Absolument fabuleux is a French comedy film, released in 2001. Written and directed by Gabriel Aghion

Gabriel Aghion

-Biography:He was born in Alexandria, in Egypt on 30 December 1955.-Filmography:* La Scarlatine * Bras de Fer * Rue du Bac * Pédale douce -Biography:He was born in Alexandria, in Egypt on 30 December 1955.-Filmography:* La Scarlatine (1983)* Bras de Fer (1985)* Rue du Bac (1990)* Pédale douce...

, the film was an adaptation of the British television comedy series Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is a British sitcom created by Jennifer Saunders, based on an original idea by her and Dawn French, and written by Saunders, who plays the leading character. It also stars Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha, along with June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks...

.

Aghion's stated reason for making the film was to increase awareness of the series in France, where it was not widely known. For the screenplay, Aghion simply translated a number of scenes from the original series, and tied them together into a coherent screenplay.

The cast included Josiane Balasko

Josiane Balasko

Josiane Balasko is a French actress, writer and director.She was born Josiane Balašković in Paris. One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is as a lesbian in 1995's Gazon maudit...

 as Eddie, Nathalie Baye

Nathalie Baye

Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye is a French film, television, and stage actress. After having dance and dramatic education, Baye began acting in 1970. She has appeared in more than 70 films. She won four César Awards for Sauve qui peut , Une étrange affaire , La Balance , and Le Petit Lieutenant...

 as Patsy, Marie Gillain

Marie Gillain

Marie Gillain is a Belgian actress.In 1996 Gillain received the Prix Romy Schneider. She is single but has two daughters, Dune and Vega .-In popular culture:* She was the heroine of the John Malkovich play Hysteria in Chicago on December 1999.* She...

 as Safrane and Claude Gensac

Claude Gensac

Claude Gensac is a French actress in Acy-en-Multien, region of Picardy.Between 1952 and 2003 she played in 42 films.- Filmography :* La Vie d'un honnête homme * Le Journal d'une femme en blanc * Les grandes vacances...

 as Eddie's mother. To parallel the role of Lulu

Lulu (singer)

Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...

 in the original series, French singer Chantal Goya

Chantal Goya

Chantal Goya is a French singer and actress.Chantal Goya started her career as a yé-yé girl, singing a catchy mid-'60s hybrid of girl-group pop and French chanson...

 appeared as herself. Jennifer Saunders

Jennifer Saunders

Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.She first came into...

 also had a cameo appearance in the film as a spectator sitting next to Catherine Deneuve

Catherine Deneuve

Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...

 at a fashion show.

The Patsy role in the film was originally offered to Amanda Lear

Amanda Lear

Amanda Lear is a French singer, lyricist, composer, painter, TV presenter, actress and novelist....

, who declined by saying that she'd "already lived it".

The film performed poorly at the French box office and was panned by most French critics, who argued that it failed to translate the typically British humour of the original TV series.