Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress and dancer. She has appeared in more than sixty

feature films A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, a

British Academy Film Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

, a

Silver Bear The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fes ...

, a Cannes Film Festival Award,

Volpi Cup The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

and a

César Award Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * Ces ...

. Binoche began taking acting lessons during

adolescence Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the ...

and, after performing in several stage productions, was cast in different films. During the 2000s, she maintained an international career, alternating between French and English language roles in both mainstream and

art-house An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily f ...

productions. In 2010, she won the Best Actress Award at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

for her role in

Abbas Kiarostami Abbas Kiarostami ( fa, عباس کیارستمی ; 22 June 1940 – 4 July 2016) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. An active filmmaker from 1970, Kiarostami had been involved in the production of ...

's ''

Certified Copy A certified copy is a copy (often a photocopy) of a primary document that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy of the primary document. It does not certify that the primary document is genuine, only that it is a true c ...

'', making her the first actress to win the European "Best Actress Triple Crown" (for winning awards at the Berlin, Cannes, and Venice film festivals). Throughout her career, Binoche has intermittently appeared on stage, most notably in a 1998 London production of

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

's ''Naked'' and in a 2000 production of

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that span ...

's ''

Betrayal Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. ...

'' on Broadway for which she was nominated for a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

. In 2008, she began a world tour with a modern dance production ''in-i'' devised in collaboration with Akram Khan.

Early life

Binoche was born in Paris, the daughter of Jean-Marie Binoche, a director, actor, and sculptor, and Monique Yvette Stalens (born 1939), a teacher, director, and actress. Her father, who is French, also has one eighth Portuguese-Brazilian ancestry; he was raised partly in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

by his French-born parents. Her mother was born in

Częstochowa Częstochowa ( , ; german: Tschenstochau, Czenstochau; la, Czanstochova) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta River with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (adm ...

, Poland. Binoche's maternal grandfather, Andre Stalens, was born in Poland, of Belgian ( Walloon) and French descent, and Binoche's maternal grandmother, Julia Helena Młynarczyk, was of Polish origin. Both of them were actors who were born in

; the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

Nazi occupiers imprisoned them at

Auschwitz Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 Nazi concentration camps, concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany, occupied Poland (in a portion annexed int ...

as intellectuals. When Binoche's parents divorced in 1968, four-year-old Juliette and her sister Marion were sent to a provincial boarding school.Inside the Actors Studio; Lipton, James; 27 October 2002; season 9, episode 2 During their teens, the Binoche sisters spent their school holidays with their maternal grandmother, not seeing their parents for months at a time. Binoche has stated that this perceived parental abandonment had a profound effect on her. She was not particularly academicL'Année Juliette; Première, September 1995; issue 222, p 83; (French language) and in her teenage years began acting at school in amateur stage productions. At seventeen, she directed and starred in a student production of the

Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco (; born Eugen Ionescu, ; 26 November 1909 – 28 March 1994) was a Romanian-French playwright who wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre in the 20th century. Ionesco inst ...

play, ''

Exit the King ''Exit the King'' (french: Le Roi se meurt) is an absurdist drama by Eugène Ionesco that premiered in 1962. It is the third in Ionesco's "Berenger Cycle", preceded by '' The Killer'' (1958) and ''Rhinocéros'' (1959), and followed by ''A Stro ...

''. She studied acting at the ''

Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

'' (CNSAD), but quit after a short time as she disliked the curriculum. In the early 1980s, she found an agent through a friend and joined a theater troupe, touring France, Belgium and Switzerland under the pseudonym "Juliette Adrienne". Around this time, she began lessons with acting coach Vera Gregh. Her first professional screen experience came as an extra in the three-part TF1 television series ''Dorothée, danseuse de corde'' (1983) directed by

Jacques Fansten Jacques Fansten (born 1946) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He has directed 20 films since 1970. Selected filmography * '' Stadium Nuts'' (1972) * '' Little Marcel'' (1976) References External links * 1946 births ...

, followed by a similarly small role in the provincial television film ''Fort bloque'' directed by Pierrick Guinnard. After this, Binoche secured her first feature-film appearance with a minor role in Pascal Kané's '' Liberty Belle'' (1983). Her role required just two days on-set, but was enough to inspire Binoche to pursue a career in film.

Career

1984–1991

Binoche's early films established her as a French star of some renown. In 1983, she auditioned for the female lead in

Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran ...

's' controversial ''

Hail Mary The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary' ...

'', a modern retelling of the Virgin birth. Godard requested a meeting with Binoche having seen a photo of her taken by her boyfriend at the time.Juliette Binoche: The First Act
. Brody, Richard. ''The New Yorker''. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011 Although she said she spent six months on the film's set in Geneva, although her presence in the final cut is confined to just a few scenes. Further supporting roles followed in a variety of French films.

Annick Lanoë Annick Lanoë (born 1948) is a French film director, screenwriter and author. She has directed and written two films ''Les Nanas'' and '' Les Mamies''. She is also the author of a number of books including '' Qui est sous ma couette''. She was b ...

