Marion Cotillard names her favourite films of all time
French star Marion Cotillard is one of the most talented actors working in the world right now, known for her performances in films like La Vie en Rose as well as popular sci-fi projects like Inception. Due to her increasing engagement with English-language projects, Cotillard has become a global icon which has introduced people to her foreign works including her fantastic collaboration with the Dardenne brothers.
While talking about her journey as well as her childhood which contributed to her identity, Cotillard said: “I’ve always felt an outcast. There is something strange about me. I don’t ever feel at ease in a group of people. I have to fight hard to overcome my fears…I couldn’t identify with anyone. At school I was considered very strange. I didn’t understand the relationships between people.”
She also revealed that she felt an intense inclination towards the performing arts from a very early age, using it as a form of escapism to deal with life: “I used to pretend I was Louise Brooks or Greta Garbo in my bedroom. I absorbed a lot from my father. He taught us how to mime at home with games. I saw it as a way to escape myself. But it was through acting that I met myself.”
Cotillard’s latest project is a musical directed by French auteur Leos Carax called Annette where she stars alongside Adam Driver. The film is an exploration of the couple’s life as well as the human condition, evaluating how bringing a child into this world can be a monumental act that has personal and philosophical implications.
While praising Carax and his enormously impressive body of work, Cotillard gushed: “First of all, Leos Carax is one of the greatest directors. I never expected I would work with him one day because he’s a very rare director; he’s directed six movies in 40 years. So, the fact that it was his project was already amazing to me.”
Adding, “I love musicals. I read the script, and the story really got me. The themes that are explored in this movie, and especially the theme of this need of recognition for an artist; this need that, if it’s fulfilled, affects you. And if it’s not, the frustration that it brings, and how it affects the people around you. I thought it was very interesting because it resonates with my own life and my own need [for] recognition as an artist.”
Take a look at a list containing Marion Cotillard’s favourite films of all time below which includes the works of great artists like Charlie Chalpin.
Marion Cotillard’s favourite films:
- All of Charlie Chaplin’s films
- Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen – 1952)
- Sophie’s Choice (Alan J. Pakula – 1982)
- The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck – 2006)
When asked about a single production that she considers to be her favourite film, Cotillard hesitated and declared that it was an impossible task. Instead, she picked a whole array of films from different eras: “I can’t pick one. I love all the Charlie Chaplin movies. I love Singin’ in the Rain. I love Sophie’s Choice. Meryl Streep is great. The Lives of Others is a masterpiece.”
Recently, the San Sebastian Film Festival announced that Marion Cotillard was the recipient of the festival’s lifetime achievement award. She won the prize for her numerous contributions to the world of cinema over the course of her illustrious career, during which she worked with stellar filmmakers ranging from Steven Soderbergh to the Dardenne brothers.