn't doing him justice, his complexity was acute. That's just how I feel about it, I didn't even like when Jane did Boxes

 

[Scott]

how uncanny are those actors to the real people?

i wonder how jane and charlotte feel about this? i dunno how i feel about a biopic of serge though. like gainsbourg said,he has a long,complex history i hope they skip over important aspects for the sake of cinema.

 

[MulletProof]

Yeah, I'd also be interested to know if Charlotte or Jane are involved in this in some way, if only as guidance.
This reminds me of the Jeff Buckley dilemma, and the fact that everyone dreads Jeff's mom for wanting to take his life to the big screen but, I actually think the woman had a point when she said that they will make a film about Buckley sooner or later so she would rather do it herself once and for all instead of letting all of his legacy there, for some stranger to come, arrange the pieces according to his own perspective and take it from there.. everyone talks now about Mary (Jeff's mother) being incredibly greedy but I probably would've done the same. It's virtually impossible to capture an entire life on film but for me, as long as you capture the aura the artist had, his approach to life, transmit what he brought to the world of music, and expose him in a dignified manner to new generations that would've never even cared otherwise, then I feel like the film's mission has been accomplished more or less.

this will be an interesting one for sure. the cast's resemblance is shocking indeed. they made a good job with that so far, and most of them are respectable actors, too. Has Laetitia Casta done acting before, though? that's the only choice I find a bit strange, she surely exudes some of the sensuality Bardot did, but her acting skills are still a mystery for me.

 

[aras]

Is it just me or had Lara Stone been a better choice for Brigitte Bardot?

I mean if they were going to go for a model why not her they are practically identical no?

 

[Jacque Marcel]

From far away this Lucy Gordon looks like Jane but will have to wait for close ups. But the actor playing Serge is on point.

 

[Gainsbourg]

i wonder how jane and charlotte feel about this?

I'm not sure about Jane but as for Charlotte I don't think she's going to be happy, she's always been very protective of her father and while she appreciates his fan base and his image, she's mentioned before how there's just certain things that she doesn't want (and I believe shouldn't have to) share with the world. She shared him her whole life I think now she wants to enjoy having him to herself in a way aside from the fact that she never fully got over his death and having a film about him might be a lot for her to handle

 

[Scott]

^that's what i've come to suspect about her. she never talks about him that much and reluctant to answer even if something less than private.

mullet,i think laetitia has been in a few of films and a couple mini-series in france before. apparently she's pretty good. in fact according to unreliable wiki,she won a golden swann award for a film she did last year called Nés en 68(born in 68)

 

[Scott]

yolande moreau...she was in amèlie,yes? the landlady??

 

[MulletProof]

British actress Lucy Gordon commits suicide in Paris apartment
21st May 2009

A young British actress has hanged herself in her Paris flat just two days before her 29th birthday.

The body of Lucy Gordon was found suspended from the ceiling of her mansion block apartment.
She was reportedly found by her boyfriend who had been asleep in bed when she killed herself.

Tragic: Young British actress Lucy Gordon, pictured here at the Spider-Man 3 premiere in 2007, was found dead in her Paris apartment
Witnesses described him running out of the flat, desperately screaming for help.
A shopkeeper accompanied him back inside but there was nothing anyone could do.
Police were called to the scene, in the rue des Petits Ecuries, on Paris's Right bank.
‘It was a horrific scene,’ said one officer . ‘The young woman had taken her own life in terrible circumstances.
'Her boyfriend discovered her body on Wednesday morning and we attended the scene at her flat.
'We confirmed her death and there were no indications it was anything other than suicide.
'We are not seeking anyone else.'
A friend of Miss Gordon claimed that she had been devastated by the suicide of a friend in Britain.
The shopkeeper who returned to the apartment with Miss Gordon's boyfriend told Gala magazine he had no reason to suspect she had any problems.
'She was an adorable young girl. She always seemed bright and happy,' he said.
'Only two days earlier we had been having a chat in the street and she seemed totally at ease with herself.'
Miss Gordon, who also worked as a model, had just played the actress and singer Jane Birkin in a biopic about the late French singer Serge Gainsbourg currently being previewed at the Cannes Film Festival.
Her English rose good looks and passion for France had seen her compared in real life to Miss Birkin, Gainsbourg’s muse.

On the rise: Jane, pictured here in January 2008, has been described as a 'star in the making'

A festival organiser said: 'We are devastated by this news. All those attending the festival had been hugely impressed by Lucy's work. She was a star in the making.'
In all Miss Gordon, who was born in Oxford had appeared in about a dozen films, having made her screen debut in 2001.
Interviewed in January last year, she said her career was progressing "slowly but surely".
Miss Gordon also had a starring role in a new French comedy Cineman, due out later this year, and a larger part in the romantic comedy The Russian Dolls in which she co-starred with Audrey Tautou. She was also in ‘Perfume’ in 2001.
She had recently moved to Paris from New York , and appeared to have everything to live for.
Miss Gordon’s agents in London and New York confirmed she had ‘ended her own days’.
Her mother was out of the UK on holiday and is due to fly back today. Her sister Katie was today too upset to comment.

Promising role: Miss Gordon, pictured left, played the actress and singer Jane Birkin in a biopic about the late French singer Serge Gainsbourg currently being previewed at the Cannes Film Festival
dailymail via MARLOWE TIGER

Just learned about this . does anyone know if the shooting of the film had already finished?, I wonder what will happen here. it will definitely generate more attention for perhaps not-so good reasons..

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

It mentions in one of those articles that they were previewing the movie, so I assume they were finished working on it(?).

 

[goldentouch]

Some stills:

Source: www.gainsbourg-lefilm.com

 

[Scott]

bit haunting see lucy gordon in that scene image...

hope it will be good!

 

[MulletProof]

The first three pictures are incredible, the resemblance is just uncanny .. I'm really crossing fingers for the performances to be just as good.

Lucy Gordon is breathtaking in that last shot .. this was supposed to be her breakout role, how sad to know that's all we'll get to see from her acting..

 

[Scott]

^it's kind of eerily similar to catherine deneuve's sister who had her breakout in roman polanski's 'cul de sac' then suddenly died in a car accident thereafter. but it was a memorable performance. i hope this will be for lucy as well.

 

[gardenpea]

The actor playing Gainsbourg indeed bears an incredible resemblance with him however I don't like the choice made for the parts of Bardot and Bambou. They don't even have the same colour of eyes or look even remotely like them, maybe a small detail but important to me. I don't have the same feeling for Lucy Gordon despite not really looking like Jane, the essence is definitely there. Can't wait for the film to be released!

 

[anniehall]

I can't wait to see this movie...

 

[MulletProof]

^ there's for reviving this, annie, just realised there's already a 2-month old teaser up on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOFf1ReiIx0