's ''

Les Nanas ''Les Nanas'' (''The Chicks'') is a 1985 French comedy with an entirely female cast, directed by Annick Lanoë. Plot Christine is in her forties when she learns that her partner Robert has been having an affair for the past few months. As a libe ...

'' gave Binoche her most noteworthy role to date, playing opposite established stars

Marie-France Pisier Marie-France Pisier (10 May 194424 April 2011) was a French actress, screenwriter, and director. She appeared in numerous films of the French New Wave and twice earned the national César Award for Best Supporting Actress. Early life Pisier was ...

and

Macha Méril Macha Méril (; born Princess Maria-Magdalena Vladimirovna Gagarina on 3 September 1940) is a French actress and writer. Biography Méril is descended by her father from the Russian princely house Gagarin and by her mother from a Ukrainian nob ...

in a mainstream comedy,Juliette Binoche. Die unnahbare Schöne; Blum, Katerina; Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1995; ; p. 76; (German language) though she has stated the experience was not particularly memorable or influential.L'Année Juliette; Première, September 1995; iss 222, p. 84; (French language) She gained more significant exposure in

Jacques Doillon Jacques Doillon (; born 15 March 1944) is a French film director. He has a habit of giving lead roles to inexperienced young actresses in his films on family life and women. Some actresses to break through are Fanny Bastien, Sandrine Bonnaire, Ju ...

's critically acclaimed ''

Family Life Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

'' cast as the volatile teenage step-daughter of

Sami Frey Sami Frey (born Samuel Frei; 13 October 1937) is a French actor of Iranian Jewish descent. Among the films he starred in are '' En compagnie d'Antonin Artaud'' (1993), in which he portrays French poet and playwright Antonin Artaud Antoine Ma ...

's central character. This film was to set the tone of her early career. Doillon has commented that in the original screenplay her character was written to be 14 years old, but he was so impressed with Binoche's audition he changed the character's age to 17 to allow her take the role. In April 1985, Binoche followed this with another supporting role in Bob Decout's '' Adieu Blaireau'', a ''policier'' thriller starring

Philippe Léotard Philippe Léotard (his full name was Ange Philippe Paul André Léotard-Tomasi; 28 August 1940 – 25 August 2001) was a French actor, poet and singer. Biography He was born in Nice, one of seven children - four girls, then three boys, of wh ...

and

Annie Girardot Annie Suzanne Girardot (25 October 193128 February 2011) was a French actress. She often played strong-willed, independent, hard-working, and often lonely women, imbuing her characters with an earthiness and reality that endeared her to women und ...

. ''Adieu Blaireau'' failed to have much impact with critics or audiences. It was to be later in 1985 that Binoche would fully emerge as a leading actress with her role in

André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post- New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a second generation ...

's '' Rendez-vous''. She was cast at short notice when

Sandrine Bonnaire Sandrine Bonnaire (; born 31 May 1967) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter who has appeared in more than 40 films. She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for ''À Nos Amours'' (1983), the César Award for Best Actr ...

had to abandon the film due to a scheduling conflict. ''Rendez-vous'' premiered at the

1985 Cannes Film Festival The 38th Cannes Film Festival was held from 8 to 20 May 1985. The Palme d'Or went to the ''When Father Was Away on Business'' by Emir Kusturica. The festival opened with ''Witness'', directed by Peter Weir and closed with ''The Emerald Forest'', ...

, winning Best Director. The film was a sensation and Binoche became the darling of the festival. ''Rendez-Vous'' is the story of a provincial actress, Nina (Binoche), who arrives in Paris and embarks on a series of dysfunctional liaisons with several men, including the moody, suicidal Quentin (

Lambert Wilson Lambert Wilson (born 3 August 1958) is a French actor, singer and activist. He is best known internationally for his portrayal of The Merovingian in ''The Matrix Reloaded'', ''The Matrix Revolutions'' and ''The Matrix Resurrections''. Biograph ...

). However it is her collaboration with theater director Scrutzler, played by

Jean-Louis Trintignant Jean-Louis Xavier Trintignant (; 11 December 1930 – 17 June 2022) was a French actor. He made his theatrical debut in 1951, and went on to be regarded as one of the best French dramatic actors of the post-war era. He starred in many classic fi ...

, which comes to define Nina.L'Année Juliette; Première, September 1995; iss 222, p. 88; (French language) In a review of ''Rendez-Vous'' in

Film Comment ''Film Comment'' is the official publication of Film at Lincoln Center. It features reviews and analysis of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world. Founded in 1962 and originally released as a quarterly, ''Film Co ...

Armond White Armond White (born ) is an American film and music critic who writes for ''National Review'' and '' Out''. He was previously the editor of '' CityArts'' (2011–2014), the lead film critic for the alternative weekly ''New York Press'' (1997–20 ...

described it as "Juliette Binoche's career-defining performance". In 1986, Binoche was nominated for her first César for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film. Following ''Rendez-Vous'', she was unsure of what role to take next. She auditioned unsuccessfully for

Yves Boisset Yves may refer to: * Yves, Charente-Maritime, a commune of the Charente-Maritime department in France * Yves (given name), including a list of people with the name * ''Yves'' (single album), a single album by Loona * ''Yves'' (film), a 2019 Fre ...

