Is the movie Colette (2018) based on a true story?

Yes, the movie Colette (2018) is based on a true story. It is about the life and career of French novelist and actress Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954), who is best known for writing the novel Gigi. The movie follows her journey as a young girl in rural France, her marriage to Henry Gauthier-Villars (known as “Willy”), her discovery of her own literary talents, and her struggle to gain recognition and independence as a writer in a male-dominated society.

What is the true story behind the movie Colette (2018)?

The movie Colette (2018) is based on the true story of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a French writer and activist who gained fame in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for her novels and plays.

Colette was born in Burgundy, France, in 1873 and married the much-older writer and publisher, Henry Gauthier-Villars (known as “Willy”), when she was only 20 years old. Willy was a notorious womanizer and introduced Colette to the literary world. He encouraged her to write novels and short stories, but he would publish them under his own name.

Colette eventually became disillusioned with Willy’s mistreatment and infidelity, and started writing on her own. She also began to explore her own sexuality and gender identity, having numerous affairs with both men and women. In 1900, she published her first novel under her own name, “Claudine at School”, which became a sensation in France.

Over the next decade, Colette continued to publish successful novels, plays, and articles. She also became involved in the suffrage and women’s rights movements. In 1910, she divorced Willy and married her second husband, Henry de Jouvenel, with whom she had a daughter.

Colette continued to write and work for social causes until her death in 1954. Today, she is remembered as an important feminist icon and one of France’s greatest writers.