Winner of the Special Presentation Honor handed to outstanding films by the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) “L’Amour Fou” ( Mad Love)  by Pierre Thoretton was one of the best, most moving documentaries at Tiff this year.  Even more astounding is the fact that this is Thoretton’s first film.

“L’amour Fou” retraces the illustrious life and career of Yves Saint-Laurent, France’s  haute couture and prêt-à-porter maverick and his life-long love affair with his partner, the power behind the throne, businessman Pierre Bergé.

Pierre Bergé narrates their fairy tale love story, from the day they first met at Christian Dior’s funeral to the sale of the century, the surreal 2009 Christie’s auction of the couple’s famous collection of precious objets d’art, which sold for more than $477 million dollars.

Pierre Thoretton weaves all threads of this fascinating, complex story like an expert tisserand would a precious fabric; Like a grand couturier creating art out of cloth.

From the Jardins de Majorelle in Marrakech, their Château Gabriel in Bretagne to their Rive Gauche residence in Paris, St-Laurent and Bergé’s  love story is what modern legends and myths are made of.  As Yves creates, frolics, loves  and parties with his muses and  models, Pierre organizes, budgets, enables yet chastises the man he loves. There is nothing he can do to prevent his lover from falling into a circle of drug and alcohol induced depression, leading to his ultimate demise.

During his Tiff press conference, Thoretton -who only met Saint-Laurent a couple of times- explained why he chose such a subject. It was not a fascination for the world of fashion.  Thoretton isn’t interested in fashion. He is interested in people. And for the first time director, “L’amour Fou” -carefully constructed over two years, edited down from 300 hours of new footage, 2,000 hours of archived film and more than 18,000 photos and illustrations-  is a film about love with a capital L.

For the enrapt audience and yours truly “L’amour Fou”  was un coup de foudre (Love at first sight).