's ''Bleu comme l'enfer'' and Robin Davis's ''Hors la loi'', but was eventually cast in '' My Brother-in-Law Killed My Sister'' (1986) by

Jacques Rouffio Jacques Rouffio (14 August 1928 – 8 July 2016) was a French film director and screenwriter. His 1986 film '' My Brother-in-law Killed My Sister'' was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.Michel Serrault and

Michel Piccoli Jacques Daniel Michel Piccoli (27 December 1925 – 12 May 2020) was a French actor, producer and film director with a career spanning 70 years. He was lauded as one of the greatest French character actors of his generation who played a wide vari ...

. This film was a critical and commercial failure. Binoche has commented that Rouffio's film is very significant to her career as it taught her to judge roles based on the quality of the screenplay and her connection with a director, not on the reputation of other cast members. Later in 1986, she again starred opposite Michel Piccoli in

Leos Carax Alex Christophe Dupont (born 22 November 1960), best known as Leos Carax (), is a French film director, critic and writer. Carax is noted for his poetic style and his tortured depictions of love. His first major work was '' Boy Meets Girl'' (198 ...

's ''

Mauvais Sang ''Mauvais Sang'' (, ''Bad Blood''), also known as ''The Night Is Young'', is Leos Carax's second film. Released in 1986, the film played at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival before being nominated for three César Awards and winning the P ...

''. This film was a critical and commercial success, leading to Binoche's second César nomination. ''Mauvais Sang'' is an avant-garde thriller in which she plays Anna the vastly younger lover of Marc (Piccoli) who falls in love with Alex (Denis Lavant), a young thief. Binoche has stated that she, "discovered the camera", while shooting this film. In August 1986, Binoche began filming Philip Kaufman's adaptation of

Milan Kundera Milan Kundera (, ; born 1 April 1929) is a Czech writer who went into exile in France in 1975, becoming a naturalised French citizen in 1981. Kundera's Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979, then conferred again in 2019. He "sees himsel ...

's novel '' The Unbearable Lightness of Being'', portraying the young and innocent Tereza. Released in 1988, this was Binoche's first English language role and was a worldwide success with critics and audiences alike. Set against the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nati ...

's invasion of

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

in 1968, the film tells the story of the relationships a Czech surgeon, Tomas (

Daniel Day-Lewis Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born 29 April 1957) is an English retired actor. Often described as one of the preeminent actors of his generation, he received numerous accolades throughout his career which spanned over four decades, incl ...

), has with his wife Tereza and his lover Sabina (

Lena Olin Lena Maria Jonna Olin (; born 22 March 1955) is a Swedish actress. She has received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Mentored by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, she made her screen de ...

). Binoche has stated that at the time her English was very limited and that she relied on a French translation to fully grasp her role. After this success, Binoche decided to return to France rather than pursue an international career.Juliette Binoche. Die unnahbare Schöne; Blum, Katerina; Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1995; ; p. 89; (German language) In 1988, she filmed the lead in Pierre Pradinas's '' Un tour de manège'', a little-seen French film opposite

François Cluzet François Cluzet (born 21 September 1955) is a French film and theatre actor. Cluzet has collaborated with many important European and American directors, including Claude Chabrol, Bertrand Tavernier, Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland, Robert A ...

. She has stated that her attraction to this film was that it gave her the opportunity to work with close friends and family. Pradinas is the husband of her sister Marion Stalens who was set photographer on the film and appeared in a

cameo role A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

. In the summer of 1988, Binoche returned to the stage in an acclaimed production of

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

's ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' ( rus, Ча́йка, r=Cháyka, links=no) is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises ...

'' directed by Russian director

Andrei Konchalovsky Andrei Sergeyevich Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky (russian: link=no, Андрей Сергеевич Михалков-Кончаловский; born 20 August 1937) is a Russian filmmaker. He has worked in Soviet, Hollywood, and contemporary Russian ...

at Théâtre de l'Odéon in Paris. Later that year, she began work on

's '' Les Amants du Pont-Neuf''. The film was beset by problems and took three years to complete, requiring investment from three producers and funds from the French government.Cahiers du Cinéma, Iss. 448, October 1991 When finally released in 1991, ''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'' was a critical success. Binoche won a

European Film Award The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the mo ...

as well as securing her third César nomination for her performance. In the film Binoche portrays an artist who lives rough on the famous Parisian bridge where she meets another young vagrant (Denis Lavant). This iconic part of the city becomes the backdrop for a wildly passionate love story and some of the most visually arresting images of the city ever created. The paintings featured in the film were Binoche's own work. She also designed the French poster for the film which features an ink drawing of the eponymous lovers locked in embrace. During a break in filming in 1990, Binoche spent five days shooting ''

Mara Mara or MARA may refer to: Animals *Mara (mammal), a species of the cavy family *Mara the Lioness, in the movie ''Born Free'' Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Mara (''Doctor Who''), an evil being in two ''Doctor Who'' serials *Mara, ...

