Production Grace of Monaco (film)

1 production

1.1 development
1.2 filming
1.3 grimaldi family s response
1.4 final cut
1.5 cannes controversy

production
development

the script, written arash amel, listed in 2011 hollywood black list of liked screenplays written in year , sold french-based producer pierre-ange le pogam in competitive bid.

filming

principal photography began in september 2012 in paris , menton, france. in october 2012, production moved italy, first grimaldi, village near ventimiglia, bears name of royal house of monaco, in mortola, near ventimiglia @ villa hanbury. production granted permission close monaco s main square 24 hours between october 29–30, 2012, , during time cast seen filming outside , around monte carlo casino. in november 2012 and, again, in january 2013, production in genoa, italy, on housed set in royal palace in via balbi, hall of mirrors replicates residence of royal court of monaco. interiors shot in belgium (belgian parliament in brussels, city of ghent , television studios in lint.)

grimaldi family s response

on january 16, 2013, shortly after filming ended, prince albert ii, princess caroline , princess stéphanie (kelly s children) criticized subject matter of approved script, describing needlessly glamorized , historically inaccurate, , said numerous requests changes had been ignored, had caused astonishment. statement continued, therefore, royal family wishes stress film in no way constitutes biopic. recounts 1 rewritten, needlessly glamorized page in history of monaco , family both major historical inaccuracies , series of purely fictional scenes.

in response these criticisms, melvyn stokes university college london said, [t]he fact statement issued before film edited, let alone released, suggests may opposed film mother . according biographer jeffrey robinson, princess caroline shown script before filming, thought meant comedy, realized fiction. went through script red pen correct things blatantly wrong, dahan no longer interested , refused make changes. jeffrey robinson states scriptwriter should have laptop taken away , not allowed type laundry list .

reviewing film history extra, official website of bbc history magazine, stokes said film contains number of historical inaccuracies, such suggestion grace s speech red cross ball in monaco on october 9, 1962, defused [tax] crisis . in reality, points out, removal result of compromise tax deal signed between france , monaco made french citizens had lived in monaco less 5 years, or companies doing more quarter of business outside principality, subject french taxation. stokes awarded film 1 star historical accuracy.

in interview french newspaper le figaro in december 2012, film s star, nicole kidman, hinted film character study, stating, not biopic or fictionalized documentary of grace kelly, small part of life reveals great humanity fears , weaknesses.

the production had asserted film not purport cover grace kelly s life, specific moment in existence, , filmed in monaco support of principality.

on january 19, 2013, director olivier dahan responded royal press release stating, not journalist or historian. artist. have not made biopic. hate biopics in general. have done, in subjectivity, human portrait of modern woman wants reconcile family, husband, career. give career , invent role. , painful. stated, understand point of view. after all, mother. not want provoke anyone. s cinema.

on may 2, 2014, royal family released official statement saying: prince s palace reiterate feature film cannot under circumstances classified biopic.

final cut

dahan has been vocal on final cut disagreements has film s distributor harvey weinstein. told libération, s right struggle, when confront american distributor weinstein, not name names, there not can do. either say, go figure out pile of shit or brace blackmail isn t violent … if don t sign, s out-and-out blackmail starts, go far. there 2 versions of film now: mine , … find catastrophic.

in april 2014, 2 weeks before opening night premiere @ cannes, variety reported weinstein considering dropping film distribution. reported several weeks later weinstein had decided keep film. weinstein said cut shown @ cannes missing key scene address legitimate concerns raised royal family on depiction in dahan s movie. though amel never publicly took side in long-running feud on final cut, refused attend film s official photo call , press conference @ cannes film festival director s cut being screened.

cannes controversy

at 2014 cannes film festival, notable absences @ press conference , official photo-call weinstein , film s screenwriter amel. weinstein cited charitable work in syria reason absence, while amel told hollywood reporter doesn’t want “big first cannes moment” undermined controversy surrounding dueling cuts.