The New Saint Laurent Biopic is Not Exactly a Feel-Good Film

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Director Bertrand Bonello's controversial new film Saint Laurent screened at Cannes over the weekend, and wow, is it dark. So dark that the director was refused rights to use YSL clothing for the movie, according the Associated Press.

As a result, the clothing in the film was created for the movie. Film producer Eric Altmayer told the AP: "We had access to nothing, nothing at all not even a shirt, so everything you see in the film was recreated. Fantastic work was done." The film was publicly opposed by Saint Laurent's surviving life and business partner Pierre Berge.

Saint Laurent is not to be confused to Yves Saint Laurent, the authorized film that screened domestically earlier this year. While the first movie was a straightforward look at Yves Saint Laurent's life, the unauthorized Saint Laurent is described by Variety as a "slightly deranged auteur portrait." There's plenty of nudity, drugs, and casual sex, and yes, Variety says "it's a less flattering portrait." One key scene involves the death of the designer's Frenchie after the dog eats pills that have been left absent-mindedly on the floor. We told you it was dark.
· Unauthorized "Saint Laurent" Shows YSL's Dark Side [ABC]
· Cannes Film Review: 'Saint Laurent' [Variety]