MY WAY

CINEMA COMPETITION
DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM
TRUFFAUT THEATRE

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2
5:05 pm (Screening ends at 6:40 pm)
Followed by a conversation with writers/directors Thierry Teston & Lisa Azuelos

Presented in association with:
Mediawan

North American Premiere | France | 2024 | Documentary, Musical | 99 min | In English and French, with English subtitles

Directed by: Thierry Teston in collaboration with Lisa Azuelos
Written by: Thierry Teston, Lisa Azuelos
Produced by: Patrick André (High Sea Prod)
Cinematography: Thierry Teston
Film Editing: Baptiste Druot, Erwan Le Quéré, Fred Baudet
Original Score: Thierry Teston
Cast: Jane Fonda (Voice over), Frank Sinatra, Jacques Revaux, Paul Anka, Claude François, Ben Harper, David Bowie, Clara Luciani, Sparks, Elvis Presley, Nina Simone, Sydney Sweeney, Gabriel Yared.
International Sales: Mediawan Rights
US Distributor: Warner Bros.
US Release: November 2024

In 1967, French songwriter Jacques Revaux penned a love ballad with English lyrics called “For Me.” No one wanted it. He went to London to record a demo with a 17-year-old David Bowie (before he was David Bowie). Then, French singer Claude François rewrote the lyrics in French and recorded the tune as “Comme d’habitude.” But it wasn’t until crooner Paul Anka heard the song, bought the rights and rewrote the lyrics, yet again, that it became “My Way.” Then, Frank Sinatra recorded it… and the rest, as they say, is history. Thierry Teston and Lisa Azuelos take us on a journey over the course of that meandering history, from 1967 to the present, recounting, deconstructing and paying homage to a tune that has been recorded 1,278 times by 714 artists in 163 languages, and is the number one most requested song in karaoke bars worldwide.

Thierry Teston has directed numerous music videos, as well as the occasional TV series episode. He co-directed the documentaries PAN! Our Music Odyssey (2014) and One, Two, Three, Nawell Madani (2019), and directed the TV movie L’âge d’or du rap français (2016) and the TV special Kery James au Zénith de Paris (2017). Teston first collaborated with Lisa Azuelos on the screenplay for her 2019 feature Sweetheart, which won the Grand Prix and the Best Acting Award at the Alpe d’Huez International Comedy Film Festival. Azuelos has co-written and directed a dozen features, including her breakout hit LOL (Laughing Out Loud) (2008) and its American remake LOL (2012), Quantum Love (COLCOA 2014), Dalida (COLCOA 2017), Lost in the Disco (2020), I Love America (2022), and The Book of Wonders (2023).