Summer Hours - screening and Q&A w. Juliette Binoche.
March 16th 2009 12:23
Summer Hours is the story of a family separated not just by geography, but by the different paths each has followed in their personal lives. Returning home after the death of their mother, the three siblings must now confront these differences, shared memories and what the future now holds.
Olivier Assayas creates an emotive portrait of a family immersed in a culture and history that now holds no relevance to their lives, where beauty is locked away and sanitized, so that no one can connect. Long gone the sibling’s childhood, now they struggle to deal with the realities that their mother’s death has bequeathed them and the choices they must make that will effect future generations.
In today’s world we are often unaware when we brush aside tradition, fighting to keep up with the today’s hurried pace. When forced to stop and confront these traditions we turn away in the brief and sometimes selfish hope that they won’t be there when we turn back. History and culture is looked upon as antediluvian and out of date.
Dealing with the intimacies of children who have grown and moved away, who have disregarded their family’s heritage and brushed away the memories and must now return to deal with these incomplete relationships. Adrienne (Juliette Binoche - BLUE, CHOCOLAT) has run to New York and immersed herself in the melting pot carving her own niche as a designer. Frederic (Charles Berling) has not quite moved on only reaching the bright lights of Paris where he teaches economics at a local University, while Jérémie (Jérémie Renier - IN BRUGES) has taken the global bull by the horns and based his family in the heart of Asia where his children’s upbringing is in stark contrast to the world in which he himself grew up.
Applauded at both Cannes and Toronto, Summer Hours (L’Heure D’Ete)has also received a nomination for the Prix Louis Delluc, Frances’s most prestige cinema award. The film deals with mortality, history and family in a hurriedly changing world With fascinating scenery and splendid performances by a world class cast, Assayas has attempted to return to a more intimate setting with his depiction of a family back together while at the same time splitting that unit apart and losing that small bond that had barely held them together. As families drift apart, whole histories can be lost. And it is only after they are gone that we wish we could return.
Upon completion of the screening, Juliette Binoche (in town for a weeks dance recital) took to the stage to answer questions.
As she entered the theatre dressed in a perfectly fitted red top and scarf and black skirt with calf high black leather boots, the audience applause was polite and controlled. All eyes were transfixed on this exceedingly stunning woman as she confidently made her way to the stage.
Reaching out for the water bottles you would have thought that she was the one about to carry out the interview. With usual French manners she poured not only for herself, but also for her host for the evening AT THE MOVIES David Stratton
For the first 10 minutes David monopolised the chat asking questions he admitted to having asked previously in another interview and then it was the audience’s turn. After David stated quite clearly that there was now only enough time for 1 or 2 questions from the audience, Juliette scoffed at him and for the next 15 minutes she continued to take audience questions including a chat with Australian actor Barry Otto who along with his wife was obviously a fan of the French actress.
Ms Binoche candid approach to this brief half hour charmed the packed theatre. When asked about her initial foray into acting, she spoke with amazement of the protests surrounding her first role in a film regarded as blasphemous and repulsive by the conservative assemblies that tried to have the film closed. Where she thought she was creating a picture, others deemed her work to be offensive and Ms Binoche alluded to the fact that this in some way had helped in her approach to difficult projects further down the line.
Only one film did she admit she wished she had never accepted. Early in her career she had decided she wouldn’t accept a certain role which she was uncomfortable to mention. After reading the role she decided to use her head and phoned to say she had no interest, yet immediately upon hanging up the phone she began to have that worst feeling deep within her stomach. She felt her heart and soul were telling her something and rang back to accept the role after all. And this she said was the problem with following your heart to much. Sometimes it is better to use your head.
Toward the end of the Q & A , the conversation drifted towards Ms Binoche’s dance debut later that week at the Opera House in Sydney, and the reasons behind her decision to take this audacious step this late in her career. Surely she could quite happily stick with her films and the relatively safe world within. Her reply was open and frank. If you stay too long in one thing and never take any risks, then you will become stale. This was just another risk that needed to be taken to keep fresh just like her first foray into film 20 years previously.
Ms Binoche talked often throughout the brief session of being attracted to danger. If the role looks challenging either physically or mentally, Juliette was more drawn to the concept as opposed to taking the safe route. While many actors talk of the risks they take in certain roles they chose, it was the earnestness with which she leans forward to answer each question before her that puts to rest any idea that Ms Binoche is just giving lip service to her fans.
