New Biopic to Spotlight First Female Filmmaker

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair‘s Jean-Jacques Annaud is working on a new series that will focus on Alice Guy, the world’s first female filmmaker.

Based on Emmanuelle Gaume’s novel Alice Guy, the series will chart the life of the illegitimate, mixed-race child rejected by an abusive and violent father who kidnaps her from her mother and raised between Chile, Switzerland and France. She went on to become the first woman to direct movies.

Wild Bunch TV, 68productions and Jeff Berg have partnered to develop the series, which is currently at the writing stage.

Annaud said: “It’s the story of the meteoric life of an extraordinary young woman, so rapidly celebrated and so quickly forgotten, who happens to be the world’s first female filmmaker… After becoming acquainted with this pioneer, so crucial to the evolution of our society, I want to bring her out of the oblivion into which she has fallen. Telling this story is also a wonderful way for me to pay tribute to my craft.”

Gregory Strouk, head of Wild Bunch TV, said: “This is a very exciting and totally modern project. We are very proud to partner with 68productions to put such an important and unfairly forgotten female figure in the spotlight she deserves. Having visionary and deeply passionate Jean-Jacques Annaud on board makes this a real dream project.”

Sophie Wittmer of 68productions added: “Our journey with Alice Guy began in 2016 when we bought the rights to Emmanuelle Gaume’s novel, then continued when we produced a documentary for France 3 in 2017. When we imagined producing a TV series based on the material, Jean-Jacques Annaud was our instant first choice to bring the extraordinary story of this passionate, rebellious and visionary woman to the screen. Wild Bunch has very quickly proven to be a terrific partner and we are thrilled to start this adventure with them.”