Gastaldo said the production team had worked closely with several members of the Cousteau family, but Francine did not wish to be involved.
At a time when colour television was a novelty, his series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau opened the eyes of a generation to the wonders beneath the waves.
For years after his death in 1997, aged 87, Cousteau, whose real name was Jacques-Yves, was repeatedly voted one of France’s favourite celebrities.
Nathalie Gastaldo, one of the film’s producers, told the Guardian Cousteau remained a mythical figure.