Which French actress played Coco Chanel in the 2008 film 'Coco avant Chanel'?

Audrey Tautou played Coco Chanel in the 2009 French-Belgian film Coco avant Chanel.

Directed and co-written by Anne Fontaine, the film follows Chanel’s early life before she became one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. It focuses on her years as a seamstress and performer, her relationships with Étienne Balsan and Arthur “Boy” Capel, and the beginnings of her distinctive approach to clothing.

Tautou was already internationally known for playing Amélie Poulain in the 2001 film Amélie. Her performance as Chanel was more restrained, presenting the designer’s ambition, independence, and rejection of restrictive women’s fashion. The film’s French title literally means “Coco before Chanel,” highlighting the period before the famous fashion house reached global prominence.

The movie premiered in Paris on 6 April 2009 and was released in France and Belgium on 22 April. It received nominations including the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. It is sometimes confused with Coco Chanel, a separate 2008 television film starring Shirley MacLaine.