According to a study conducted among employees of the Élysée, it is “cheesy” (44.5%), “austere” (37.5%) and “cold” (19.8%). And beware of those who dare to gratify her with a simple “Hello Madam” when they meet her in the corridor of the Élysée. “Hello Mrs. Chirac”, she replies tit for tat to an unfortunate person who has made this mistake. Bernadette Chirac, the real one, never lacked confidence. Bernadette has even more when she is embodied in the cinema by Catherine Deneuve.
In what looks like a fake biopic – if it is inspired by the life of the first lady, the film is more of a comedy -, Ms. Chirac, therefore, who has long worked in the shadow of her husband, intends to soften her image as a cold and distant woman. If we are to believe the first images broadcast in the trailer for the feature film, it should be devoted to the change in attitude of Bernadette, first perceived by the public and those who rubbed shoulders with her as icy before become a first lady appreciated by the French.
In Bernadette, Catherine Deneuve plays alongside Denis Podalydès, who for the occasion has become Bernard Niquet, Mrs. Chirac’s chief of staff, while the former President of the Republic is played by the former Comédie-Française, Michel Vuillermoz .
This first feature film turns to the tragicomedy inspired by the journey of the former first lady. “When I read the screenplay, I understood that it was about the story of a woman who comes out of her gangue and acquires over time a strength and a freedom. The film is not a reconstruction but it is based on real situations. It was never a question of copying it but of drawing inspiration from it, ”explains Catherine Deneuve to Liberation. At the time, the film was still called La Tortue, the “affectionate” nickname that Jacques Chirac gave to his wife.
As a great political enthusiast, director Léa Domenach (daughter of Nicolas Domenach, columnist and author of several biographies of Jacques Chirac) dwells on the way in which love and power intertwine in the life of this first lady, the only one to have also exercised elective responsibilities.
On social networks, the buzz crosses borders: some English-speaking Internet users have called it “French Barbie”, in reference to Greta Gerwig’s film – it is not to Claude Chirac’s taste. In the Paris Match columns, the daughter of Jacques and Bernadette criticizes the production for not having consulted her before embarking on this film project, nor even for having taken into account the fact that Bernadette Chirac was still alive. With or without his consent, the film will be released in theaters on October 4.
