Ensemble Cast of 8 Femmes Won EFA Award 2002.12.08
The Ceremony of European Film Academy Awards was held last night in Rome. It's a big night for Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, who won Best Film, Director and Screenplay three major awards, plus Best European Director of the year chosen by the European filmgoers. The ensemble cast of 8 femmes only won the Best Actress Award, out of four nominations, including Best Film, Director and Screenplay. Early of this year at Berline Film Festvial, the ensemble cast also won the Silver Bear for Individual Artistic Contribution. Last year, Isabelle was the EFA's Best Actress for "La Pianiste".
I found "Piano Teacher" DVD available in many local video stores now, even if the film hasn't been able to the theaters in the cities like where I live. Comparing to its French DVD release version, the American one has far less features. It doesn't have Isabelle's 55-min commentary, the interviews with Michael Haneke and Elfriede Jelinek, and the documentary on post-dub. But it does include an exclusive interview with Isabelle, which I guess, made some time in this year's March. Although nothing new is addressed in the interview, she speaks in English for about 20 minutes, lovely, with one sweet smile at the end.
"Deux" is released in only 24 copies in France. 7,564 audience attended last week.
8 Femmes is Nominated for 2002 European Film Academy Awards 2002.11.11
This year's EFA nominations are just announced last weekend. "8 Femmes" is nominated for Best Pictures, Best Screenplay and Best ensemble cast of 8 Actresses. The ceremony will be held on December 7 in Rome, Italy. Isabelle won last year's Best European Actress for her performance in "La Pianiste". She gave a wonderful speech in reception of her award. (see video)
"4.48 Psychosis" ended its run in Paris yesterday, and will set out on tour soon after. While Isabelle's third film in this year, "DEUX", directed by Werner Schroeter, will be released on Wednesday. It is another exotic and weird movie, less applaudable and acceptable. Isabelle plays twin sisters from 14 years old to present.
with B. Jacquot and
V. Martinez on the set of
"School of Flesh"
Huppert Vs. Adjani 2002.11.08
This is a very traditional comparison which is newly brought up again by French film director Benoit Jacquot, whose new film with Isabelle Adjani was just released last week in France, and who has had four films with Isabelle Huppert since 1981.
In the recent Paris Match (October 24), titled as "My Friends, My Loves, My subjects are Actresses", Benoit Jacquot gave an inside view on the two contemporary French actresses, who are quite often compared by media, not simply because they share the same first name. According to the director, "Huppert, at the moment of 'rolling', she dreams, at the moment of 'cut', she wakes up. Adjani, no. She controls her character with an incredible energy, in exaltation. Even between the scenes, she live an intensity, a concentration of which I've never seen elsewhere. Huppert makes an empty close to the original concentration; Thus, she can play in an extraordinary motionlessness." (read more)
The new film "Adolphe", adapted from "Benjamin Constant's classical novel in the same title, made best entrees per copy in its first week release. Meanwhile, Isabelle's DEUX, directed by German director Werner Schroeter, will be released next week. It's a nice encounter putting two Isabelles on the show once again.
In its October issue, Esquire listed 60 Women of the World whom we love. Isabelle is among them. For her, Chris Nashawaty has following comments:
"We don't claim to be a bunch of high-rollin' Vegas types here at Esquire. Frankly, we're still a little fuzzy on that whole splitting-eights-and-aces business in blackjack. Still, we'd bet the ranch that the world's most dog-eared copy of The Ego and the Id is somewhere on Isabelle Huppert's nightstand. After all, in her latest cinematic export, 8 Women, the unassuming Parisian beauty is the alpha and omega of sexual repression: a tightly wound prude who, beneath her cold-as-Kelvin veneer, is as naughty as a garter-clad Left Bank seductress. Huppert admits that she's not the kind of va-va-voomish sex bomb who'll take your eye out with her curves. She's more of a subtle siren: sensuality in a plain brown wrapper. "Usually when people think of sex symbols, they don't really look like me," she says. "But if they want me to be part of the club, I'd be more than app-ee." If she's app-ee, we're app-ee."
