Coco Before Chanel (French: Coco avant Chanel) is a 2009 biographical drama film directed and co-written by Anne Fontaine. The film stars Audrey Tautou and details the early life of French fashion designer Coco Chanel.
Coco Before Chanel | |
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French theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Anne Fontaine |
Produced by |
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Written by |
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Based on | Chanel and Her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux |
Starring |
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Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
Cinematography | Christophe Beaucarne |
Edited by | Luc Barnier |
Production company |
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Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
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Budget | $19,430,000 |
Box office | $50,813,834 |
The film was first released in April 2009 in France. As of 21 December that year, it had grossed $43,832,376 worldwide. The production budget was $23 million.
Instead of releasing Coco Before Chanel in the United States itself, Warner Bros. Pictures let Sony Pictures Classics handle the release there. The film grossed $6 million in the United States.
Coco Before Chanel was nominated for four BAFTA Awards, three European Film Awards, six César Awards and the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.
Screenplay
Several years after leaving the orphanage where her father abandoned her, a young Gabrielle Chanel finds herself working in a provincial bar. She is both a seamstress for the performers and a singer, earning the nickname 'Coco' from the song she sings nightly with her sister. A liaison with the charismatic Baron Balsan (Belgian actor Benoît Poelvoorde) gives her an entry into French high society, and a chance to develop her gift for designing increasingly popular hats.
Coco falls in love with English businessman Arthur Capel (American Alessandro Nivola, who learnt French especially for the film), unaware that he is betrothed to a woman in England. Capel believes in Coco's talent making hats and her refusal to follow the whims of fashion; as he says to Coco, "There's no one else like you". As Coco's business flourishes and life is going well, Capel dies in a car accident; she is devastated. However, Coco still has the business that Capel helped her start as a reminder of their love.
- Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel
- Benoît Poelvoorde as Étienne Balsan
- Alessandro Nivola as Arthur Capel
- Marie Gillain as Adrienne Chanel
- Emmanuelle Devos as Émilienne d'Alençon
Roger Ebert praised the film for its unsentimental approach to Chanel's early years. English critic Philip French found the film handsomely designed, tasteful, reserved, and rather dull. One hundred twenty-six critics on website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an average rating of 63%. The film's average on Metacritic from reviewers was 65% as of 6 December 2012, with a 69% rating from general users of the website.
Awards and nominations
Date of ceremony | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
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October 17, 2009 | World Soundtrack Awards | Film Composer of the Year | Alexandre Desplat | Won |
December 12, 2009 | European Film Awards | Prix d'Excellence | Catherine Leterrier (Costume design) | Nominated |
Best Composer | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | ||
People's Choice Award for Best European Film | Coco Before Chanel | Nominated | ||
December 21, 2009 | St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Coco Before Chanel | Nominated |
January 15, 2010 | Critics' Choice Movie Award | Best Foreign Language Film | Coco Before Chanel | Nominated |
February 15, 2010 | Étoiles D'or du Cinéma Français | Best Film Composer | Alexandre Desplat | Won |
February 20, 2010 | Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing in a Feature Foreign Language Film | Jean-Claude Laureux Franck Desmoulins Anne Gibourg Sylvain Malbrant Claire-Anne Largeron Pascal Chauvin |
Nominated |
February 21, 2010 | British Academy Film Awards | Best Film Not in the English Language | Coco Before Chanel | Nominated |
Best Actress in a Leading Role | Audrey Tautou | Nominated | ||
Best Costume Design | Catherine Leterrier | Nominated | ||
Best Makeup and Hair | Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen Madeleine Cofano Jane Milon |
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February 25, 2010 | Costume Designers Guild Awards | Excellence in Period Film | Catherine Leterrier | Nominated |
February 27, 2010 | César Awards | Best Actress | Audrey Tautou | Nominated |
Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Benoit Poelvoorde | Nominated | ||
Best Writing - Adaptation | Anne Fontaine Camille Fontaine |
Nominated | ||
Best Photo | Christophe Beaucarne | Nominated | ||
Best Costumes | Catherine Leterrier | Won | ||
Best Set design | Olivier Radot | Nominated | ||
March 7, 2010 | Academy Awards | Best Costume Design | Catherine Leterrier | Nominated |
February 5, 2011 | Magritte Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Benoît Poelvoorde | Nominated |