THE RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD

(La Femme la plus riche du monde)

North American Premiere | France, Belgium | 2025 | Comedy, Drama | 123 min | In French with English subtitles

Directed by: Thierry Klifa
Written by: Thierry Klifa, Cédric Anger, Jacques Fieschi
Produced by: Mathias Rubin (Récifilms), Ronald Chammah (Les Films du Camélia), Jacques-Henri Bronckart & Tatjana Kozar (Versus Production)
Cinematography: Hichame Alaouié
Original Score: Alex Beaupain
Film Editing: Chantal Hymans
Cast: Isabelle Huppert (Marianne Farrère), Laurent Lafitte (Pierre-Alain), Marina Foïs (Frédérique), André Marcon (Guy Farrère), Raphaël Personnaz (Jerôme), Mathieu Demy (Jean-Marc), Joseph Olivennes (Raphaël), Anne Brochet (Betsy)
International Sales: Playtime

Synopsis

Marianne — literally the richest woman in the world — is smitten by flamboyant photographer Pierre-Alain at first sight. Immediately inseparable, the twosome soon arouse family suspicions when the younger man begins spinning his web, monopolizing Marianne’s life… and progressively siphoning her vast wealth. An appropriately blasé Isabelle Huppert and a deliciously over-the-top Laurent Lafitte lead a superb ensemble cast in this fictionalized re-telling of the infamous 2010 Bettencourt scandal, in which heiress Liliane Bettencourt so generously gifted many millions to her protégé, François-Marie Banier. 

Director’s biography

Journalist-turned-filmmaker Thierry Klifa began his career interviewing actors and directors for Studio magazine. He made his first short, Emilie est partie, featuring screen legend Danielle Darrieux, in 2001. He went on to direct five features, Une vie à t’attendre (2004); Family Hero (COLCOA 2007), His Mother’s Eyes (COLCOA 2011), All That Divides Us (2017), and Rachel’s Game (2023). His documentaries include 30 ans de César (2005) and André Téchiné, cinéaste insoumis (2019). The Richest Woman in the World premiered Out of Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.