8 Femmes Easily Grossed $1.2 Million in USA 2002.10.08
With 82 copies, 8 Women is ranked at N°21 in last weekend's question. Only in its third week, 8 Women already stands out of many foreign releases in USA, by grossing $1,224,625, close to what "Amelie" did last year - $ 1.33 million with 163 copies after released three week. (see Weekend Movie question).
Also The Piano Teacher ($979,410) and Merci pour le Chocolat ($305,731) are still within the top 100 movies. With the release of 8 Femmes, some more people may want to see them now.
"4.48 Psychosis" is playing now (from Oct 1 to Nov. 9), at Bouffes du Nord. Isabelle returns to the same theater since 1977, when she played Alfred Musset's "On ne badine pas avec l'amour", directed by her sister Caroline Huppert. The play was put on right after her first biggest success - "Lacemaker" at Cannes where she was considered to win Best Actress at the time but wasn't.
This year, after her two most successful films "La Pianiste" and "8 Women" in recent years, Isabelle goes back to theater, under the direction of theater director Claude Regy. The play, the last works of Sarah Kane (suicide soon after), is about a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It has a lot of quiet and silence moments, which Isabelle always presents in her films.
Also, "8 Women" is widely showing in the USA now. Promoting the film cross the country, Francois Ozon recently went to Seatle, and was interviewed by Seattle Post-Intelligencer (September 30). Talking about Isabelle in the film, he said:"
"For Isabelle Huppert, who has the intellectual image of the French actress, very cerebral, with a face like a mask and without emotion, I wanted to give her a very extravagant part.
"She would be more funny and more positive for the audience because I think people love her role (as the prim, hysterical spinster aunt, Augustine). Usually people don't like Isabelle," he says. "They admire her but she's not popular in France. She's respected but she's not a moving actress like Catherine Deneuve, who is very popular."
with Olivier Dahan at
2002's Sebastian Film Festival
At San Sebastian Film Festival 2002.09.21
Isabelle and Olivier Dahan, the director of "La Vie Promise", showed up in the news conference today, at the San Sebastian Film Festival. The film is scheduled to premier today in its Official Competition. French Press (AFP) said, it's a bad beginning for French cinema at San Sebastian, because it received a pretty cold welcome from public.
"8 Femmes" is open in the States since this weekend. Although the film is likely to be the biggest foreign release this year (as Amlie last year), the reviews from authorities are so much lower than expected. From New York Times to Los Angeles Times, the film sounds not worth of seeing, even if it is a star-tucked movie. But believe me, the film is so much funny. You will never see Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert fight again if you miss this film.
"4.48 Psychosis" and EFA 2002 Nominations 2002.09.20
"4:48 Psychosis" starts to run from October 1 to November 9 at Bouffes de Nord, Paris, France and will be on tour cross the french-speaking countries till early of next year. The play, written by Sarah Kane shortly before her suicide, will be directed by Claude Régy. In his recent interview at Journal La Terrasse: Entretien Theatre, he has following comment on casting Isabelle Huppert:
"Isabelle Huppert has the communication with these worlds where acting has neither division any more nor the division between consciousness and unconsciousness. She has the same aptitude as Sarah Kane to work in an unconscious way while conveying intelligence and extra clearness. Unconscious intact inhabited by the conscience."
Once again European Film Academy Awards, which Isabelle won last year for her role in "La Pianiste", has just started to run for the year of 2002. This year, 37 European films have been chosen for consideration, including Francois Ozon's big question film "8 Femmes". The nominations will be announced at the beginning of November. The ceremony will be held at the Parco Della Musica in Rome on December 7th.
Also from September 1st, All Europe's filmgoers could participate in the People's Choice Awards through a variety of outlets to vote their 2002's favorites (last year's winner is Juliette Binoche for "Chocolate"). Isabelle appears on the nomination list, for her role in "Huit Femmes". She will compete against other European actresses, such as Fanny Ardant ("Huit Femmes"), Emmanuelle Devos ("Sur Mes Levres", who defeated Isabelle in the domestic Cesar Award this year), Maggie Smith, Emily Watson and Helen Mirren (all in "Gosford Park").
