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March 8th 2006: Juliette Binoche in Argentina
Juliette
Binoche, Abel Ferrara, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins will be the special guests
of the 21st international film festival of Mar Del Plata, in Argentina, that
will take place from March 9 to 19. Abel Ferrara's "Mary" and Michael
Haneke's "Caché" (aka "Hidden") will be screened
respectively 4 and 5 times, from March 9-18 (program).
More information on the official
site of the Mar Del Plata festival
If Juliette Binoche should celebrate her 42nd birthday (March 9) far away from her native Paris, her attachment to the French capital will nonetheless be reasserted on May 18, when "Paris, je t'aime" ("Paris, I love you") opens the "Un certain regard" section of the 59th Cannes festival (from May 17 to 28). Produced by Victoires productions, "Paris, je t'aime" is made up of 20 five-minute shorts each devoted to the 20 arrondissements (neighbourhoods) of the city of light and linked by transitions to create a single story. Juliette Binoche took part in the segment "2nd arrondissement", with Willem Dafoe, directed by Japanese filmmaker Nobuhiro Suwa, last August. Joel and Ethan Coen, Gus Van Sant, Olivier Assayas, Vicenzo Natali, Sylvain Chomet, Tom Tykwer or Walter Salles are among the other directors, while Natalie Portman, Miranda Richardson, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Elijah Wood, Nick Nolte, Ludivine Sagnier, Fanny Ardant or Emily Watson also star in the collective film.
At last, Valérie Lemercier, also born on March 9, 1964, could play Juliette Binoche's sister, in Danièle Thompson's next movie. While promoting her last film, "Fauteuils d'orchestre", Danièle Thompson ("Jet lag") would have unveiled the plot of her future full lenght, that would reunite two sisters at their dying mother's bedside. Jeanne Moreau, another Parisian woman, would play the dying matriarch (thanks to Donal)
February 18th 2006: Juliette Binoche could attend the 59th Cannes festival in May (thanks to Donal)
The
Times reports that Juliette Binoche, who was in the hit flick at the 2005
festival, Michael Haneke's "Caché" (aka "Hidden"), may well
be treading the red carpet again. She appears in the portmanteau film
"Paris, je t'aime" ("Paris, I love you") which is a virtual
guarantee to premiere at the festival. She also has the lead in Anthony
Minghella's "Breaking and entering" and Santiago Amigorena's "A
few days in September" both of which will be aiming for selection. With a
UK entry and a French entry, Juliette Binoche may well finally have a chance at
winning the only major award that eludes her.
For the time being, "Caché" goes on proving the influence of the Cannes Film Festival on American audiences, especially with political films. The last Haneke film, which increased its run to 64 screens last weekend from the previous one's 52, in the USA, is now over $1.55 million in total revenue (240 000 admissions) and going strong.
"Caché" aims at $2 million and could even approach The Widow of Saint Pierre's $3.1 million (610 000 admissions) to become Juliette Binoche's 5th biggest hit in the United States. "Caché" also cashes in at the UK box office, where, after opening on 26 screens, it is now released in 37 theatres (£720.770 -150 000 admissions- in 3 weeks, 13th at the box office). In Germany, "Caché" slid from 15th on its first week to 21th in its third week but maintains momentum with 67 400 admissions (414 000 euros), from 56 prints, for its first two weeks of exploitation
Conversely, "Bee season" should be Juliette Binoche's biggest commercial flop, at the French box office. The last Scott McGehee and David Siegel film sold only 13 500 tickets from 67 screens, ranking 32th for its first week of exploitation. Now in its 3th week, "Bee season" should quickly leave France as only 9 theatres keep on screening it nationwide (knowing that "Mary" is still released in 17 theatres, after 8th weeks of exploitation).