'' for

Mike Figgis Michael Figgis (born 28 February 1948) is an English film director, screenwriter, and composer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for his work in ''Leaving Las Vegas'' (1995). Figgis was the founding patron of the independent filmmakers o ...

, based on

Henry Miller Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American novelist. He broke with existing literary forms and developed a new type of semi- autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical re ...

's '' Quiet Days in Clichy''. This 30-minute film was part of HBO's anthology series '' Women & Men 2''. The film became somewhat contentious when, according to Mike Figgis, HBO altered it once he had completed it.Filggis, Mike. ''Digital Filmmaking''. Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1995, . p. 147. The film premiered on HBO in the U.S. on 18 August 1991. At this point, Binoche seemed to be at a crossroads in her career. She was recognized as one of the most significant French actresses of her generation. However, the long production of ''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'' had forced her to turn down several significant roles in international productions including ''

The Double Life of Véronique ''The Double Life of Veronique'' (french: La double vie de Véronique, pl, Podwójne życie Weroniki) is a 1991 drama film directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Irène Jacob. Written by Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, the film expl ...

'' by

Krzysztof Kieślowski Krzysztof Kieślowski (; 27 June 1941 – 13 March 1996) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He is known internationally for '' Dekalog'' (1989), ''The Double Life of Veronique'' (1991), and the ''Three Colours'' trilogy (1993 –1994 ...

, ''Cyrano de Bergerac'' by

Jean-Paul Rappeneau Jean-Paul Rappeneau (born 8 April 1932) is a French film director and screenwriter. Career He started out in film as an assistant and screenwriter collaborating with Louis Malle on ''Zazie dans le métro (film), Zazie dans le métro'' in 1960 a ...

, '' Night and Day'' by

Chantal Akerman Chantal Anne Akerman (; 6 June 19505 October 2015) was a Belgian film director, screenwriter, artist, and film professor at the City College of New York. She is best known for films such as ''Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' ...

, and ''Beyond the Aegean'', an aborted project with

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

. Binoche then chose to pursue an international career outside France.

1992–2000

In the 1990s, Binoche was cast in a series of critically and commercially successful international films, winning her praise and awards.Blum, Katerina, ''Juliette Binoche. die unnahbare Schöne'', Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1995, p.119 to p.125 In this period, her persona developed from that of a young gamine to a more melancholic, tragic presence. Critics suggested that many of her roles were notable for her almost passive intensity in the face of tragedy and despair.Sight & Sound , June 2000
. BFI (7 December 2010). Retrieved 7 January 2011. In fact, Binoche has nicknamed her characters from this period as her "sorrowful sisters". Following the long shoot of ''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'', Binoche relocated to London for the 1992 productions of ''

Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights ''Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights'' is a 1992 feature film adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel ''Wuthering Heights'' directed by Peter Kosminsky. This was Ralph Fiennes's film debut. This particular film is notable for including the oft ...

'' and ''

Damage Damage is any change in a thing, often a physical object, that degrades it away from its initial state. It can broadly be defined as "changes introduced into a system that adversely affect its current or future performance".Farrar, C.R., Sohn, H., ...

'', both of which considerably enhanced her international reputation. Yet, from a professional and personal point of view, both films were significant challenges for Binoche; her casting opposite

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shak ...

's Heathcliff in ''Wuthering Heights'', instead of English actresses

Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...

and

Kate Beckinsale Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress and model. After some minor television roles, her film debut was ''Much Ado About Nothing'' (1993) while a student at the University of Oxford. She appeared in British costume ...

, was immediately contentious and drew derision from the British press, unimpressed that a uniquely English role had gone to a French actress. The film had its world premiere at the 1992 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Reviews were poor, with Binoche being cynically dubbed "Cathy Clouseau" and derided for her ''"franglais"'' accent. Both Binoche and director Peter Kosminsky distanced themselves from the film, with Binoche refusing to do any promotion for the film or to redub it into French.Quoted in feature article ''

Première A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...

'' No 222, 09/1995 ''Damage'', a UK and French co-production, is the story of a British Conservative minister played by

Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons (; born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre ...

who embarks on a torrid affair with his son's fiancée (Binoche). Based on the novel by Josephine Hart and directed by veteran French director

Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a filmmaker difficult to pin down," Malle's filmogr ...