Isabelle: on the Cover of STUDIO Magazine 2002.09.02
I guess that STUDIO must feel 'guilty' for not putting Isabelle on the cover often. In its 15th anniversary issue : N°176, Mars 2002, they're quite proud of their sense of star quality by putting such stars on the over most: Catherine Deneuve (7 times), Emmanuelle Bérat (6 times), Juliette Binoche (4 times) and Sophie Marceau (3 times). But they at least miss one - Isabelle, who last time and only time showed on the cover is back to October, 1990, the year of Madame Bovary. Even when La Pianiste received three awards at Cannes last year, there was still no special report about her.
However STUDIO finally sensed this big mistake - overlooking such an important figure in the past 25 years in French cinema. It will present, in its N° 181 September 2002 issue, a wonderful interview with Isabelle - ten luxury pages with beautiful photos - a must read for all Isabelle fans.
On upon the release of new film "'La Vie Promise" (September 4, 2002 in France), many French magazines have either cover photo or interview of her. To name the least: Gala, Aug. 27 to Sept 4, OH, LA!, September 4, 2002.
More excited when I know that this site has been visited by Mr. Olivier Dahan, the director of "La Vie Promise". and he wrote me email to send his best regards! In his email, he told me, "Isabelle is simply a great actress that enough to have the wish to work with. I wanted to work with her because we are different, i wanted to change her look, that I did. But the thing is that Isabelle is able to play any kind of character". "I think it's the best movie I did."
La Vie Promise will be presented in Official Competition at San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept. 19-28, 2002).
"La Vie Promise", a new film by Olivier Dahan and starred Isabelle Huppert, will be released in France on September 4th, 2002.
Olivier Dahan is a new coming French director. His previous films "Deja Mort" and "Le Petit Poucet" have won him fame. Although "La Vie Promise" is only his third feature film, he is already being said (picked up by Luc Besson) to direct "Les Rivières Pourpres II" for the next. "Les Rivières Pourpres I" was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz ("La Haine"), another talented young director in France. It has caused a huge success in France in 2000.
From the trailer, "La Vie Promise" seems to be a very beautiful film, taking place in "an American France", said Isabelle in her production notes. Being asked why the director cast Isabelle, Olivier Dahan has following commentary:
"I thought of Isabelle right from the start of the project. I wanted to take her along in a role that she had never approached up to that point. It is not an against-employment, it does not have possible against-employment with Isabelle, she is so protean. I wished to involve her towards a character that she would not need to be intelligent but liberal. Isabelle is astonishing. Being often working by the frame, I am thus the privileged witness of all the nuances of her performance, and yet I discovered with the assembly of negligible subtleties which had escaped me. Small fundamental details for the bottom of the character, a movement of glance, an epic of the hand... In spite of the control of her play, Isabelle always has the concern of being absolutely credible. She got along perfectly. She is Sylvia whom I had in the head."
Isabelle Received Diamond Award at 59th Taormina Film Festival in Italy 2002.07.19
In the evening of July 7th in Italy, Isabelle went up the stone stage of the Greek Theater to receive her Diamond Award at 2002 Taomina-BNL Film Festival, from the hands of Iranian master film director Abbas Kiarostami. Other Award receivers included Ennio Morricone (music composer), Huge Grant (actor), William Dafoe (actor) and Mike Leigh (director).
Isabelle SPEAKS FLUENT ITALIAN actually. An on-line news conference report shows it: http://www.trovacinema.it, where has an audio file on her answering the questions in Italian to the journalists.
"In future, I have many in yard, I filmed three films soon after one to another. "La Vie Promise" of Olivier Dahan, a young talented director; "Deux by Werner Schroeter; and "Les Temps des Loups" once again with Michael Haneke, a futurist on the end of the world. And in theater I interpret 'Psychosis', a monologue that Sarah Kane has written shortly before dying."
