Girl You Know It's True (film)

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Girl You Know It’s True
Directed bySimon Verhoeven
Screenplay bySimon Verhoeven
Produced by
  • Simon Verhoeven
  • Quirin Berg
  • Max Wiedemann
  • Kirstin Winkler
Starring
CinematographyJo Heim
Edited by
  • Elena Schmidt
  • Felix Schmerbeck
  • Alexander Berner
Music bySegun Akinola
Production
companies
  • Leonine Productions
  • Wiedemann & Berg Film
  • Sentana Film
  • SevenPictures
  • Mediawan
Running time
December 21, 2023 (2023-12-21)[1]
Countries
  • Germany
  • South Africa
  • United States
  • France
LanguagesEnglish, German

Girl You Know It's True is a biographical film about the controversial late-1980s/early-1990s music duo Milli Vanilli that caused one of the most infamous scandals in international pop music. Between 2021 and 2022, German-Austrian filmmaker Simon Verhoeven wrote, directed and co-produced the biopic, which was produced by Wiedemann & Berg Film, with Leonine as the theatrical distributor, released in cinemas in late 2023.[2] The movie stars Tijan Njie and Elan Ben Ali as the lip-synching stage artists Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan respectively, as well as Matthias Schweighöfer as the instigating music producer/manager Frank Farian.[3]

Synopsis[edit]

Grammy Award-winning music act Milli Vanilli become the first act to have their prize stripped from them after they are exposed as a fake enterprise with the singers lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks.[4] The movie follows the meteoric rise of European dancers Rob Pilatus (from Germany) and Fab Morvan (from France) as Milli Vanilli to become one of the most successful pop duos of the late 1980s and early 1990s.[5] Led by established music producer Frank Farian, the two then-unknowns became instant global stars with three number-one hits in the US singles charts, and many more around the world. The catch: Only few knew that the duo did not sing themselves. At the height of their fame, Milli Vanilli won the Grammy Award, but the truth was revealed shortly after, which up until today is considered one of the world's biggest scandals in music history.[6]

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Development[edit]

In August 2022 it was revealed that Leonine Studios were filming a bio-pic of troubled music duo Milli Vanilli. Writer and director of the project Simon Verhoeven was named as co-producer next to Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann, as well as Laura Mihajlovic of Wiedemann & Berg Film.

One of the executive producers of the biopic is R&B music producer and performer Kevin Liles who composed the original version of "Girl You Know It's True" with Baltimore DJ crew Numarx in 1986. Kirstin Winkler and Frank Farian are also among several other producers; associate producers are Jasmin Davis, daughter of the late John Davis, and Brad Howell. Carmen Pilatus, sister of the late Rob Pilatus, Milli Vanilli’s former assistant Todd Headlee, and Ingrid Segieth a.k.a. Milli, are also attached as associate producers.[7][8]

Since Morvan had previously sold his film rights to director and producer Brett Ratner, he couldn't be involved in Verhoeven's film,[9] even when Ratner was called out and sidelined during the #MeToo movement in Hollywood,[10] which led to Ratner's competing the Milli Vanilli biopic's cancellation.

Additional production is coming from Sentana Film, SevenPictures and Mediawan.[11]

Casting[edit]

Matthias Schweighöfer was confirmed as playing the group’s producer Frank Farian with Elan Ben Ali and Tijan Njie appearing as the Milli Vanilli front men Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus. In September 2022, roles were announced for Graham Rogers and Bella Dayne.[12]

Filming[edit]

Filming took place in Munich, Berlin, Cape Town,[13] and Los Angeles in 2021 and 2022 with filming continuing until the end of the year.[14] Filming was confirmed to have wrapped in December 2022, and in February 2023 Voltage Pictures were announced to have acquired worldwide sales (excluding Germany) and were taking the film to the European Film Market.[15]

Release[edit]

The film was released towards the end of 2023.[16] Its North American premiere took place at the 2024 Berlin & Beyond Film Festival in San Francisco with Morvan in attendance.

Awards[edit]

At the Bavarian Film Awards Bayerischer Filmpreis on 19 January 2024 Girl You Know It's True won for Best Film, as well as Best Newcomers for the main actor duo Tijan Njie and Elan Ben Ali.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Germany's Milli Vanilli Movie - 'Girl You Know It's True'
  2. ^ Kroll, Justin (August 31, 2022). "Milli Vanilli Biopic 'Girl You Know It's True' First-Look Photos Revealed By Leonine Studios". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. ^ "Milli Vanilli is the subject of an upcoming biopic — see the 1st pics". TODAY.com. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "Milli Vanilli Biopic About the Pop Duo's Scandalous Rise and Fall Unveils First Look". Vanityfair.com. September 2022.
  5. ^ "GIRL YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE by MILLI VANILLI sales and awards". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "Milli Vanilli's Lip-Sync Scandal: Inside One of Music's Biggest Hoaxes". Biography. July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  7. ^ "Milli Vanilli Biopic 'Girl You Know It's True' First-Look Photos Revealed By Leonine Studios". Deadline. August 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Roxborough, Scott (September 1, 2022). "Milli Vanilli Biopic Players Revealed in 'Girl You Know It's True' First Look". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  9. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 20, 2021). "Brett Ratner Lines Up Directing Comeback On Milli Vanilli Biopic With Millennium Launching Sales". Deadline. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "Time's Up condemns return of Brett Ratner after sexual misconduct allegations: 'There should be no comeback'". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  11. ^ "Milli Vanilli Biopic Players Revealed in 'Girl You Know It's True' First Look". Hollywood Reporter. September 2022.
  12. ^ "Milli Vanilli Biopic 'Girl You Know It's True' Reveals Cast". Billboard.com.
  13. ^ "Girl You Know It's True". Productionlist.com. September 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "' Girl You Know It's True' Biopic Depicts the Rise and Fall of Milli Vanilli, Cast Revealed". Americansongwriter.com. September 2, 2022.
  15. ^ "Voltage Pictures acquires Milli Vanilli biopic 'Girl You Know It's True', shows first footage (exclusive)". Screen Daily.
  16. ^ "Berlin: Voltage Picks Up Milli Vanilli Biopic 'Girl You Know It's True'". Hollywood Reporter. February 18, 2023.
  17. ^ "Milli-Vanilli-Biopic gewinnt Bayerischen Filmpreis". BR24 (in German). January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.

External links[edit]

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