After a distinguished four-decade career at the forefront of international arthouse cinema, acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche is venturing into uncharted and intensely personal territory with her directorial debut, “In-I In Motion.” Binoche, who has starred in over 70 films, admits to still experiencing pre-performance nerves, even as she prepares to introduce her documentary to a sold-out audience at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The vérité-style documentary, “In-I In Motion,” chronicles Binoche’s deep dive into the world of contemporary dance in the late 2000s. It captures a series of daring and often enigmatic performances she created with British dancer Akram Khan. As Binoche pondered how best to present her film, she mused, “You have to go out of your comfort zone, otherwise you become a prude.”
When asked for advice on introducing the film, Binoche was seeking guidance on how to prepare viewers for its poetic, non-linear, and at times, challenging narrative. “Should I say: ‘This film isn’t going to hold your hand’?” she inquired with a knowing smile, hinting at the raw and unvarnished experience awaiting the audience.
The inspiration behind this deeply personal project stems from a traumatic event in Binoche’s youth. A strangling attack she experienced as a teenager served as a catalyst, profoundly influencing her artistic expression and ultimately her decision to step behind the camera. She recounted the incident, telling someone, “Go ahead, do it,” a statement that encapsulates a moment of confronting fear and transforming it into creative force.
English Translation:
The French actor enters unfamiliar – and bracingly raw – territory with “In-I In Motion” after four decades reigning the international arthouse. “You have to go out of your comfort zone,” she says, “otherwise you become a prude.”
Starring in more than 70 movies is all well and good, but Juliette Binoche can still get the jitters. Right now, the Oscar-winning actor is biting her lip on the third floor of a Manhattan high-rise. In 20 minutes, she will step into a sold-out movie theater to introduce her directorial debut at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Titled “In-I In Motion,” the vérité-style documentary follows Binoche’s late-2000s plunge into the world of contemporary dance for a series of daring and bewitchingly strange performances with the British dancer Akram Khan.
“So,” she asks me, “how do you think I should present it?” Which is how I find myself giving advice about public speaking to arguably the most celebrated French actor working today. She did a great job last night introducing the film at the buzzy Metrograph cinema downtown, I say. But it’s tough to know how to prepare an audience for the film’s poetic (and sometimes confusing), nonlinear narrative: maybe you just have to let them have at it. She smiles slyly. “Should I say: ‘This film isn’t going to hold your hand’?”
The genesis of this deeply personal endeavor traces back to a harrowing experience in Binoche’s adolescence. A strangling attack she endured as a teenager served as a pivotal moment, profoundly shaping her artistic perspective and ultimately guiding her transition into directing. She recalled the incident, having told her assailant, “Go ahead, do it,” a declaration that signifies a moment of confronting fear and channeling it into creative power.