Isabelle Is Presented at Cannes - Director's Fortnight 2002.05.19
Just as what I guessed, Isabelle presented at Cannes today, for the premiere of "Deux" at Director's Fortnight. She, with director Werner Schroeter and costar Belle Ogier, attended the Press Conference.
"It's said that bodies are perhaps more important than the words", said Isabelle at the conference, "I like finally the cinema is more physique than mental. An actor will never recover from a good film. It needs to be relieved but it's less dangerous than to be rebuilt. Although one leaves one reality for another, he/she will neither be decreased nor weakened."
"Cinema, undeniable, is a confirmation of one individual figure: the director. Werner insulates energy for a stage. During the working of 'Deux', which is like a self-portrait of Werner Schroeter, I had been his messenger". Isabelle made one film with Werner Schroeter in 1990 - "Malina", written by Elfriede Jelinek, the author of the novel "The Piano Teacher".
According to Jacques's live report, This is a film "does not leave you indifferent. It is of an estheticism that is extremely effective. The actress-- Isabelle Huppert is wonderful in all of the scenes-there are quite a number of them where she is placed in extremely delicate, extremely violent, and extremely touching situations. The film is very provocative. It upsets many things inside us. It is very disturbing and its estheticism is-- most definitely-- intentional. It is a movie that leaves its mark on us and it will continue to affect us, even though, at the time, we find it troubling." See more at Director's Fortnight Cannes 2002 On-line
Nathalie Baye stars in Claude Chabrol's new film "LA FLEUR DU MAL", which will be filmed from May 27 to July 15, opposite to Benoit Magimel.
In this film, the director of "The Ceremony" and "Merci pour le chocolat" will approach the topic of the transmission of the culpability from generation to generation, or how the crime of a woman discharged during the Second World War comes to disturb the life of her descendants.
The film is, once again, co-writing by Caroline Eliacheff (Ceremony and Merci pour le Chocolat) and produced for the 12th time by Marin Karmitz. All those signs occur to me that the project is originally designed for Isabelle, but is switched probably because Isabelle has to give up - after "Le Temps des Loups", she need get ready for the play "4.48 Psychosis", and she really need a break between the two projects...
Nathalie made one film with Isabelle in 1980 - "Sauve Qui Peut (la Vie)" by Jean-Luc Godard. She is a "virgin" among all Chabrolenne women.
LA PIANISTE will release in DVD on May 14 in France. Special features include 55-minute commentary by Isabelle, interviews with Michael Haneke and Elfreide Jelinek, and a 10-minute documentary on ADR.
The latest news about Isabelle is that she is currently filming Michael Haneke's "Le Temps du Loup" in Austria, co-star with Bertrice Dalle, Patrice Chereau, and Benoit Magimel, The shooting will last till June 14.
Although Isabelle's film isn't selected for Official Competition at this year's Cannes, "Deux" will have its premiere at the Film Festival, in a section called "Quinzaine des Realisateurs"- Director's Fortnight. The film seems like a mix of sex, drama, opera and passion. Isabelle plays twin sisters from teens to 30s.
Also in Athens, Greece, French Institute held the 3rd French Film Festival, which included the program Homage to Isabelle Huppert. 17 of her films had shown between March 30 to April 11, including the very rare-to-find film "L'Inonation" (by Russian director Igor Minaev). Later on, the 17 films plus the documentary "Une vie pour jouer" by Serge Toubiana were shown at Greek Film Festival in a tribute program to Isabelle Huppert (from April 12 to 18).
A recent Liberation's special report from Marseilles, saying that Isabelle is currently doing the film "Deux", directed by German director Werner Schroeter. She will not only play two characters - a twin sisters at the same time, but also play them at their different ages - from teens to 30s??!!
"On the scene, in the family villa in Marseilles, she is fourteen years old. What indicates this youth so imperiously, whereas the work of the actress precisely consists in not playing the teenager? Is this the skirt and the boots, old-fashioned without ostentation? Is this the expression? Is this the formidable Domenica Frot, playing the adoptive mother?", reported by Anne Diatkine, Liberation (see more).
