Penelope Cruz. “No love is perfect because no individual is”

1966: Anouk Aimé and Jean-Louis Trintinan walk along the beach, dine at a grand hotel table before asking for a room, and drive away to the rhythm of their hearts “chabadabada” in unison. Winner of “Golden Palm” and “Oscar” foreign films, man and woman by Claude Lelouch is therefore one of the world’s references to romantic films as the epitome of passion on film. Nearly sixty years later, Penélope Cruz and Brad Pitt reimagine the legendary lovers in Chanel’s campaign for the 11.12 bag, shot in Deauville, the Normandy town where Mademoiselle opened her first boutique in 1912.

Unveiled at the Fall/Winter 2024-2025 fashion show, this Deauville-inspired tribute captures the original film almost shot in one shot, with one twist; now the woman approaches the frightened lover. Adapted for the Spanish actress who, as expected in the next feature films of Isabel Coix and Maggie Gyllenhaal, always knew how to embrace the developments of the times, transform and offer strong female roles in Pedro Almodovar, Woody Allen, Alejandro. Most of all or Asghar Farhad. Meeting.

Madame Figaro . – How do Chanel and the work of the artistic director of the house, Virginia Viard, correspond to you?
Penelope Cruz. – I’ve admired Chanel since I was a child and I can’t imagine a better choice than Virginie to stay true to the spirit of Gabriel Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld while having a very strong personal stamp. Since my first show in 1999, I have developed very strong bonds with the people who work at Chanel, and I can attest to the values ​​of respect and loyalty that are perpetuated there and that I hold dear.

What did it mean to you? Man and woman before filming the campaign?
It’s one of my favorite movies of all time because of its relevance and its vision of the couple, which was quite revolutionary at the time. Man and woman will never date. I was very happy to meet Claude Lelouch and told him of my admiration for the campaign shoot, in which he appears in silhouette as a man walking his dog. Anouk Aymen deeply marked me in this film. she looks so, so attractive. I thought about him Broken hugs (Pedro Almodovar, 2009) where I actually wore pieces from the Chanel archives.

“A lot of people have asked us what we were talking about in the beach sequence…”

Penelope Cruz

Brad Pitt is your alter ego in this campaign. How is he the incarnation of man in 2024?
An icon was needed to replace the icon. Brad is an incredible, charismatic actor. He and I shared the poster cartel by Ridley Scott, but we haven’t had any scenes together. We had so much fun shooting this campaign! A lot of people asked us what we were talking about in the beach sequence. succession ! He had watched it all, but I hadn’t seen the last episode yet. I wanted to extract information from him without spoiling my pleasure.

“Man and woman » What do these words mean to you today?
Legality. I have two children, a boy and a girl, and while not denying their uniqueness, it is important to me to raise them in the same way, with respect for others.

Man and woman it is classic. Do you dream of playing such a strong love interest?
Everything depends. I am not interested in telling a rosy, idealized life story. no love is perfect because no individual is. Movies should reflect the reality we live in, and what I’m looking for, beyond romance, is the truth of emotions.

You toured with Olivier Assayas (Cuban network ), Mathyo Kasovitz (Gothic ), Jacques Weber (Don Juan )… What place does French cinema have in your cinephile?
Huge. There are filmmakers in your country who have left their mark on history, such as Claude Lelouch, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol or Nicole García… And obviously Justin Triet, already important. Anatomy of a Fall is a marvel of precision, truth and intelligence. One of the biggest movies of the year.

“I’m still waiting for the day when people stop asking actresses their age”

Penelope Cruz

You started thirty years ago. What major changes have you experienced in your career?
When I started in Hollywood, after my debut in Spain, people asked me if I felt too old… Even though I was only 25 years old. Gradually, the mindset has evolved and today, at almost 50, the roles offered to me are just as interesting, if not more so. However, nothing is certain and there is still a lot of room for improvement to achieve parity or pay parity… And I’m still waiting for the day when people stop questioning actresses about their age.

What other stereotypes still need to be deconstructed?
The list is endless, but good directors and creators like Virginie Viard or Claude Lelouch don’t fall into the traps. They have a sort of cliché detector and instinctively move away from it. I know myself there. As a producer, I am sensitive to female representation, but it is not a demand. It’s just a tendency towards complex and realistic characters.

However, do you consider certain artistic choices to be feminist commitments?
I think the message depends on who is receiving it. Feminism is not the same thing for all of us. To me, it means equality, a value I grew up with. When I was born, my parents were 21 years old. they were modern, open-minded, consistent in the way of being in the world and educating us. There was no difference in the attitude of my brother, sister and I at home. Everyone was cleaning the table. It’s these details that make the difference, the examples around you that unconsciously shape your thinking. My mother has always fought for her rights and to make her voice heard. I would be betraying him if I didn’t do the same.

A few words about your projects?
I am developing five films with my production company, but it is too early to talk about them. Rather wishes to make another musical (after Nine in 2010, Editor’s Note) and find Pedro Almodovar, who films women as he sees them, with respect and kindness.