Directed by Mike Newell

Starring Isabella Rossellini, Laurent Lafitte, Joan Collins, Buom Tihngang, Charles Dance, Miranda Richardson

Screen legends Joan Collins and Isabella Rossellini are bringing old Hollywood class to this year’s Festival with My Duchess, from British cinema stalwart Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral).

Collins plays American socialite Wallis Simpson, whose life changed when she met the future King Edward VIII. Their love affair led to his eventual abdication and made her the most talked-about woman in the world.

My Duchess picks up after the death of Edward, now Duke of Windsor, in 1972. Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor, lives a secluded life in her Paris chateau, surrounded by loyal companions—Jean-Claude (Laurent Lafitte), her colourful confidant,

and Louis (Buom Tihngang), her devoted butler.

Enter Maître Suzanne Blum (Isabella Rossellini), her trusted lawyer turned predator. What begins as protection becomes obsession, as Blum isolates, manipulates, and controls her client.

Wallis and her allies must fight back in a dangerous game of deceit and power.

Featuring a career-best and fearless performance from Collins in the title role, My Duchess plays out like a gothic thriller exploring fame, aging and dark manipulation behind closed doors.