LONDON — Keira Knightley brought her period biopic “Colette” to a wet London red carpet, saying she felt “empowered” by the story of the French novelist who gave the film its name.

The 33-year old, known for other costume dramas including “The Duchess” and “Pride & Prejudice”, portrays Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette during the early part of her life.

The story kicks off when she leaves her Burgundy village in late 19th century France to marry older writer Henry Gauthier-Villars, known as Willy.

Colette ghost-writes for him what becomes a successful and trend-setting novel, then pens several more under pressure from her husband. The film follows Colette as she has gay love affairs and eventually fights Willy for the books’ rights.

“I feel unbelievably empowered by this story because it’s a story of a woman who steps out from the shadow of a man and finds her own voice and lives her own truth and I found that incredibly inspiring,” Knightley said at the premiere of the film at the BFI London Film Festival.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actress was joined on the red carpet by her co-stars, including Dominic West, who described Colette and his character Willy as an “early exponent of the celebrity couples”. — Reuters