From a very difficult childhood in Normandy to the stars in Los Angeles, the story of Christophe Rocancourt could already be a movie. Add to that the scams that hit the headlines in the 90s, and the recipe is ready. But who really is Christophe Rocancourt, alias Christopher Rockefeller or Fabien Ortuna? Director David Serero decided to give him a voice in the documentary Rocancourt, the film.
The French “Catch Me If You Can”
Like Frank Abagnale Jr, who inspired the movie Catch me if you can, Christophe Rocancourt uses his charm to pose as a rich heir and multiple frauds. When his story was made famous by the American media in the 1990s, the fugitive was on the list of the 10 most wanted by the United States. Imprisonment, celebrity, pretense, Rocancourt, the film distills the portrait of a man who knew how to seize his chance and was always able to bounce back. Ahead of the US premiere, director David Serero answered our questions.
Christophe is the Mozart of his art
What interested you in Christophe Rocancourt’s career?
I have always been interested in these unique life journeys and it is visible in my films (Elie Tahari, Richard Orlinski, Hélène Grimaud, Lisa Azuelos and others). These people who changed the “game” of their art are the Mozart of his art. His story is French but with an American rhythm and I identified with his story because we all have a desire to show a better image. is also an urban legend in his own right. I remember standing in line on the Champs Elysées the man, his spirit, his psychology, his intimacy I wanted to know his feelings, his story as he lived it, his scars developed between us that meant he opened up completely for me.
Also, at the time of his book, he was still in prison, so he could not fully open up, and he did not yet have perspective on his life, his children, his path to redemption and his faith. I wanted to immerse the audience in his life and his unique epic, which would bring together several film genres. Such a unique story, should have a unique film that contains so many genres in its image: thriller, action, spontaneity and others.
Christophe knows people and their weaknesses
Why do you think “this documentary will go down in history,” as Rocancourt declares at the beginning of the film?
It will go down in history because it is the definitive film about Christophe Rocancourt. His story will go down in history. That’s why I called it Rocancourt. Today, when you meet someone, the interlocutor’s first instinct is to do a Google search. In Christophe’s time, there was no such tool. So he had to create characters, a scenario, a setting to achieve his goals. This movie taught me a lot about human nature. Because it is Christophe’s greatest “weapon”. He knows people and their weaknesses. He says “an honest person cannot be cheated”, he is right. Vanity is man’s greatest enemy. When I was preparing the film, I thought I would make a film about his character changes, like a chameleon. But while editing the film (which I did myself), I realized that I had made a film about childhood, which is the determination of an adult.
The film will premiere on August 29, 2024 at the prestigious AMC Century City 15 (10250 Santa Monica Blvd #2000, Los Angeles, CA 90067), with a glamorous red carpet event that highlights the film industry’s summer calendar. Red carpet at 18.30; viewing at 19 followed by a question-and-answer session with director/producer David Serero. To participate, click here.