The French audience will have the chance to see Juliette Binoche onscreen a few days more, however, since MK2 (a French independent cinema chain) organizes a retrospective of Krzysztof Kieslowski's work, in Paris, for the tenth anniversary of his death (March 13, 1996). The trilogy "Three coulours: Blue", with Juliette Binoche, "Three coulours: White", with Julie Delpy and "Three coulours: Red", with Irène Jacob, as well as "The double life of Véronique", with Irène Jacob, reopen in theatres, from February 15. The Polish Institute will besides present a cycle of films, meetings and debates, from March 2 to April 30, in Paris, by notably screening The Decalogue, from April 21-30. More information on www.institut.pologne.net (French and Polish languages)
Far away from figures, Juliette Binoche joined dozens of demonstrators, on February 7, at the Place du Trocadero, which overlooks the Eiffel Tower in Paris, to call for the release of Jill Caroll, an American reporter kidnapped in Iraq, at the initiative of Reporters Without Borders. A means of putting things in perspective, before, if all goes well, going back to Italy and starting shooting "Toyer", Brian de Palma's long awaited movie, postponed for three years
January 14th 2006: Hidden strong atop specialty films box office in the USA
After
three weeks of exploitation, "Hidden" finished
first among 47 ranked specialty movies for the Jan. 6 - 8 weekend, in the USA,
based on its per-screen average of $13,851 at five theaters in New York and Los
Angeles. What is noteworthy about "Caché" is that it is holding very
well - down just a bit less than 30% from the previous four-day holiday weekend.
"It's a great start," said Michael Barker, co-president of Sony
Classics. "It's a movie so in the moment about our modern anxieties. We
feel it's going to work all over the country." Sony Classics is following a
slow, cautious release plan for "Caché." On Friday, it entered the
Boston and Chicago markets and expanded slightly in Los Angeles.
"Hidden"/"Caché" has grossed $327.500 from 5 screens, since
December 23.
Waiting for the half million bar in the USA, "Hidden" will open in late January in Great Britain (on January 27) and Germany (on January 26), after finishing 2005 in the top 5 of the French films released in Italy (4th French film with 222 000 admissions), in Austria (5th, 34 000 admissions) and in Sweden (3rd, 16 000 admissions). For the recall, Hidden sold 479 000 tickets in France.
"Bee season" opened on December 23 too, but in Italy, under the title "Parole d'amore": Bee season in Italy. Ranking 8th, 9th and 11th at the national box office, "Parole d'amore" made 1.3 million euros in three weeks at 150, 172 and 153 venues. Which is already better than its US $1.16 million tally. "Bee season" will open in France on February 1, under its French title: "Les mots retrouvés".
As for Abel Ferrara's "Mary", it went nearly unperceived, in France, with hardly more than 50 000 admissions from 58 screens nationwide, in three weeks. Which is Juliette Binoche's second worst score at the French box office, after Michael Haneke's "Code unknown" (40 000 admissions in 2000). However, this is all but a flop knowing that "Mary" was made for less than $4 million. Or knowing that figures don't always say it all.
Happy new year to you all
December 4th 2005: Hidden sweeps Europe film awards
It
was a night of triumph for Austrian director Michael Haneke at the 18th European
Film Awards in Berlin on Saturday, December 3. His acclaimed French language
thriller "Hidden" dominated the ceremony, winning a total of six
awards including Best European picture of the year, Best director and Best actor
for Daniel Auteuil. Auteuil co-stars with Juliette Binoche as a couple besieged
by menacing video tapes.
"This is like a deja
vu," Haneke told the awards ceremonies in the German capital, recalling
winning the best director category at the Cannes festival in May. "It
feels a bit like Christmas." he said.
"Hidden" had also earned Juliette Binoche a nomination for Best European actress. But this year's award was granted to Germany's Julia Jentsch for her role in "Sophie Scholl - The Final Days". Jentsch plays the eponymous heroine of the film, the true story of an iconic member of Germany's anti-Nazi resistance who was executed with her brother following their arrest.
Besides, after presenting "Mary" in Rome on November 21, Juliette Binoche will be back in Paris to attend the French premiere of Abel Ferrara's latest film, on December 5, at 8:15 pm at UGC Ciné Cité Les Halles. You can book a ticket online on www.ugc.fr (provided you understand French)
November 18th 2005: Hidden better than Bee season
"Bee
season" opened on November 11, in the USA, and arrived in 37th place at the
box office, with a $120,544 take from 21 screens for its first weekend of
exploitation. Though it will expand to 138 theaters nationwide next week, it
could have some difficulties to recoup its costs at the US box office ($14
million). Scott McGehee and David Siegel's film will have to rely on Australia
(from Nov. 17), Portugal (from Nov. 17), Mexico (from Nov. 18), UK (from Dec. 9)
and Italy (from Dec 23.), notably, to cover its --yet pretty low-- budget.
