Juliette Binoche unveils directorial debut 'In-I In Motion', a raw exploration of vulnerability and creative process

After four decades reigning supreme in international arthouse cinema, French actress Juliette Binoche has stepped into bracingly raw territory with her directorial debut, the vérité-style documentary 'In-I In Motion'. The film, which premiered recently at New York's Museum of Modern Art, chronicles her late-2000s plunge into the world of contemporary dance for a series of daring performances with British dancer Akram Khan. It marks a significant shift for the Oscar-winning star, who has rarely coddled audiences in a career that has swooped between cerebral experimental theatre and virtuosic performances guided by international auteurs.

The documentary features raw footage of Binoche undergoing six months of grueling dance rehearsals, exploring themes of vulnerability and the creative process. The project was reportedly encouraged by the late actor Robert Redford after he saw the original dance production at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2008. Although Binoche notes she had been considering directing for some time, it was Redford's insistence that she make a film of the show that helped propel the project forward. The film was shot by Binoche's sister, Marion Stalens, who captured nearly 200 hours of rehearsal footage that the actress subsequently edited into the final two-hour work.

A defining element of the film is its direct inspiration from Binoche's childhood trauma of being strangled by a mugger at age 12. She recounts telling her attacker, "Go ahead, do it," a moment of self-possession that caused him to stop. This memory informed a specific choking scene in the documentary where she is suspended against a blood-red backdrop, drawing from the violent memory of the attack to create a visceral climax. While revisiting such a traumatic experience might be expected to be painful, Binoche dismisses the notion, noting that violence against women is a huge issue in France and that many people go through similar experiences.

The film delves into the emotional intensity of the creative process, with Binoche describing her desire to chip away at the world's glamorous image of La Binoche. She wanted the audience to experience what it feels like to be in a process of creation, rather than watching a polished red carpet event. Binoche and Khan shaped their characters' arc through numerous therapy-like conversations with acting coach Susan Batson and improvisation guided by movement director Su-Man Hsu. The result is a nonlinear narrative that allows viewers to witness the search and finding of a common place between two very different people.

Binoche is currently in New York to screen the film and has upcoming roles in the drama 'Queen at Sea' and the French thriller 'North Loire'. The documentary is set for release in the UK, US, and Australia following its French premiere on 3 June. As she prepares for these new projects, Binoche emphasises the importance of listening to one's gut and not being attached to status, suggesting that descending to new creative opportunities is essential for avoiding the trap of becoming a prude.