Alice
Alice Winocour and the cast of Couture made a striking appearance on Sunday night at the European premiere of their emotionally charged new film, braving the relentless rain that poured over San Sebastian. Despite the unexpected and unusually wet weather, the mood on the red carpet was one of excitement, admiration, and eager anticipation for the French director’s latest cinematic work — a film that dares to look beyond the glittering façade of the fashion industry and delve into deeper human truths.
Known for her deeply humanistic approach to storytelling, Winocour once again demonstrates her ability to craft emotionally resonant narratives through rich visuals and quiet, powerful moments. Couture is her latest work following a string of acclaimed projects, including the César Award-winning screenplay for Mustang, the space drama Proxima starring Eva Green, and Paris Memories, which featured a compelling lead performance by Virginie Efira. With Couture, she returns to the San Sebastian Film Festival — this time with a film that brings together visual opulence and emotional depth in a compelling, thought-provoking way.
At the heart of Couture is Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, portraying Maxine — a renowned American film director who is invited to Paris to create a short artistic piece for a high-profile Paris Fashion Week event. Immersed in a world defined by beauty, spectacle, and constant creative reinvention, Maxine appears to be in full control of her glamorous and curated life. However, everything changes when she receives a life-altering diagnosis: breast cancer. This moment not only disrupts her personal and professional world but forces her to reckon with her physical and emotional vulnerability in an industry that celebrates perfection and strength above all else.
As Maxine navigates her illness, the film subtly shifts from a story seemingly about fashion into a profound meditation on mortality, identity, and the complexities of womanhood. What begins as a portrait of a woman in control gradually transforms into a narrative about letting go, embracing uncertainty, and discovering strength in unexpected places. Within the fashion environment — one often dismissed as superficial — Maxine encounters a diverse network of women: models, designers, assistants, and artists, each carrying their own silent battles, insecurities, and quiet forms of courage. In this world of surface beauty, Maxine uncovers something more meaningful — solidarity, shared pain, and the unspoken bonds between women who are so often forced to present themselves as flawless.
Rather than a traditional fashion film, Couture is a deeply layered exploration of human connection. Winocour isn’t interested in clothing or runway shows as the end in themselves — instead, she uses fashion as a backdrop to explore much larger questions. What does it mean to be strong in the face of illness? How do women maintain a sense of self in environments that demand perfection? And where do we find connection when everything around us feels fragile?
Through Winocour’s empathetic direction and Jolie’s nuanced, vulnerable performance, Couture becomes more than a film — it’s an emotional journey, a portrait of transformation, and a quiet yet powerful celebration of the human spirit. It reminds audiences that even in a world built on image and illusion, the most powerful beauty often lies in authenticity, connection, and resilience. In the end, Couture is not about clothes — it’s about the threads that tie women together in their shared experiences of strength, survival, and solidarity.