Juliette Binoche, the Oscar-winning French actor, is stepping into unfamiliar territory with her directorial debut, In-I In Motion. The documentary captures her collaboration with British dancer Akram Khan in a daring contemporary dance performance. Binoche emphasizes the need to leave one's comfort zone, warning that failing to do so can make one 'become a prude'.
From Stage to Screen
Binoche, known for over 70 films, admits to feeling nervous before introducing her film at New York's Museum of Modern Art. The documentary follows her 2000s plunge into dance, resulting in a raw and emotionally vulnerable performance. She wanted audiences to experience the creative process, not a red carpet. 'It's searching, and it's finding a common place between two very different people,' she says.
Inspired by Trauma
The film's visceral climax, where Binoche mimes being choked, draws from a violent memory of being mugged as a young girl. She recalls telling her assailant, 'Go ahead, do it,' which stopped the attack. Binoche sees this as a reflection of the widespread violence against women in France. 'A lot of people go through it,' she notes.
A Career of Intuition
Binoche has worked with auteurs like Jean-Luc Godard, Michael Haneke, and Abbas Kiarostami. She learned from them to follow intuition. 'Any art form starts from the sensation,' she says. Her role in The Lovers on the Bridge required living on the streets, a transformative experience. She also addresses the challenges of nude scenes, advocating for trust over intimacy coordinators. 'A love scene needs to come from the heart, the guts, the need,' she explains.
Defending Artistic Freedom
Binoche defends the French CNC funding system, which supported Carax's expensive film. She worries about recent budget cuts. 'All the money has to go towards making weapons,' she says grimly. Regarding AI in film, she remains unbothered: 'It's called artificial intelligence, not spiritual or human intelligence.'
Binoche continues to choose projects that ground her, like Queen at Sea and North Loire. She advises against being attached to status. 'If you think, 'I'm not going to descend,' you're losing possible opportunities for art,' she concludes.
