Director Hugo Serignac’s Si Fu Mi Productions will produce a feature film about the life of late celebrity chef Bernard Loiseau, who inspired some of the characters of chef Auguste Gusteau in “Rémy’s Restaurant.”
The untitled film will be written and directed by French director Thomas Lilty, who was nominated for a César Award for the popular Canal+ series “Hippocrate,” which was originally a film and screened at Cannes Critics’ Week. Lilty also directed a number of popular French films, including The Country Doctor, The First Year, and The Real Job.
Chi-Fou-Mi, a Media One banner, is working with the Loiseau family to produce an untitled feature film with 31 Juin Films.
Loiseau was one of France’s most famous chefs during the 1980s and 1990s, credited with elevating French culture on the international stage and transforming the village of Saulieu in Burgundy into a world-renowned gastronomic destination. His restaurant, La Côte d’Or, was awarded three Michelin stars in 1991. A pioneering businessman, Loiseau was also the first celebrity chef to list his restaurant on the stock exchange. However, despite all his accomplishments, Loiseau suffered from depression and died by suicide in 2003 at the age of 52.
“Since the beginning of my career, I have strived to paint my work and tell the stories of men and women.
“In the case of Bernard Loiseau, the question becomes even more intimate, which is why his story moves me so deeply,” Lilty said in a statement. Exploring his life means talking about excellence, work, doubt, legitimacy, and solitude. ”
“It means trying to understand genius, not only in its visionary powers, but also in its deeply destructive aspects. By immersing myself almost madly in his life and work, I am discovering a man deeply loved and deeply in love, whose tragic ending reveals the cracks that perhaps only fiction can truly approach.”
Bérangère Loiseau, Chairman of Groupe Bernard Loiseau, said: “We are deeply moved that Thomas Lilty has shown such sensitivity to Bernard Loiseau’s story. Like medicine, gastronomy is about service to others. It is a passion that requires complete dedication to happiness. The pursuit of excellence is constant and every gesture, every detail matters. That is exactly what drives Bernard Loiseau. “
Si Fu Mi will be included in three films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, including Jeanne Herry’s Garance, which was in competition, and Quentin Dupieux’s Full Fill, starring Kristen Stewart and Woody Harrelson.