Juliette Binoche could not be at the US premiere of "Bee Season", at the IFC Center in New York on November 1, unlike Richard Gere, Max Minghella and Flora Cross. But she could leave Venice, Italy, and the shooting of Santiago Amigorena's "Quelques jours en septembre" (= "A few days in September") to attend the Austrian premiere of Michael Haneke's "Hidden", Thursday, Nov. 17, at the French embassy in Vienna, with Michael Haneke and Daniel Auteuil.
"Hidden" is doing much better in Europe than "Bee season" in North America, although its run is now over, in France, after 5 weeks in the top 20 (ranked 3rd for its first week, then 7th, 11th, 16th, and 17th for the following 4 weeks, "Hidden" is now 23rd at the French box office). "Hidden" will also have spent 5 weeks in the Italian top 20, as it is now 19th in Italy (after being 8th the first 2 weeks, and 12th the following 2 weeks). With approximately 500,000 admissions in France and 200,000 in Italy, "Hidden" can expect good scores as well from Poland (where it was released on November 11), Austria (from Nov. 18) and Spain (from Dec. 9) within the end of the year.
Knowing besides that Michael Haneke's thriller earned 7 nominations at the 18th European Films awards, including Best European film, but also Best European director and Best European screenwriter (both for Michael Haneke), Best European actor (for Daniel Auteuil) and Best European actress of the year for Juliette Binoche. Sandra Ceccarelli ("The life I want"), Julia Jentsch ("Sophie Scholl"), Connie Nielsen ("Brothers"), Natalie Press ("My summer of love") and Audrey Tautou ("A very long engagement") will be Juliette Binoche's rivals for this year's prize. The ceremony will take place in Berlin, Germany, on December 3. For the recall, Juliette Binoche already won the EFA for Best European actress twice, in her career, for "Lovers on the bridge", in 1992 and for "The English patient", in 1997
October 31st 2005: Hidden won't go to the Oscars, despite its public success
"Hidden"
is still doing well at the French and Italian box offices. 11th in France for
its third week of exploitation, (7th the week before), "Hidden"
already sold 374 000 tickets nationwide, at 218 venues. In Italy,
"Hidden" dug up 266.859 euros in its 2nd outing, up 35%, and
settled for 8th place in a very competitive market with a 570 342 euros
total (95 000 admissions) from 78 prints.
However, the American AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences) stated that Michael Haneke's "Hidden" was not eligible to represent Austria in the running for the Oscar for Best Film in a Foreign Language, because the drama starring Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche had been shot entirely in French, and not in Austria's national language (German). Though "Hidden" is actually an Austrian-French-Italian-German co-production, its two main producers (France's Les Films du Losange and Austria's Wega Films) had decided that "Hidden" would represent France at the Cannes festival, and Austria at the Oscars. Hans Weingartner's "The educators" was finally chosen to replace "Hidden".
October 15th 2005: Hidden debuts strong in France
For
its first week of exploitation, Michael Haneke's "Hidden", starring
Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil, settled for third place at the box office,
in France, with 170 754 admissions in 158 theatres. Second best newcomer of
the week, behind "The brothers
Grimm", "Hidden" easily took the second position on the chart,
ranked on a per screen basis, so that it flocked to an additional 50 locations
nationwide (208 screens in total).
"Hidden" also opened in Sweden and Italy, this week, where it has been
as largely well received by the critics as elsewhere.
Besides, "Paris je t'aime" (= "Paris I love you"), the feature film that will combine 20 short films by international directors filmed in the 20 districts (or "arrondissements") of Paris, which Juliette Binoche recently starred in (segment "2nd arrondissement" directed by Nobuhiro Suwa, with Willem Dafoe), could premiere at next year's Cannes festival, according to Victoires Productions. These 20 tales about love encounters in Paris, must first be assembled via transitional sequences to form a united narrative in a long film that is currently slated for a 2006 release.
October 8th 2005: Hidden opens in France, and in Europe
Michael
Haneke's "Hidden", starring Juliette
Binoche and Daniel Auteuil, opened on October 5 in France. It notched a second
place start at the French box office, behind "The brothers Grimm" and ahead of
"Four brothers", with more than 40 000 admissions from 155 screens
nationwide, for its first day of exploitation. The opening was therefore a big
improvement on Haneke's "Code unknown" knowing that more people saw
"Hidden" in one day than "Code unknown" during its whole
French career (39 000 admissions in 2000).
