Juliette Binoche is undoubtedly one of the best contributions the French have made to the field of cinema. The stage artist-turned- film actress is best known for her roles as the sweet Hana in The English Patient (1996) and the controversial single mother Vianne Rocher in Chocolat (2000). Yet, her best work remains in French and that is what the 5th edition of BIFFES has brought to Bangalore. In its “Retrospectives - Juliette Binoche” category, six of Binoche’s French films — Mauvais Sang, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (Lovers on the Bridge), Le Hussard sur le Toit (The Horseman on the Roof), Trois Couleurs: Bleu (Three Colours: Blue), Decalage Horaire (Jet Lag) and Rendez-vous — and a documentary on her are being screened.
A common theme in most of Binoche’s films is that of a woman struggling to come to terms with the fate she has been dealt with. Whether she is playing the quintessential “good mother” whose husband is never home in the Certified Copy, the struggling painter dependent on her lover in Lovers on the Bridge, the wife who must search for her missing husband in The Horseman on the Roof or the woman trying to start her life afresh after a tragedy in Three Colours: Blue, each role showcases her endearing charm and marked sensuality.
Fine acting apart, her ethereal beauty and innocence combined with strong author-backed roles won her an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Chocolat and an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The English Patient. Binoche’s fan following is not limited to the French and the English. She is a favourite of and has been showcased in numerous international film festivals.