French 'first lady' Brigitte Macron inspires television series

Film production company Gaumont says it intends to make a short series based on the life of Brigitte Macron, wife of the French president. Still in its early stages, it is not clear yet whether it will take the form of fiction or a documentary.

Gaumont announced on Tuesday that it was launching the writing phase of a fiction series dedicated to Brigitte Macron.

"Gaumont is developing a series called Brigitte Une Femme Libre (Brigitte a Free Woman) in six episodes of 45 minutes," a press release from the production company said.

The cast and distributor have yet to be chosen.

Macron herself has not yet reacted to the subject, nor has the president's office, but her entourage noted: "We are not associated with this project which we learned about today through the press."

The screenwriters are Bénédicte Charles and Olivier Pouponneau, already co-authors of the series Mirage and J'ai Menti (I Lied).

The story is to cover Brigitte Trogneux's early years as a teacher in the northern town of Amiens, where she met her student and future husband Emmanuel – who was aged 15 at the time – up until her arrival at the Elysée Palace.

Making her mark

Born in 1953, Brigitte Macron has a master of arts degree and a secondary school teaching qualification in French language and literature. She began her career in Paris.

She has three children from her first marriage, and seven grandchildren.

Macron stopped teaching in 2015 to join her husband's election campaign in 2016.

In the United States, Natalie Portman played Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, in 2016 in Jackie.

(with newswires)

Read more on RFI English

Read also:
With Brigitte Macron will France have a first lady?
France's Brigitte Macron to sue over claims she was born a man
Brigitte Macron gives up on official first lady role ... kind of