France, 1950s. From the Quartier Latin to Saint-Tropez via New York, a young Parisienne becomes the icon of a whole generation. In 1954, 19-year-old Francoise Sagan shot to fame with her first novel, Bonjour Tristesse. Flamboyant, scandalous and underrated, Sagan lived her life at the furthest edge of excess. She won and lost fortunes at the roulette table, bought and crashed superb sports cars, drank, danced and partied, leaving a trail of lovers in her wake.
Acting
Sylvie Testud captures Sagan's mercurial charm and quiet devastation.
Costume
1950s Parisian fashion that makes you want to chain-smoke elegantly.
Production
Saint-Tropez, roulette tables, sports car wrecks — pure aesthetic excess.
Director
Diane Kurys
Sylvie Testud
Françoise Quoirez dite Sagan
Pierre Palmade
Jacques Chazot
Jeanne Balibar
Peggy Roche
Arielle Dombasle
Astrid
Lionel Abelanski
Bernard Frank
Guillaume Gallienne
Jacques Quoirez
Denis Podalydès
Guy Schoeller
Bruno Wolkowitch
Philippe
Samuel Labarthe
René Julliard
Margot Abascal
Florence Malraux
Gwendoline Hamon
Suzanne Quoirez
Chantal Neuwirth
Mme Lebreton
Silvie Laguna
Mme Bartoli
Alexis Michalik
Denis Westhoff 23 / 33ans
William Miller
Bob Westhoff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sagan's real name was Françoise Quoirez; 'Sagan' came from Proust's Princesse de Sagan, chosen because it sounded more literary.
Her 1954 novel scandalized France with its teenage protagonist's casual amorality — the film argues Sagan spent decades performing that same rebellion until it consumed her.
FR
