The Artist Movie 2011

Movie Information

Directed by:Michel Hazanavicius

Produced by:Thomas Langmann

Written by:Michel Hazanavicius

Starring:Jean Dujardin,Bérénice Bejo

Music by:Ludovic Bource

Cinematography:Guillaume Schiffman

Editing by:Anne-Sophie Bion,Michel Hazanavicius

Studio:La Petite Reine,ARP Sélection

Distributed by:Warner Bros. France

Release Date:15 May 2011 (2011-05-15) (Cannes Film Festival)
12 October 2011 (2011-10-12) (France)

Running Time:100 minutes

Country:France

Language:Silent,English intertitles

Budget:€ 13.47 million

Box office:€ 14 million

Production: Director Michel Hazanavicius had been fantasizing about making a silent film for many years, both because many filmmakers he admires emerged in the silent era, and because of the image-driven nature of the format. According to Hazanavicius his wish to make a silent film was at first not taken seriously, but after the financial success of his spy-film pastiches OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies and OSS 117: Lost in Rio, producers started to express interest. The forming of the film's narrative started with Hazanavicius' desire to work again with actors Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, Hazanivicius's wife, who had starred in the OSS 117 films. Hazanavicius chose the form of the melodrama, mostly because he thought many of the films from the silent era which have aged best are melodramas. He did extensive research about 1920s Hollywood, and studied silent films to find the right techniques to make the story comprehensible without having to use too many intertitles. The screenplay took four months to write. The film was produced by La Petite Reine and ARP Sélection for 13.47 million euro, including co-production support from Studio 37 and France 3 Cinéma, and pre-sales investment from Canal+ and CinéCinéma. Both the cast and crew were mixed French and American. Filming took place during seven weeks on location in Los Angeles. Throughout the shoot Hazanavicius played music from classic Hollywood films while the actors performed. Only one song (sung, with lyrics) is used in the soundtrack, "Pennies from Heaven," sung by Rose "Chi-Chi" Murphy (uncredited).