Alan Rickman Photo: CFP

 A Little Chaos may be a film about the building of the gardens of Versailles set in 1682, but director Alan Rickman wants audiences to know that he does not view it as a period piece.

Rather, the movie - which had its world premiere as the closing gala of the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday - is about the character of Sabine De Barra, a woman trying to navigate a man's world as she comes to grips with her own personal losses.

"The first words in the film are, 'Your majesty.' We don't tell you where you are, it's not important. It's not a documentary, it's not factually correct. It's not meant to be," Rickman told Reuters.

"It's as much about now as it is about then."

The film put Rickman in the director's chair for the first time since 1997's The Winter Guest, though he has directed for the theater since then.