Valentino: The Last Emperor

Valentino Garavani is the last remaining old-school couturier. With him, haute couture is still art; in his studio, there are no machines, just hard-working Italian ladies sewing everything by hand. For this intimate fly-on-the-wall portrait, former correspondent Matt Tyrnauer followed Valentino for two years. The film leads up to the grand celebration of 45 years of Valentino in July 2007, which is surrounded by rumours that the 75-year-old fashion icon will announce the end of his career.
Valentino may claim the title of the film (as he always attracts media attention), but the film is just as much a portrait of Giancarlo Giammetti. The business partner, and if we read between the lines, former life partner of Valentino, is the linchpin keeping the billion-euro business and their luxurious lifestyle going. Giammetti knows exactly when to let Valentino have his way and when to draw the line. This often leads to hilarious squabbles, reminiscent of an old couple, when they refer to each other's bellies or Valentino's excessively tanned face. Valentino's dolled-up mini-dogs, which claim airplane seats and pee all over photo shoots, tickle our funnybones, too. But Tyrnauer also makes room for a more serious reflection on the ongoing commercialisation of haute couture.