A Filmmaker's Guide to: Marion Cotillard

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Marion Cotillard

Who is she?

Marion Cotillard is a multi-talented, multi-award winning actress who was born and raised in France. She can sing, she can dance, she can act, she's a model and she's an all round nice human being. Her roles range from biopics all the way to psychological thrillers, to musicals and beyond. She is one of the only women in history to win the Best Actress Academy Award for a foreign film and yet, I still think she requires more recognition because she is my personal favourite actress of all time.

What did she do?

Marion Cotillard really broke the mold for women not from English-Speaking countries to make a huge name for themselves in film both Hollywood and foreign. Her bilingual nature has often given her voice an allure which suits various roles, one of her most famous being Edith Paif in "La Vie en Rose". Her beauty has often gained her roles in which she portrays almost a duplicitous character with ulterior motives, such as her famous roles as Mal in "Inception" and Marianne in "Allied".

Let's now take a look at her most famous and greatest roles in film and see what she has to offer, because seriously - I adore Marion Cotillard.

Greatest Works

La Vie en Rose (2007)

One of her greatest ever performances, Marion Cotillard portrays the legendary French singer who tragically died young - Edith Paif. It is a brilliant film filled with great music, amazing acting and the core beauty of French cinematography techniques at their finest. One of the films that everyone must watch at least once before they die.

Public Enemies (2009)

One of my favourite performances by her, she portrays the lover of John Dillinger - who is portrayed in turn by Johnny Depp. She is his accomplice and the woman that he would do anything for. She is also this mysterious and villainous woman with a dark personality so that when Melvin Purvis - portrayed by Christian Bale - speaks to her, there is almost something that carries on from after the end of Dillinger's period.

Inception (2010)

In this, she portrays the dead wife of the protagonist, the villain of the story in which she quite literally, enters his head. It is a brilliant exploration of grief and reality and Marion Cotillard does an amazing job of toeing the line between loving and neurotic. A shadow and reality of a woman that once was - a woman who left her own body for something she assumed was better. But then again, she was just another victim.

Other Great Works

• Midnight in Paris (2011)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Macbeth (2015)