, ''Damage'' seemed to be the ideal international vehicle for Binoche; however the production was wrought with difficulties and dogged by rumours of serious conflict. In an on-set interview, Malle stated that it was the "most difficult" film he had ever made, while Binoche commented that "the first day was one big argument". ''Damage'' opened in the UK late in 1992 and debuted early in 1993 on US screens. Reviews were somewhat mixed. For her performance, Binoche received her fourth César nomination. In 1993, she appeared in

's '' Three Colours: Blue'' to much critical acclaim. The first film in a trilogy inspired by the ideals of the French republic and the colors of its flag, ''Three Colors: Blue'' is the story of a young woman who loses her composer husband and daughter in a car accident. Though devastated she learns to cope by rejecting her previous life in favor of conscious "nothing"; rejecting all people, belongings and emotions. ''Three Colours: Blue'' premiered at the 1993

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

, landing Binoche the Best Actress Prize. She also won a César, and a nomination for the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

. Binoche has said her inspirations for the role were her friend and coach Vernice Klier who suffered a similar tragedy, and the book ''The Black Veil'' by

Anny Duperey Anny Duperey (born Annie Legras; 28 June 1947) is a French actress, published photographer and best-selling author with a career spanning almost six decades as of 2021 and more than eighty cinema or television credits, around thirty theatre pr ...

which deals with the author's grief at losing her parents at a young age. Binoche made cameo appearances in the other two films in Kieślowski's trilogy, '' Three Colours: White'' and '' Three Colours: Red''. Around this time, Steven Spielberg offered her roles in ''

Jurassic Park ''Jurassic Park'', later also referred to as ''Jurassic World'', is an American science fiction media franchise created by Michael Crichton and centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs. It began in 1990 when ...

'' and ''

Schindler's List ''Schindler's List'' is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the 1982 novel ''Schindler's Ark'' by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film f ...

''. She turned down both parts. After the success of ''Three Colors: Blue'', Binoche took a short

sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of '' shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According ...

during which she gave birth to her son Raphaël in September 1993. In 1995, Binoche returned to the screen in a big-budget adaptation of

Jean Giono Jean Giono (30 March 1895 – 8 October 1970) was a French writer who wrote works of fiction mostly set in the Provence region of France. First period Jean Giono was born to a family of modest means, his father a cobbler of Piedmontese descent a ...

's ''

The Horseman on the Roof ''The Horseman on the Roof'' (french: Le hussard sur le toit) is a 1995 French film directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau and starring Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez. Based on the 1951 French novel '' Le hussard sur le toit'' by Jean Giono, the ...

'' directed by

. The film was particularly significant in France as it was at the time the most expensive film in the history of French cinema. The film was a box office success around the world and Binoche was again nominated for a César for Best Actress. This role, as a romantic heroine, was to influence the direction of many of her subsequent roles in the late 1990s. In 1996, Binoche appeared in her first comedic role since ''My Brother-in-Law Killed My Sister'' a decade before; '' A Couch in New York'' was directed by

and co-starred

William Hurt William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. H ...

. This screw-ball comedy tells the story of a New York psychiatrist who swaps homes with a Parisian dancer. The film was a critical and commercial failure. ''Three Colors: Blue'', ''The Horseman on the Roof'' and ''A Couch in New York'' all gave Binoche the opportunity to work with prestigious directors she had turned down during the prolonged shoot of ''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf''. Her next role in ''

The English Patient ''The English Patient'' is a 1992 novel by Michael Ondaatje. The book follows four dissimilar people brought together at an Italian villa during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War. The four main characters are: an unrecognisably burn ...

'' reinforced her position as an international movie star. The film, based on the novel by

Michael Ondaatje Philip Michael Ondaatje (; born 12 September 1943) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, fiction writer, essayist, novelist, editor, and filmmaker. He is the recipient of multiple literary awards such as the Governor General's Award, the Giller P ...

and directed by

Anthony Minghella Anthony Minghella, (6 January 195418 March 2008) was a British film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was chairman of the board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007. He won the Academy Award for Best Directo ...

, was a worldwide hit. Produced by

Saul Zaentz Saul Zaentz (; February 28, 1921January 3, 2014) was an American film producer and record company executive. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture three times and, in 1996, was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. Zaentz's film p ...

, producer of ''The Unbearable Lightness of Being'', the film reunited Juliette Binoche with Ralph Fiennes, Heathcliff to her Cathy four years previously. Binoche has said that the shoot on location in Tuscany and at the famed

Cinecittà Cinecittà Studios (; Italian for Cinema City Studios), is a large film studio in Rome, Italy. With an area of 400,000 square metres (99 acres), it is the largest film studio in Europe, and is considered the hub of Italian cinema. The studio ...

in Rome was among the happiest professional experiences of her career. The film, which tells the story of a badly burned, mysterious man found in the wreckage of a plane during World War II, won nine

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, including Best Supporting Actress for Juliette Binoche. With this film, she became the second French actress to win an Oscar, following Simone Signoret's win for '' Room at the Top'' in 1960. After this international hit, Binoche returned to France and began work opposite

Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil (; born 24 January 1950) is a French actor and director who has appeared in a wide range of film genres, including period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Fest ...

Claude Berri Claude Berri (; 1 July 1934 – 12 January 2009) was a French film director, writer, producer, actor and distributor. Early life Born Claude Beri Langmann in Paris, Berri was the son of Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Beila (née Bercu), w ...

