Claim: The Fifth Element was the highest-grossing French film in the international box office until the release of The Matrix.
Evidence: At the time of its release it was the most expensive European film ever made , and it remained the highest-grossing French film at the international box office until the release of The Intouchables in 2011.
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction film written and directed by The Wachowskis , starring Keanu Reeves , Laurence Fishburne , Carrie-Anne Moss , Hugo Weaving , and Joe Pantoliano.