And then before anyone had a chance to even draw a breath, the evening was over and Juliette was whisked away to a side entrance by her minders. No photo opportunities for fans, no autographs.
The film is being released nationally on April 2 through PALACE FILMS.
For those who enjoy French Films, the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals are now in full swing. Other dates for capital cities around around Australia are:
Sydney 04- 19 March
Melbourne 05 - 20 March
Canberra 18 -29 March
Brisbane19 - 29 March
Perth 25 March - 05 April
Adelaide 26 March - 5 April
www.frenchfilmfestival.org
Olivier Assayas creates an emotive portrait of a family immersed in a culture and history that now holds no relevance to their lives, where beauty is locked away and sanitized, so that no one can connect. Long gone the sibling’s childhood, now they struggle to deal with the realities that their mother’s death has bequeathed them and the choices they must make that will effect future generations.
In today’s world we are often unaware when we brush aside tradition, fighting to keep up with the today’s hurried pace. When forced to stop and confront these traditions we turn away in the brief and sometimes selfish hope that they won’t be there when we turn back. History and culture is looked upon as antediluvian and out of date.
Charles Berling ; IMDB
Jeremie Renier ; courtesey IMDB
Juliette Binoche ; courtesey IMDB
As she entered the theatre dressed in a perfectly fitted red top and scarf and black skirt with calf high black leather boots, the audience applause was polite and controlled. All eyes were transfixed on this exceedingly stunning woman as she confidently made her way to the stage.
Reaching out for the water bottles you would have thought that she was the one about to carry out the interview. With usual French manners she poured not only for herself, but also for her host for the evening AT THE MOVIES David Stratton
For the first 10 minutes David monopolised the chat asking questions he admitted to having asked previously in another interview and then it was the audience’s turn. After David stated quite clearly that there was now only enough time for 1 or 2 questions from the audience, Juliette scoffed at him and for the next 15 minutes she continued to take audience questions including a chat with Australian actor Barry Otto who along with his wife was obviously a fan of the French actress.
Ms Binoche candid approach to this brief half hour charmed the packed theatre. When asked about her initial foray into acting, she spoke with amazement of the protests surrounding her first role in a film regarded as blasphemous and repulsive by the conservative assemblies that tried to have the film closed. Where she thought she was creating a picture, others deemed her work to be offensive and Ms Binoche alluded to the fact that this in some way had helped in her approach to difficult projects further down the line.
Only one film did she admit she wished she had never accepted. Early in her career she had decided she wouldn’t accept a certain role which she was uncomfortable to mention. After reading the role she decided to use her head and phoned to say she had no interest, yet immediately upon hanging up the phone she began to have that worst feeling deep within her stomach. She felt her heart and soul were telling her something and rang back to accept the role after all. And this she said was the problem with following your heart to much. Sometimes it is better to use your head.
Toward the end of the Q & A , the conversation drifted towards Ms Binoche’s dance debut later that week at the Opera House in Sydney, and the reasons behind her decision to take this audacious step this late in her career. Surely she could quite happily stick with her films and the relatively safe world within. Her reply was open and frank. If you stay too long in one thing and never take any risks, then you will become stale. This was just another risk that needed to be taken to keep fresh just like her first foray into film 20 years previously.
Ms Binoche talked often throughout the brief session of being attracted to danger. If the role looks challenging either physically or mentally, Juliette was more drawn to the concept as opposed to taking the safe route. While many actors talk of the risks they take in certain roles they chose, it was the earnestness with which she leans forward to answer each question before her that puts to rest any idea that Ms Binoche is just giving lip service to her fans.
And then before anyone had a chance to even draw a breath, the evening was over and Juliette was whisked away to a side entrance by her minders. No photo opportunities for fans, no autographs.
The film is being released nationally on April 2 through PALACE FILMS.
For those who enjoy French Films, the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals are now in full swing. Other dates for capital cities around around Australia are:
Sydney 04- 19 March
Melbourne 05 - 20 March
Canberra 18 -29 March
Brisbane19 - 29 March
Perth 25 March - 05 April
Adelaide 26 March - 5 April
www.frenchfilmfestival.org
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