The Czech Republic is providing the backdrop for Marguerite, a French period biopic set in the 1920s.
The screenplay was inspired by the incredible life story of Florence Foster Jenkins, an eccentric American amateur operatic soprano who stubbornly followed her dream to become a star. And though she had no ear for music, with little sense of pitch or rhythm, the notorious socialite could not be dissuaded by her husband or friends. She fulfilled a lifelong dream performing to a full house at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Marguerite stars Catherine Frot, known from such films as The Dinner Game (1998), The Page Turner (2006), with the French director Xavier Giannoli at the helm (In the Beginning from 2009, Superstar, 2012) .
The supporting cast features André Marcon, Christa Théret, Denis Mpungu and Michel Féau. The film’s visual look is in the able hands of Czech production designer Martin Kurel.
The crew began a scheduled 49-day shoot in the Czech Republic on 15 September. Of the film’s total budget of 220 million crowns, 80 million is earmarked for local production costs. Filming takes place mainly in Prague, specifically inside the Vinohrady Theatre and Charles University’s Faculty of Law. Locations outside of the capital include at the Slapy Chateau in central Bohemia and the Mahen Theatre in Brno.
The main production company is Fidélité Films of France, working with co-producers Scope Pictures of Belgium and Sirena Film on the Czech side (which, for example, supported the filming of the historical pic A Royal Affair, 2012). The distribution company is Memento Films of France.
Marguerite is set to premiere in France in the spring or autumn of 2015.