I wouldn’t have mentioned this story if it hadn’t been for In Contention’s Guy Lodge showing a serious amount of excitement for the teaming of Juliette Binoche and Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, a director I apparently need to become more familiar with.

The film is titled Certified Copy and a story at Screen International brings word it will begin shooting in Tuscany on June 8 and serves as Kiarostami’s first feature to be shot outside of his native Iran.

IMDB lists William Shimell as Binoche’s co-star as a middle-aged English writer who meets a young French woman (Binoche) and jets off to San Gimignano with her. Of course, I have no idea when the synopsis originated and the Screen International article only refers to the film as a love story set in the Chianti countryside, which will be in French and parts in English.

I have never seen a film from Kiarostami, but he has been directing films since 1970, which means there appears to be plenty of source material for me to become acquainted with.

source:  ropeofsilicon.com

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HONG KONG (AP) — Oscar-winning French actress Juliette Binoche says touring for her dance collaboration with Britain choreographer Akram Khan was so exhausting she’s unlikely to take part in a similar project again.

Binoche told a press conference Tuesday that working on the modern dance performance “In-I” was a great learning experience but physically taxing, joking that she thought about giving up “because it’s so difficult” but couldn’t because she signed a contract.

“I learned to bend. I learned to shut my mouth because as an actress I was commenting a lot about what I was feeling,” said Binoche, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for the 1996 romance “The English Patient.”

But asked if she would sign up for another dance project, the 44-year-old actress shook her head quickly and said, “I don’t think so.”

“I’m really enjoying it,” Binoche said, but adding, “I’m suffering.”

Khan, who has choreographed for Australian pop star Kylie Minogue and French ballerina Sylvie Guillem, said it was a refreshing experience working with Binoche because she had no formal dance training, likening her to a “blank canvass.”

“When I’m working with, for example, a ballet dancer, then you start from a reference of ballet. You start with a vocabulary and sometimes the knowledge becomes a curse,” Khan said.

“In-I,” which had its world premiere at the National Theatre in London on Sept. 18, is making its Asian debut in Hong Kong Wednesday as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival before moving on to Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai.

source: The Associated Press

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French actress Juliette Binoche will come to Shanghai to perform on the stage of the Shanghai Oriental Art Center on March 27 and 28.

The performance, entitled “In-I,” will combine various disciplines such as mime, comedy, dance, song and the spoken word.

The performance premiered in London last year, but this is the first time the 44-year-old actress has appeared on stage in Shanghai.

“It’s classical dance combined with modern dance, film and opera,” says Binoche. “‘In-I’ asks, what is love? Love should be an adventure in our hearts.”

The performance is co-directed by Binoche and Akram Khan, a leading London-based dancer and choreographer. Sculptor Anish Kapoor will design the sets.

Binoche first attracted attention when she appeared alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” (1988) at the age of 23.

She is known worldwide for her roles in films such as “Three Colors: Blue” (1993), “Chocolate” (2000) and “Hidden” (2005).

Binoche was the second French actress to win an Oscar, being honored by the Academy as Best Supporting Actress in 1997 for her role in “The English Patient.”

Binoche has also published a book of poetry, featuring her own illustrations, and exhibited her paintings in Paris.

source: english.eastday.com

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The composer of In-I emailed me and mentioned that he’s posted the soundtrack to Juliette’s latest project “In-I” here for everyone to enjoy. I haven’t listened yet but I’m sure it’s amazing!

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