Juliette Binoche. “This film with Benoit Magimel was a place of reconciliation where modest feelings could be expressed”

A good meal is sometimes better than a thousand words of love. Moreover, Antoninus in the land of Careme and Escoffier, in the land of the Ortolans and the Soles. In The passion of Dodin BouffantEugene, a genius cook in the late 19th century^e century, and Dodin, the learned epicurean, wooed each other with plenty of stew and omelette. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel have been pre-selected by France as Oscar nominees to play these two culinary lovers in this film. Formerly a couple and parents to a 24-year-old daughter, they haven’t been seen together since children of the century in 1999. Awarded at the recent Cannes Film Festival, Tran An Hung’s productionThe smell of green papaya, Eternity) reconciles them, ennobles them, makes them immortal.

Juliette Binoche finds here a showcase befitting her multiple talents, as comfortable with the earthy nature of her character as she is with her fierce desire for freedom. Which will soon be used in the series. at the beginning of the year, she will play Coco Chanel on T for Apple TV+.he New look, focusing on the rise of Dior and his relationship with other designers in World War II Paris. But 2024 will primarily mark its transition to production. She is actually working on a documentary based on the footage she shot with choreographer Akram Khan during the making of their dance show, In-I:. And will sign the Parisian history of the collective film Bike Me Up made up of eight short films on the theme of urban cycling. A project in line with his ecological commitment that he evokes with us in the same way as Tran An Hung’s magnificent pastoral symphony.

Madame Figaro. – The passion of Dodin Bouffant a tribute to French refinement. How did the director capture that?

Juliette Binoche. – Hung, who is also a master potter, sees the material as a living form. In his eyes, food is not just an inert substance plucked from the earth, but a substance with high potential, a gift from the earth, because the cells we eat become our cells. The kitchen is a place of transformation, where the spirit can rise or fall through the alchemy of flavors, ingredients, dosages, cooking time, and the chef’s intention, enthusiasm, and energy. Speech in the film is also a living material: there is an intention behind the words, a choice of words, a choice of silence. I think that in Asia and specifically in Vietnam, because Hung comes from this country, we find this quality of life that we also have here in France. It doesn’t necessarily reveal itself in sophistication or a privileged environment, but more in a state of mind and desire to love.

Eugenie, your character, is a woman fiercely attached to her independence. Why did you like it?

Contrary to what one might think, Evgeni is a feminist. Her freedom is to choose the place where she excels, the kitchen, just as she chooses to live out her romantic relationship with Dodin in her room upstairs in the attic. When Dodin is the recipe designer, he is the creator with his knowledge, his touches, his inspirations. This is exactly what can happen between the director or screenwriter and the actor who embodies the idea and makes it his own, brings it to life.

Is this feminism yours?

You can’t live without being a feminist. Women have been despised for too long, even though they give birth to humanity. Being a feminist isn’t about being against men, it’s about questioning the machismo of habits, attitudes, thoughts, and actions that push women into inferiority.

She renounces the obligation of marriage and cherishes her freedom. And you ?

Eugene experiences love differently. She refuses matrimonial nobility and submits to Dodin’s desire only when she realizes that life is slipping away from her. Marriage is certainly one of the most beautiful ideas on earth to grow as a couple, but who actually lives it? Instead of falling into a fixed box, inventing a life together would be fairer for me, more suited to my temperament. I don’t have a conventional life, I have a passion for creativity, but I also have a fairly harmonious family life. I don’t think I’m looking for external freedom, but more internal. I feel free to fulfill my commitments when I give myself to something greater than myself.

Speech in the film is also a living material: there is an intention behind the words, a choice of words, a choice of silence.

Juliette Binoche

Did working with Benoit Magimel again redefine your relationship?

Benoit’s arrival was a real surprise, a gift from heaven. For me, this film was a place of reconciliation, where modest feelings spanning time could be captured and expressed. Although the film is fiction, what is in it is true. I think with Benoit, we were surprised to be able to play together again, with no shadow, just the pleasure of cooking, listening to each other, sharing the feelings of these characters without being fully responsible for them, because Hung. wrote them.

Do you have a sentimental relationship with gastronomy?