Isabelle is going to sing too, because one of the sisters is an opera singer. Werner Schroeter used to be a opera/theater director. He directed Isabelle in "Malina" in 1990. And this time he wrote the script particularly for her. Many actresses ever tried to play their youth in history. Few have succeeded. If Isabelle dare challenge it, we'd better cross finger for her. I'll feel very nervous to see her in this film.....
People now start to talk about this year's Cannes Film Festival (from May 15 to 26), although the finalist will be decided very late (on April 24) because of the France's presidency election.
Between Isabelle and Cannes Film Festival, there is a long and beautiful history. She sets up a record probably no one is able to break: the only one in history who has 16films in official competition. Her very first film selected is "ALOISE" in 1975. In 1980, she made a miracle: has 3 films on competition: "SAUVE QUI PEUT (LA VIE)" by Jean-Luc Godard, "LOULOU" by Maurice Pialat, "LES HERITIERES" by Marta Mesxaros (read her premiere interview in 1980). She won Prize of Female Interpretation twice: one for "VIOLETTE NOZIERE" in 1978, one for "LA PIANISTE" in 2001. This year, her latest " LA VIE PROMISE ", directed by one of the most promising French directors - Olivier Dahan, would be seriously considered.
As usual, France will be wealthy enough to offer films that can compete with rest of the world. This year, notable films could be directed by those Frenchwomen. Catherine Breillat's "SCENE INTIMES", originally written for Isabelle, would be one of them. The film had been waiting for Isabelle for a long time, and eventually cast Anne Parillaud after Isabelle refused (read Journal on 2001).
Because of the very dark issue, with which Michael Haneke has always dealt, the film has had a hard time to get distributed in the States, despite of its three Cannes Awards last year. Isabelle's strong performance is nevertheless the best to see in this film. The positive reviews are from those New York authorities like New York Times, New Yorker, Village Voice, Newsweek, and Los Angeles Times. Some of them even mentioned another two coming films of Isabelle's - LES DESTINEES (by Olivier Assayas) and HUIT FEMMES (by Francois Ozon). It will be the first time in 4 years that Isabelle's films will be seen in the States, as usual, with a high respect. A return in triumph. Want to talk about Isabelle and her Piano Teacher with us? Go to the Discussion Group (in Her Films Section).
In her native country - France, HUIT FEMMES has drawn over 3,6 million audience, and LA VIE PROMISE is scheduled to open on September 4, the same week of LA PIANISTE last year. There're also films upcoming: Deux (by Werner Schroeter), LE TEMPS DES LOUPS (by Michael Haneke), and possibly, LE FEE DU LOGIS (by Claude Chabrol, believe or not for 7 times), Le Divorce (by James Ivory). Someone has already predicted for Next Year's Oscar, Isabelle is nominated for her PIANO TEACHER. Since the film wasn't nominated for Best Foreign this year, it becomes qualified for the rest categories next year.
8 Femmes, One of Top 10 in France Since 2000 2002.03.13
With the success of HUIT FEMMES - over 3,1 million entrees in 4 weeks in France, Isabelle is currently ranked as the 3rd valuable actrice française (marked as 13,191,379 euro under Audrey Tautou and Catherine Deneuve). She has made 8 films in the past two years and has drawn over 6 million entrees in total - after Audrey Tautou in the 2nd place. It is the highest rank that Isabelle has ever made (see weekly updated chart at cbo-boxoffice).
Two week before, Isabelle lost again in 2001 Cescar Award competition. It's the 10th time that she bypassed this most important national film award (like Oscar Awards in USA), which she won only once, in 1996 for Claude Chabrol's LA CEREMONIE.
In next month, Isabelle will work with Michael Haneke again in the film "LE TEMPS DES LOUPS", which also stars Beatrice Dalle and Patrice Chereau.