's ''

Lucie Aubrac Lucie Samuel (29 June 1912 – 14 March 2007), born Lucie Bernard, and better known as Lucie Aubrac (), was a French history teacher and member of the French Resistance during World War II. In 1938, she earned an agrégation of history (somethi ...

'', the true story of a French Resistance heroine. Binoche was released from the film six weeks into the shoot due to differences with Berri regarding the authenticity of his script. Binoche has described this event as being like "an earthquake" to her. Juliette Binoche Cannes

Next, Binoche was reunited with director André Téchiné for '' Alice et Martin'' (1998), the story of a relationship between an emotionally damaged Parisian musician and her younger lover who hides a dark family secret. The film failed to find an audience in France, although it was critically acclaimed in the UK. In February 1998, Binoche made her London stage debut in a new version of

's ''Clothe the Naked'' re-titled ''Naked'' and adapted by

Nicolas Wright Nicolas Wright (born March 23, 1982 in Montreal, QuebecCBS biography of ...

. The production, directed by Jonathan Kent, was very favorably received. Following this acclaimed performance, she returned to French screens with ''

Children of the Century ''Children of the Century'' (french: Les Enfants du Siècle) is a 1999 French film based on the true tale of the tumultuous love affair between two French literary icons of the 19th century, novelist George Sand (Juliette Binoche) and poet Alfred ...

'' (1999), a big budget romantic epic, in which she played 19th-century French proto-feminist author

George Sand Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil (; 1 July 1804 – 8 June 1876), best known by her pen name George Sand (), was a French novelist, memoirist and journalist. One of the most popular writers in Europe in her lifetime, bein ...

. The film depicted Sand's affair with the poet and dandy

Alfred de Musset Alfred Louis Charles de Musset-Pathay (; 11 December 1810 – 2 May 1857) was a French dramatist, poet, and novelist.His names are often reversed "Louis Charles Alfred de Musset": see "(Louis Charles) Alfred de Musset" (bio), Biography.com, 2007 ...

played by

Benoît Magimel Benoît Magimel (; born 11 May 1974) is a French actor. He was 14 when he appeared in his first film, and has starred in a variety of roles in French cinema. At age 16, Magimel left school to pursue acting as a career. In 2001, he won the Best Ac ...

. The following year saw Binoche in four contrasting roles, each of which enhanced her reputation. '' La Veuve de Saint-Pierre'' (2000) by

Patrice Leconte Patrice Leconte (; born 12 November 1947) is a French film director, actor, comic strip writer, and screenwriter. Life and career Leconte grew up in Tours, and began making little amateur films at 15. He went to Paris in 1967 and studied at Ins ...

, for which she was nominated for a César for Best Actress, was a period drama which saw Binoche appear opposite

in the role of a woman who attempts to save a condemned man from the guillotine. The film won favorable reviews, particularly in the U.S. where it was nominated for a

for Best Foreign Language Film. Next, she appeared in

Michael Haneke Michael Haneke (; born 23 March 1942) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. His work often examines social issues and depicts the feelings of estrangement experienced by individuals in modern society. Haneke has made films in French, G ...

's ''

Code Unknown ''Code Unknown'' (french: Code inconnu : Récit incomplet de divers voyages) is a 2000 film directed by Michael Haneke. Most of the story occurs in Paris, France, where the fates of several characters intersect and connect. ''Code Unknown'' is co ...

'', a film which was made following Binoche's approach to the Austrian director. The film premiered in competition at the

2000 Cannes Film Festival The 53rd Cannes Film Festival started on 14 May and ran until 25 May 2000. French film director, screenwriter, and producer Luc Besson was the Jury President. The Palme d'Or went to the Danish film '' Dancer in the Dark'' by Lars von Trier. The ...

. This critically acclaimed role was a welcome change from playing the romantic heroine in a series of costume dramas. Later that year, Binoche made her Broadway debut in an adaptation of

's ''

'' for which she was nominated for a

. Staged by the Roundabout Theatre Company and directed by

David Leveaux David Leveaux (born 13 December 1957)this source shows 195filmreference.com. Retrieved 9 May 2009 is a British theatre director who has been nominated for five Tony Awards as director of both plays and musicals. He directs in the UK, working at ...

, the production also featured

Liev Schreiber Isaac Liev Schreiber (; born October 4, 1967) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and narrator. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s after appearing in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood ...

and

John Slattery John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962) is an American actor and director widely known for his role as Roger Sterling Jr. in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award fo ...

. Back on screen, Binoche was the heroine of the

Lasse Hallström Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström (; born 2 June 1946) is a Swedish film director. He first became known for directing almost all the music videos by the pop group ABBA, and subsequently became a feature film director. He was nominated for an Academ ...

film '' Chocolat'' from the best selling novel by

Joanne Harris Joanne Michèle Sylvie Harris (born 3 July 1964) is an English-French author, best known for her novel '' Chocolat'' (1999), which was adapted the following year for the film '' Chocolat''. Early life Harris was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, t ...

