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40th INTERNATIONAL THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 12-21
CATHERINE DENEUVE
The possibility of collaboration with a Greek director was one of the main topics that dominated today's press conference given by Catherine Deneuve, the guest of honor of the 40th Thessaloniki Film Festival. As she stated, "I can't think of a reason not to work with some Greek director. As of this morning, though, I haven't been given any screenplays. If someone was to send me an interesting screenplay which I liked, it would only be a matter of contact and communication to for our collaboration".
The French actress was then asked if the heroine of the film, Le vent de la nuit (The wind of the night) by Philippe Garrel, a woman scared of the passing of time, had anything in common with herself. "The heroine is a woman afraid of getting old. This fear is like someone fighting against a mountain…of course, cinema is a visual art and reminds us of the image we give out. I don't think that I am really distressed about these things, but what actually bothers me is a lack of energy…in any case, women who claim that they have no problem with time, are lying".
The next question was about the fear of desertion that Philippe Garrel's heroine feels. Catherine Deneuve claimed that it wasn't just the fear of amorous desertion. According to her, desertion is the feeling when a parent dies, an emotion in the sense of something I experienced a long time ago, as she said.
Referring to director Philippe Garrel, she said, "I liked the screenplay, I admire him as a director, he creates quality cinema. That appealed to me. He describes evident and plain things in a mysterious way, with only a few words, with powerful images".
As far as the delay in organizing the two films she participated in, which were filmed nearly simultaneously, she said that simply, a delay in Nichole Garcia's film "City Lights" (in which she received an acting award at the Venice Festival) disrupted the plans that were made two years ago. "Certainly, the fact that the two films are so near each other gives the impression of abbreviation, but its just a matter of bad timing".
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Official Sponsors of the 40th International Thessaloniki Film Festival are:
ERT, TOYOTA YARIS, EOT
Dewars Audience Award
OLYMPION TSANTALIS
Later, Catherine Deneuve was asked about her collaboration with Louis Bunuel. "I have very fond memories of the two films in which I collaborated with Louis Bunuel…He was a man of humor, who didn't want to make the actors feel uncomfortable. Besides, there weren't many ways to perceive his films' scenes".
When asked about the way she picks her collaborations, Catherine Deneuve made it clear that she prefers to work "by chance". She premeditates nothing but relies on coincidences and meetings. She doesn't look for challenges, "but if they arise and interest me, I'm not afraid", she said characteristically and continued to speak about her new job with Lars Von Trier, "Dancing in the dark". "Trier's film was challenging for me because: it was in English, on video, with cold lighting, with no rehearsals, no distance, no camera…its interesting. Technologies liberate us actors, but the actor must know how to use this freedom".
The next question was about the star of "Dancing in the dark", singer from Iceland, Bjork: "…it was a difficult experience for her. She's not an actress and her role in the film is difficult. There isn't a single scene without her presence, something which meant three months of continuous filming…Her character isn't much different from the impression that her songs and music give about her. She is a fragile, and at the same time, powerful personality".
When Catherine Deneuve was asked why she hadn't chosen to star in any American film, she said that the offers given to her at times were not interesting. She then said that she hasn't suffered from the fact that cinema, as well as the rest of the world, is male-driven. "There is no hierarchy in cinema; it doesn't matter if you're a man or woman. People are judged by what they do".
As far as her impression of Thessaloniki, she said that it was very short and incomplete. Nevertheless, her first impression was that the people were warm. Concerning the comparison of European and American cinematography, she said, "There is no comparison, they are two different types. American cinematography operates differently, comes from a huge country, and is geared towards a huge audience. I like American cinematography very much, but not in its entirety…it's difficult to resist such a huge force…European films are difficult, involved and require an analytical reasoning…a European film needs to find its audience, and therefore fulfill the reason for which it was made…". As for French cinematography, she concluded, "…in fact, too many films are filmed in France".
Finally, referring to Greek cinema, she claimed to know of Theo Angelopoulos, who has his own personal vision about the world, which he presents through his work.
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