In Telerama's interview with Francois Ozon (n° 2717), the director talked about ten films which are used as references to "HUIT FEMMES". Claude Goretta's "LA DENTELLIERE" is one of them. Ozon said, "Isabelle Huppert is that one of the eight actresses whom I know best. I've seen the majority of her films. She has, for the public, the image of intellectual which suffers from the interior behind a closed face in dramatic and neurotic films, whose LA PIANISTE is un peu l’apothéose. That amused me to propose her a role which would not be built in reserve, where she would have tons to do on the contrary, becoming a kind of Louis de Funès out of feminine. And where her character would also have the possibility of rebounding in a positive way instead of dying of sorrow. All those anti-Lacemaker things are considered, since the character of Claude Goretta is the quintessence of this hidden sufferance which has so often characterized her roles."
"She hops, she howls, she makes grimaces. She has a comic nature and she felt that this character had a potential. She also immediately assumed the sprite, to the side of Bette Davis." (from le figaro: INTERVIEW François Ozon évoque le tournage de «Huit femmes»)
Isabelle is nominated for Best Interpretation for her performance in "LA PIANISTE" in Cesars Awards 2002, announced today by Daniel Toscan du Plantier, the president of the Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema. The ceremony will be held on March 2, 2002.
Also the long-waiting Francois Ozon's new film "HUIT FEMMES" will be released on Wednesday, right heading on the other all-star-cast American film, Steven Soderbergh's "OCEAN'S ELEVEN". with 493 vs. 766 copies on the release date: Feb. 6. With "HUIT FEMMES", Mars Films has invested 2.4 millions Euro on film's promotion and expects to draw about 1.8 millions spectators, which is 3 times more than UNDER THE SAND, Francois Ozon's previous film, has drawn.
Francois Ozon and all his eight women are said to attend Berlin International Film Festival on Feb. 9 to promote their official competition film, which will be also the film's World Premiere.
In October, Isabelle will be in Bouffes du Nord, solo in an one-act play, Sarah Kane's 4:48 PSYCHOSIS, directed by Claude Regy. Sarah Kane is a brilliant British playwright who committed suicide at age of 28, one week after her finishing this play. 4:48 is the hour that she chose to die... When others rely on the traditional ones, Huppert takes risks, as always.
8 Femmes: Berlin Film Festival's Official Selection 2002.01.12
One of the most awaited films in 2002, Francois Ozon's "HUIT FEMMES", is announced to be the official selection for this year's Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6 -17). This is the second time for Ozon to participate the festival. I would like to bet on him, and Tom Tykwer (my two favorite the most promising film directors) to be this year's biggest winners.
Although it's still a long waiting before Huit Femmes will released in France (scheduled on Feb. 6), the film promotion has already started since last December. To all my curiosities, I can't wait to see how Catherine Deneuve is opposite Isabelle. It's my longtime dream of ensembling the two greatest France's Dames in one film. I know Isabelle will play Augustine, an old maid who would rather deplore the fate than hold it in hand and is always jealous of her sister Gaby, played by Catherine Deneuve.
Elle, Positif, Premiere and Cahiers du Cinema will have features on Huit Femmes in their following months' issues. Will the film become the 2002's hit, like this year's Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain? Everyone expects.
In December's Sight and Sound, Catherine Breillat gave an interview about her new film A
MA SOEUR. Here's something she said about Isabelle and the film trend she provoked:
Since ROMANCE there has been a lot of cinema that tackles concerns similar to your own: Michael Haneke's THE PIANO TEACHER, Patrice Chéreau's INTIMACY.
I think THEY ARE INFLUENCED by me.I know this because Isabelle Huppert didn't want to act in my 1996's PERFECT LOVE! but after she made SCHOOL OF FLESH and then THE PIANO TEACHER she realized she was now doing exactly what she had previously rejected. I think Chéreau wanted to shoot INTIMACY after seeing ROMANCE. He's had access to much more money than me and he could have done whatever he wanted. I wanted to shoot ROMANCE for 20 years and as soon as I could, I did.
Do you think there's a wider reason why filmmakers are making such films now?
The fact that I did it maybe revealed the desire to other filmmakers. Sexuality has always been a huge forbidden area, but as soon as the repression was lifted it was obvious a good subject for artists.
This site does not have any affinities to Isabelle Huppert
officials
Every word written and
complied here is simply from the souls of her honest fans, and their fantasies
on this respectful and great actress in the world.
