Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2015: #34. Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite

Marguerite

Director: Xavier Giannoli // Writer: Xavier Giannoli

French director Xavier Giannoli has previously helmed five features, two of them playing in competition in Cannes, including perhaps his best known work, The Singer (2006, starring Cecile de France) and 2009’s In the Beginning. He’s also premiered in Venice, with his last feature, 2012’s Superstar, which also headlined Cecile de France. He’s now working with one of France’s most accomplished and underrated actresses, Catherine Frot, last seen in US theater in 2013 with The Weinstein Company’s distribution of Haute Cuisine. Known mainly for her comedic talents, she’s equally mesmerizing in dramatic fare, such as Safy Nabbou’s Mark of an Angel and Denis Dercourt’s The Page Turner. Giannoli is directing her in Marguerite, a 1920’s period piece based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, otherwise known as the world’s worst soprano (although she though rather the opposite). In an unprecedented turn of events, it was announced recently that Stephen Frears would be directing Meryl Streep in a similar vehicle, titled Florence, currently in pre-production and pegged for 2015. Our anticipation is with Ms. Frot.

Cast: Catherine Frot, Andre Marcon, Christa Theret

Production Co.: Fidelite Films’ Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier (In the Name of My Daughter)

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available.

Release Date: Given Giannoli’s relationship with Cannes, we’d love to see him invited back to the Main Competition, which may be a possibility since filming wrapped in late November.

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