The dishes my mother prepared were simple and good, basic. He chose quality vegetables, in the 1970s we went to get eggs and butter from a farm, vegetables from organic farming. At the age of 18, I continued like him. I go to the organic market when I can, I like the taste of healthy food and I like to cook quickly. For me, I wouldn’t talk about gastronomy, but sometimes I spend a little more time cooking when I invite friends or family over. I used to make a lot of cakes as a kid because I had a real sweet tooth. And it hasn’t left me. My father was also a very good cook. In particular, he prepared chocolate mousse with orange blossom and tagines. He loved to party, laugh, drink.

2023 marks the fortieth year of your career. How do you feel about the passage of time in your profession?

It is as much a reality as an illusion. In the depths of the soul, the burning of life, curiosity, the desire to create, hunger, faith, the desire to share are just as intense. I have a spiritual life that allows me to see with infinite perspective. I don’t believe in a limited life. I was born with this belief. My adult life allows me to explore these fundamental questions, even if it does not prevent anxieties, fears, sadness. My questions don’t always have answers, but they are a source of wonder.

The burning of life, the curiosity, the desire to create, the hunger, the faith, the desire to share are just as intense.

Juliette Binoche

Furthermore, do you fear the rise of artificial intelligence, which, among other reasons, caused the strike in Hollywood?

I’m really proud that America’s SAG union took responsibility for the strike, and that actors are rebelling against the impunity of studios, platforms and producers, just like screenwriters. We will never replace the primary intention, the true vibration of the soul and heart. those who make people believe otherwise are deceivers.

What are the absolute priorities for you in terms of ecology?

Read books by experts on environmental emergencies, such as Aurelien Barro, who summarizes the problems well, or Pierre Raby, who provides real solutions. Watch Marie-Monique Robin’s films, which are the foundation of the ecological awakening. And then plant trees, hedges around fields, diversify plantings. Stop cutting down trees, especially to make highways. Stop unnecessary trips. Stop buying unnecessary clothes. Eat less meat. Help organic farmers so that everyone can buy their products. Stop using pesticides and insecticides. Stop eating plastic. Choose solid soap over liquid soap. Be patient when buying groceries in bulk. Use black soap, white vinegar and baking soda to clean. Stop eating green beans in the winter or whatever comes on the plane. There are ten thousand ways to think and act differently, the details are as important as the broad environmental guidelines, such as the cessation of excessively polluting production. We must seek to encourage virtuous circles, which are growing in number, especially with the devotion of young people.

What needs to be reinvented to fundamentally change things?

Humility and meekness. They have always been there, but we forget them because they make less noise. Gentleness changes those around you, relaxes and facilitates happiness.

Do you still believe in the world of tomorrow?

Today’s world is tomorrow’s world. I believe more in the world from the inside.

Subtlety changes the beings around you

Juliette Binoche

Was there an impetus for your environmental awareness?

The education I received made me see and experience first hand what is possible. My mother had a salary as a college professor, she fed us organic produce, but also theater, literature, music, movies, and above all, enthusiasm. Her joy to convey, to be true, her need for independence impressed us all.

Does time strengthen your commitment or weaken you?

I am appalled that, knowing the warnings that scientists have been telling us for years, if not decades, our government has been so slow to act. I am deeply disappointed by the inadequacy of the actions. Their predecessors disfigured French landscapes through land consolidation, which still allows industrial culture to pollute with impunity not only soil, water, air, but all fauna and flora, not to mention humans. France is an agricultural country. we need a politics that reclaims its true landscape. Give land back to animals that are becoming extinct. The land is sick of mistreatment, the poor farmers no longer know how to avoid going into debt and keep their heads above water. A valid policy is a policy of deeds, not words.

This work sometimes makes it difficult to apply your environmental beliefs.

Not only in my work, but also on the street, at home, in everyday life. We constantly face a reality that is not yet ecological. I am amazed at the use of plastic, even in organic stores. But I also think that we should be careful about extremes and avoid being too sectarian. Everyone does what they can. Patience will always get us further than intransigence.

The passion of Dodin Bouffant , By Trân Anh Hùng, with Juliette Binoche, Benoit Magimel… Released on November 8.