Y.S.L. on the rise

Last Updated: March 25, 2013By Tags: ,

Rights to an in-the-works biopic about Yves Saint Laurent were just grabbed by the Weinstein Company. Film is to be directed by Jalil Lespert, according to a recent announcement by the film’s French producers.

The feature-length film will focus specifically on the early years of Saint Laurent’s career when, at the ripe age of 21 he took over the Christian Dior couture house after the designer’s untimely death, and three years later, along with his lifetime partner Pierre Bergé, created his own fashion empire and revolutionized that era’s  fashion.

Pierre Bergé himself has thrown his weight behind the movie, which was produced by one Wassim Beji and his company WY Productions. Principal photography will begin in June and a release has been slated for 2014. Distribution rights have already been sold for other markets (U.K., Australia and Canada to Entertainment One, Russia to Top Film Distribution and Germany and Austria to Square One).

Another film about Y.S.L. is in the works, this one to be directed by Bertrand Bonello and produced by Luc Besson’s Europacorp in partnership with Mandarin Cinema. Gaspar Ulliel will be portraying Y.S.L., Jérémie Renier Pierre Bergé and Léa Seydoux (“Mission Impossible”) will play Loulou de la Falaise, a close friend and collaborator of Y.S.L.’s.

"ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL" (1974)