An icon of French and world cinema, Isabelle Huppert, the Festival’s guest of honor, was welcomed by the audience of the 66th TIFF on Monday, November 3rd, in the packed Olympion theatre, where she presented the film The Richest Woman in the World (2025) by Thierry Klifa. Orestis Andreadakis, the Festival's Artistic Director welcomed the radiant French star: "Thessaloniki welcomed one of the greatest actresses in world cinema last night. She has already presented the film Copacabana (2010) by Marc Fitoussi, in which she co-stars along with her daughter, while tomorrow evening a special ceremony will take place, during which she will be honored by the Municipality of Thessaloniki for her outstanding contribution to cinema and culture. Today we will watch her most recent film, directed by Thierry Klifa. It is a story based on one of the biggest political scandals that have occurred in France over the last twenty years. A story of particular interest, both cinematic and social.”
Τhe multi-awarded actress thanked Orestis Andreadakis and the audience, addressing a brief greeting in Greek. Speaking about the film, she focused on the fact that it’s a based-on-a-true-story film, laying down her performance as Marianne Farrère: "It is a film indeed based on true facts, quite well-known in French society. However, it remains a work of fiction. The director's aim was to explore the story and portray it from a different perspective. A perspective not exactly romantic, as it is a particularly harsh story, but a different one than the official take. I play the role of Marianne Farrère, a woman who resembles the character of the true story. It is a story the audience is familiar with because of its ending. Here, however, through the role I play, the story unfolds from the very beginning. From the moment the protagonist meets this photographer and is fascinated by his funny and intelligent personality. The director manages to capture the truth of this relationship. The story may not be very well known in Greece, but through the film what exactly happened in France becomes clear," Isabelle Huppert said.
As the French star recalls, the first shootings took place in Greece, in Anavyssos. As to whether it is difficult for an actress to embody a real character, she noted: "You have to try to leave reality behind and immerse yourself in fiction in order to be carried away by the role you are playing. In such true stories, public opinion creates a very specific perception of the character. For us, it is particularly interesting because we try to offer a new dimension to the facts, so that the viewer can understand the other side. I think the film manages to maintain a balanced distance between reality and fiction, without becoming critical," she concluded.
The film screening followed.
Thierry Klifa’s latest political drama The Richest Woman in the World (2025, Greek premiere) which premiered Out of Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, is based on the notorious Bettencourt affair, one of France’s most sensational political scandals. Isabelle Huppert delivers a commanding performance as Marianne Farrère, a wealthy heiress whose extravagant gifts to a much younger artist ignite public outrage. What begins as a seemingly private matter quickly escalates into a national scandal, exposing allegations of manipulation, corruption, and the involvement of former political leaders. Anchored by Huppert’s magnetic presence, by turns glamorous, enigmatic, and defiant, the film explores the vulnerabilities of immense wealth and the corrosive overlap of money, art, and politics. Klifa’s elegant direction transforms a true-event inspiration into a sharp, engrossing character study.