. For her role Binoche won a European Film Audience Award for Best Actress and was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA. ''Chocolat'' is the story of a mysterious stranger who opens a ''chocolaterie'' in a conservative French village in 1959. The film was a worldwide hit. Between 1995 and 2000, Binoche was the advertising face of the

Lancôme Lancôme () is a French luxury perfumes and cosmetics house that distributes products internationally. Lancôme is part of the L'Oréal Luxury Products division, which is its parent company and offers luxury skin care, fragrances, and makeup ...

perfume ''Poème'', her image adorning print campaigns photographed by

Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Vogue'' and ''Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and danc ...

and a television advertising campaign, including an advert directed by

and scored by

Gabriel Yared Gabriel Yared (Arabic: غبريال يارد; born 7 October 1949) is a Lebanese-French composer, best known for his work in French and American cinema. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Yared scored the French films ''Betty Blue'' and ''Camille Claud ...

. By the end of this period and following roles in a number of prestige productions, critics were wondering if Binoche was

typecast In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...

as the tragic, despairing muse. In a feature article entitled "The Erotic Face" in the June 2000 edition of British film criticism magazine ''

Sight and Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...

'', Ginette Vincendeau pondered Binoche's persona; Vincendeau suggested that the fixation of numerous directors upon her face had led to an erasure of her body, and to her being perceived only as a romantic icon rather than a versatile actress.

2001–2006

After the success of ''Chocolat'', Binoche was internationally recognized as an A-list movie star in the early 2000s, but as an actor her persona became somewhat fixed following a series of period roles portraying a stoic heroine facing tragedy and desolation. Keen to try something new, Binoche returned to French cinema in 2002 in an unlikely role: she played a ditsy beautician in ''

Jet Lag Jet lag is a physiological condition that results from alterations to the body's circadian rhythms caused by rapid long-distance trans-meridian (east–west or west–east) travel. For example, someone flying from New York to London, i.e. from ...

'' opposite

Jean Reno Jean Reno () (born 30 July 1948), is a French actor. He has worked in American, French, English, Japanese, Spanish and Italian movie productions; Reno appeared in films such as '' Crimson Rivers'', ''Godzilla'', '' The Da Vinci Code'', '' Mission ...

. The film, directed by Daniele Thompson, was a box office hit in France and Binoche was once again nominated for a César for Best Actress. The film tells the story of a couple who meet at an airport during a strike. Initially the pair despises each other, but, over the course of one night, they find common ground and maybe even love. This playful spirit continued when Binoche featured in a 2003 Italian television commercial for the chocolates Ferrero Rocher. The advertisement played upon her ''Chocolat'' persona featuring Binoche handing out the chocolates to people on the streets of Paris. In a more serious vein, Binoche traveled to South Africa to make

John Boorman Sir John Boorman (; born 18 January 1933) is a British film director, best known for feature films such as '' Point Blank'' (1967), ''Hell in the Pacific'' (1968), ''Deliverance'' (1972), '' Zardoz'' (1974), '' Exorcist II: The Heretic'' (1977 ...

's '' In My Country'' (2004) opposite Samuel L. Jackson. Based on the book '' Country of My Skull'' by

Antjie Krog Antjie Krog (born 23 October 1952) is a South African writer and academic, best known for her Afrikaans poetry, her reporting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and her 1998 book '' Country of My Skull''. In 2004, she joined the Arts f ...

, the film examines The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings following the abolition of Apartheid in the mid-1990s. Although the film premiered at the

2004 Berlin International Film Festival The 54th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 5–15 February 2004. The festival opened with out of competition film '' Cold Mountain'' by Anthony Minghella. '' 25 Degrees in Winter'' by Stéphane Vuillet served as the closing ...

, it received much criticism for the inclusion of a fictional romantic liaison and for its depiction of black South Africans. Despite the negative reception, Binoche was extremely enthusiastic about the film and her connection with Boorman. Her sister, Marion Stalens, also traveled to South Africa to shoot a documentary, ''La reconciliation?'', which explores the TRC process and follows Binoche's progress as she acts in Boorman's film. Next, Binoche re-teamed with Michael Haneke for '' Caché''. The film was an immediate success, winning best director for Haneke at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, while Binoche was nominated for a European Film Award for Best Actress for her role. The film tells the story of a bourgeois Parisian couple, played by Binoche and

, who begin to receive anonymous videotapes containing footage shot over long periods, surveying the outside of their home. ''Caché'' went on to feature in the number one position on the "Top 10 of the 2000s" list published by The Times at the end of the decade. Binoche's next film, ''

Bee Season ''Bee Season'' is a 2000 novel by Myla Goldberg. It follows a young girl as she attempts to win the national spelling bee, and the repercussions of her success on the other members of her family. Plot summary Eleven-year-old Eliza Naumann is th ...

'', based on the celebrated novel by

Myla Goldberg Myla Goldberg (born November 19, 1971) is an American novelist and musician. Biography Goldberg was born into a Jewish family. She was raised in Laurel, Maryland, and graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Maryland), Eleanor Roosevelt Hig ...

