The iconic French fashion house, Saint Laurent, is launching a film production subsidiary led by its artistic director, Anthony Vaccarello. The new division is called Saint Laurent Productions and will debut with three films from acclaimed filmmakers, including a couple of shorts premiering at Cannes: "Strange Way of Life" by Pedro Almodóvar, featuring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.
Vaccarello, an avid cinephile who assumed the role of artistic director of Saint Laurent in 2016, stated that establishing this new division provides him with "an opportunity to broaden the vision I have for Saint Laurent through a medium that has more permanence than clothes." He further added, "A film can still be viewed ten or thirty years from now, provided it is good. In certain ways, producing a film can have a more significant impact than a seasonal collection. To me, it's a logical extension of another field of creativity that is perhaps more universal and popular."
The new production banner, run by a fashion house, is being presented as the first of its kind. In addition to premiering projects by Pedro Almodóvar and David Cronenberg at Cannes, Saint Laurent Productions is developing films by well-known directors such as Paolo Sorrentino, Abel Ferrara, Wong Kar Wai, Jim Jarmusch, and Gaspar Noé. These directors have created works that have influenced and inspired Vaccarello, and share a tendency towards a "dark undercurrent," which can be thought-provoking.
Saint Laurent Productions plans to co-produce two to three films annually, and Vaccarello will design the costumes for these films.
