Juliette Binoche Shares How Robert Redford Inspired Her Directorial Debut at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and CPH:DOX
Juliette Binoche Explores Artistic Risk-Taking in New Documentary ‘In-I In Motion’
Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche reflects on her adventurous spirit, stating, "I like taking risks. I love going into adventures. Taking risks is part of being an artist." The French actress took a significant leap in 2007 when she joined forces with British dancer-choreographer Akram Khan to create the modern dance piece In-I, a project that led to a world tour.
Before this endeavor, Binoche had no formal dance training, leading her to question her capabilities. “How could I, an actress, find the strength and courage without a dancer’s body?” she wrote. This uncertainty was paired with the sheer physical and emotional demands of the performance.
Binoche’s directorial debut, In-I In Motion, explores this groundbreaking production and will screen today at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. The actress recently presented the documentary at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece, where she participated in a discussion moderated by festival programmer Yorgos Krassakopoulos.
Reflecting on her journey, Binoche revealed a pivotal moment: while receiving a massage, her trainer Su-Man Hsu invited her to dance. A spontaneous "yes" led to a collaboration with Khan, whose mesmerizing performance in Zero Degree inspired her. After an initial meeting, they decided to co-create a stage production that would merge dance and acting in just six months.
“I am not [a dancer],” Binoche admits. “I tried to sustain the demands as much as I could. My force was that I had a trainer who believed in me.” With Hsu’s guidance, she learned to navigate the challenges of a performance exceeding an hour while keeping pace with Khan.
Binoche emphasized the necessity for Khan to adjust his fast-paced choreography to accommodate her learning process. Collaboration with renowned acting coach Susan Batson proved essential, as she helped them bridge the gap between the two disciplines by focusing on sensation rather than projection or will.
Binoche and Khan also faced challenges related to race, gender, and privilege. Reflecting on the dynamics, Binoche noted, “We had to overcome a lot of fears,” which ultimately fostered a sense of sisterhood and brotherhood between them.
An unexpected encounter with actor Robert Redford during the final leg of their tour led to the idea of creating a documentary about their experience. Binoche recalls, “He took me inside my dressing room and said, ‘You’ve got to make a film out of the show.’” Despite lengthy delays, her sister, filmmaker Marion Stalens, captured hours of rehearsal footage that became instrumental in the documentary’s development.
With the backing of a financier and producer, her vision for the film began to materialize, culminating in its premiere at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain. The documentary’s further screenings at Thessaloniki and CPH:DOX highlight its significance in the realm of nonfiction cinema.
“Documentaries are very needed in our world to try and find the truth,” Binoche expressed, noting their capacity to delve deeply into subjects. She believes this artistic exploration transformed her relationship with fear, enabling her to confront challenges with newfound resilience. “I’ve eaten so much fear that it somehow gave me a sort of vaccination about fear,” she remarked.
As she continues to navigate the complexities of artistic expression, Binoche’s journey exemplifies the beauty of embracing risk in the pursuit of creative truth.