Sold internationally by Les Films du Losange, "Hidden" was bought by 52 territories in total. "Hidden" will be released on October 14 in Italy and in Sweden, on October 26 in Belgium, October 28 in Poland, December 9 in Spain, January 26, 2006 in Germany, January 27 in the UK and February 2 in the Netherlands. Also worth mentioning, are the sales in Australia, Russia, Japan, Iceland, Turkey, China, Thailand, Hong-Kong, throughout all of Latin America and in the US, where the film will be presented for the closing night at the New york Film Festival and will premiere in cinemas December 23rd.
For a
European press
review, click here 
To visit the official site of "Hidden", click there: www.cache-lefilm.com
September 18th 2005: Now the Venice festival is over... Juliette Binoche is in Venice
Juliette
Binoche is in Venice, Italy, where the shooting of Santiago Amigorena's thriller
"A few days in September" ("Quelques jours en septembre", a
Mars films production with Gemini films and the Portuguese producer Madragoa)
has started these last days. For his directorial debut, the scriptwriter
Santiago Amigorena chose to film Juliette Binoche and John Turturro in very
special places, although they are not the most crowded in Venice: the Zitelle
Church, the top of the campanile San Francesco della Vigna, the Erbaria of the
Rialto, and the Piazza San Marco —where the team will shoot for an entire
night. The story is supposed to take place in Venice, a few days after the
terrorist attacks in New York, on September 11, 2001.
Besides, after missing several film festivals in Spain (San Sebastian), France (Deauville), Italy (Venice) and Canada (Toronto) due to a very busy schedule (she had to prepare "A few days in September" while she had just finished shooting Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and entering" opposite Jude Law, in London), Juliette Binoche is expected to attend the 49th London film festival (October 19 - November 3), Britain's largest annual film event. Michael Haneke's "Hidden", starring Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil, will be one of more than 180 films showing at the festival. Booking opens on Thursday 6 October, but one will be able to subscribe to the free Festival email bulletin for a 24-hour head start and book online from Wednesday 5 October. "Hidden" will be screened on October 29 at 08:30 pm in Leicester square, at Odeon West End (screen 2), in strand "Gala Films and Special Screenings".
September 11th 2005: Mary wins the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Festival
Abel
Ferrara's "Mary" won the Special Jury prize at the 62nd Venice
festival this Saturday, September 10, in Italy. Ferrara told reporters that he
thought his film had been possible thanks to the interest in religion generated
by Mel Gibson, who struck gold with the ultra-realist "The Passion of the
Christ". He declared that it was the first time he won something and
thanked his actors, Matthew Modine, Forrest Whitaker and Juliette Binoche.
Two days earlier, Scott McGehee and David Siegel's "Bee season" and "Mary" were screened at the 31st Deauville American film festival, in France (September 2-11) last Thursday and Friday, out of competition, in presence of Scott McGehee and David Siegel, Abel Ferrara, Forrest Whitaker and Marion Cotillard respectively. Juliette Binoche attended none of these festivals.
By the way, Juliette Binoche isn't expected anymore either in Toronto, Canada, for the 30th Toronto international film festival (September 8-17), where three of her upcoming films will be screened. Michael Haneke's "Hidden" will be screened on Monday, September 12 at 3:00 pm (Visa screening room) and Wednesday, September 14 at 6:45 pm (Paramount 4), in the "Masters" section. Scott McGehee and David Siegel's "Bee season" will be screened on Tuesday, September 13 at 9:45 am (Paramount 2) as a "Special presentation". While Abel Ferrara's "Mary" will be screened on Tuesday, September 13 at 11:30 am (Cumberland 2) and Saturday, September 17 at 6:30 pm (Varsity 3) in the "Visions" section of the festival.
More information on the official site of the 30th Toronto international film festival
April to August 2005: 5 headlines (Hidden at the Cannes festival...)
January to March 2005: 8 headlines (the shooting of Mary...)
Her news in 2004: archives, 32 headlines
Her news in 2003: archives, 33 headlines
Her news in 2002: archives, 37 headlines (site started in late March 2002)
