From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York’s most famous concert halls, Edith Piaf’s life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother’s brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee, who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France’s immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th century.
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Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Edith Piaf: Marion Cotillard
• Simone “Mômone” Berteaut: Sylvie Testud
• Louis Barrier: Pascal Greggory
• Titine: Emmanuelle Seigner
• Louis Gassion: Jean-Paul Rouve
• Louis Leplée: Gérard Depardieu
• Annetta Gassion: Clotilde Courau
• Marcel Cerdan: Jean-Pierre Martins
• Louise Gassion: Catherine Allégret
• Raymond Asso: Marc Barbé
• Marlene Dietrich: Caroline Silhol
• Edith – 5 years old: Manon Chevallier
• Edith – 10 years old: Pauline Burlet
• Danielle Bonel: Élisabeth Commelin
• Jacques Canetti: André Penvern
• Marguerite Monnot: Marie-Armelle Deguy
• Jeanne: Valérie Moreau
• Marc Bonel: Marc Gannot
• Bruno Coquatrix: Jean-Paul Muel
• Mireille: Nathalie Dorval
• Ginou: Caroline Raynaud
• Dr. Bernay: Christophe Odent
• Doug Davis: Harry Hadden-Paton
• Philipo: Cylia Malki
• Simone Margantin: Édith Le Merdy
• Jacques Pills: Laurent Olmedo
• Journalist in Orly: Denis Ménochet
• Mamy: Josette Ménard
• Lucien Roupp: Dominique Paturel
• Jameson: Nicholas Pritchard
• Clifford Fisher: William Armstrong
• Michel Emer: Aubert Fenoy
• Charles Dumont: Mario Hacquard
• Suzanne: Agathe Bodin
• Josette: Chantal Bronner
• Inspector Guillaume: Olivier Cruveiller
• Leplée’s assistant: Ashley Wanninger
• Claude: Laurent Schilling
• Albert: Dominique Bettenfeld
• Charles Aznavour: Alban Casterman
• Interviewer: Sébastien Tavel
• Seamstress: Nicole Dubois
• Jean Mermoz: Martin Janis
• Etienne: Eric Franquelin
• Mitty Goldin: Marc Chapiteau
• Marcelle: Maureen Demidof
• Aïcha: Farida Amrouche
• Journalist: Pierre Peyrichout
• Palm reader: Liliane Cebrian
• American journalist: Paulina Němcová
• Tony Zale: Jean-Jacques Desplanque
• Boxing trainer: Alain Figlarz
• Pin-up: Nathalie Cox
• P’tit Louis: Pierre Derenne
• Brothel girl: Emy Lévy
• Brothel girl: Laura Stainkrycer
• Brothel girl: Lucie Březovská
• Brothel girl: Věra Havelková
• Brothel customer: Jan Kuželka
• Fire eater: Jan Pavel Filipenský
• Mr. Loyal: Mathias Honoré
• O’Dett audience member: Martin Sochor
• O’Dett audience member: Lenka Kourilova
• American woman: Diana Stewart
• Boxing ring corner-man: Robert Paturel
• Waiter: Olivier Raoux
• Man in Lannes: Philippe Bricard
• New year’s eve man: Jaroslav Vízner
• Journalist by the church: Nicolas Simon
• Boy: Pascal Mottier
• Ostende doctor: Thierry Gibault
• American doctor: Garrick Hagon
• Street spectator: Vladimír Javorský
• Policeman: Fabien Duval
• Barman: Rodolphe Saulnier
• Diner waiter: Fedele Papalia
• Brasserie owner: Pier Luigi Colombetti
• Woman Etoile Cafe: Zdena Herfortová
• Transvestite: Olivier Carbone
• Brasserie waitress: Laurence Gormezano
• Civilian policeman: Christophe Kourotchkine
• Doctor in Dreux: Robert Nebřenský
• Show manager in Dreux: Jaromír Janeček
• Orchestra conductor: Christopher Gunning
• Edith Piaf (singing voice): Jil Aigrot
• Docteur in Belleville (uncredited): Marek Vašut

Film Crew:

• Costume Design: Marit Allen
• Director: Olivier Dahan
• Screenplay: Isabelle Sobelman
• Producer: Alain Goldman
• Original Music Composer: Christopher Gunning
• Director of Photography: Tetsuo Nagata
• Editor: Richard Marizy
• Casting: Olivier Carbone
• Production Design: Olivier Raoux
• Production Manager: Michal Přikryl
• Key Makeup Artist: Didier Lavergne
• Casting: Alex Johnson
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Hal Couzens
• Set Decoration: Stéphane Cressend
• Art Direction: Stanislas Reydellet
• Script Supervisor: Virginie Le Pionnier
• Steadicam Operator: Mathieu Caudroy
• Still Photographer: Bruno Calvo
• Steadicam Operator: Roberto De Angelis
• Art Direction: Laure Lepelley-Monbillard
• Visual Effects Producer: Earle Stuart Callender
• Visual Effects Producer: David Danesi
• Music Editor: Katia Boutin
• Dialogue Editor: Charles Autrand
• Foley: Philippe Penot
• Supervising Sound Editor: Pascal Villard
• Visual Effects Editor: Collette Nunes
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Adam Gascoyne
• Sound Recordist: Gréggory Poncelet
• Gaffer: Jaromir Simek
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Seb Caudron
• Visual Effects Editor: Aled Robinson
• Wigmaker: Stephanie Hovette
• Digital Intermediate: Élodie Ichter
• Assistant Costume Designer: Natalie Humphries
• Sound Editor: Nikolas Javelle
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Hugh Welchman
• Key Hair Stylist: Jan Archibald
• Visual Effects Coordinator: Carine Poussou
• Steadicam Operator: Vladimír Müller
• Art Direction: Beatrice Brentnerova
• Music Director: Edouard Dubois
• Construction Coordinator: Ludovic Erbelding
• Sound: Laurent Zeilig
• Special Effects Supervisor: Kamil Jaffar
• First Assistant Editor: Virginie Seguin
• Music Supervisor: Becky Bentham
• Makeup Artist: Amélie Bouilly
• Makeup Artist: Gabriela Poláková
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Uel Hormann
• Art Direction: Mick Lanaro
• Set Decoration: Petra Kobedova
• Set Decoration: Cecile Vatelot
• Art Department Coordinator: Karim Djerbi
• ADR Supervisor: Edouard Murcier
• Sound Editor: Gael Nicolas
• Gaffer: Patrick Contesse
• Visual Effects Producer: Renata Azambuja
• Makeup Artist: Elisa Costa

Movie Reviews:

• CinemaSerf: Marion Cotillard is super in this depiction of the life of French chanteuse Édith Piaf – from her upbringing in a brothel through the stages of her life that moulded this flawed but inspirational, and rather sad, woman into the truly international superstar that she became. Her performance is captivating; capturing the mannerisms and characteristics in a gritty, sympathetic and authentic fashion; leaving us in no doubt as to the thin emotional tightrope Piaf walked between sanity and, eventually, a drug-induced stupor and of the risks that involved not just for her, but those loyal (and not so much) around her. It is long, and at times Olivier Dahan takes a rather brutal approach to the chronology that can take a bit of getting used to; but the supporting performances – especially from Pacsal Gregory (Barrier) and Jean-Pierre Martins (Cerdan) add a richness as important as the imagery. These, as well as a thoroughly plausible script contribute really well to the overall mix and assist with an overall creative storyline that was always going to be pretty bumpy at the best of times. The film is, ultimately, about a singer – and the vast majority of the songs make no bones about using the original – and exquisitely performed vocals. I’ve seen many biopics – but few as good as this.