, cast her opposite

Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...

. The film was not a success at the box office taking less than $5 million worldwide. For many critics the film, although intelligent, was "distant and diffuse". ''Bee Season'' depicts the emotional disintegration of a family just as their daughter begins to win national spelling bees. ''

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

'' (2005) featured Binoche in a somewhat unlikely collaboration with the controversial American director

Abel Ferrara Abel Ferrara (born July 19, 1951) is an American filmmaker, known for the provocative and often controversial content in his movies and his use of neo-noir imagery and gritty urban settings. A long-time independent filmmaker, some of his best kn ...

for an investigation of modern faith and

Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and resurre ...

's position within the Catholic Church. Featuring

Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. After making his f ...

, Matthew Modine and

Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions. She has received ...

, ''Mary'' was a success, winning the Grand Prix at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. Despite these accolades and favorable reviews, particularly from the cultural magazine ''

Les Inrockuptibles ''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock and roll, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though ...

'', ''Mary'' failed to secure a distributor in key markets such as the US and the UK. The Cannes Film Festival in 2006 saw Binoche feature in the

anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...

Paris, je t'aime ''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ''Paris, I love you'') is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different arrondissements (districts). The 22 director ...

'' appearing in a section directed by the Japanese director

Nobuhiro Suwa is a Japanese film director working in Japan and France. His directorial works and screenplays often make use of improvisation techniques. Currently, Suwa is the President of Tokyo Zokei University. Biography Having graduated from Hiroshima ...

. Suwa's ''

Place des Victoires The Place des Victoires is a circular ''place'' in Paris, located a short distance northeast from the Palais Royal and straddling the border between the 1st and the 2nd arrondissements. The Place des Victoires is at the confluence of six street ...

'' is the story of a grief-stricken mother who manages to have a final brief moment with her dead son. The segment also features

Willem Dafoe Willem James Dafoe (; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, in addition to receiving nominations for four Academy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, t ...

and

Hippolyte Girardot Hippolyte Girardot (born Frédéric Girardot; 10 October 1955) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. He is the father of actress Ana Girardot. Selected filmography * 1973: '' La Femme de Jean'', directed by Yannick Bellon, Rémi * ...

. ''Paris, je t'aime'' was a popular success, taking over $17 million, at the world box-office. In September 2006, Binoche appeared at the

to launch '' A Few Days in September'', written and directed by

Santiago Amigorena Santiago Amigorena (; born 15 February 1962 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine screenwriter, film producer, film director and writer. In 2007, he was nominated at the Mar del Plata Film Festival for Best Film with '' A Few Days in Septem ...

. Despite an impressive cast including

John Turturro John Michael Turturro (; born February 28, 1957) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his contributions to the independent film movement. He has appeared in over sixty feature films and has worked frequently with the Coen brothers, ...

Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tides''. He received ...

and up-and-coming French star

Sara Forestier Sara Forestier (born 4 October 1986) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter. Life and career Forestier began her film career in 2001. She received a César Award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in '' Games of Love and ...

, the film was a failure. ''A Few Days in September'' is a thriller set between 5 and 11 September 2001, in which Binoche plays a French secret service agent, who may, or may not, have information relating to impending attacks on the U.S. The film was the recipient of harsh criticism from the press for its perceived trivialisation of the events of 11 September 2001. While promoting the film in the UK, Binoche told an interviewer she believed the CIA and other government agencies must have had foreknowledge of the

11 September attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerci ...

, as depicted in the film. Next, Binoche traveled to the

2006 Toronto International Film Festival The 31st Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 7 to September 16, 2006. Opening the festival was Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn's '' The Journals of Knud Rasmussen'', a film that "explores the history of the through the eyes of ...

for the premiere of '' Breaking and Entering'', her second film with Anthony Minghella in the director's chair, based on his first original screenplay since his breakthrough film ''

Truly, Madly, Deeply ''Truly, Madly, Deeply'' is a 1990 British fantasy drama film made for the BBC's ''Screen Two'' series, by BBC Films, Lionheart and Winston Pictures. The film, written and directed by Anthony Minghella, stars Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman. ...

'' (1991). In ''Breaking and Entering'', Binoche played a Bosnian refugee living in London, while

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...

co-starred as a well-to-do businessman drawn into her life via an act of deception. In preparation for her role, Binoche traveled to

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...

where she met women who had survived the war of the 1990s. Lushly photographed by

Benoît Delhomme Benoît Delhomme (born 28 August 1961) is a French film cinematographer who has also worked in American and British films. He graduated from the École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière in 1982. He was assistant cameraman on ''Jean de Florette ...

, ''Breaking and Entering'' portrays intersecting lives amongst the flux of urban renewal in inner-city London. Despite the fact that Binoche was praised for her performance, the film did not ring true for critics and failed to find an audience. In a review in

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

, Todd McCarthy writes that, "Binoche, physically unchanged as ever, plays Amira's controlled anguish with skill". ''Breaking and Entering'' also featured

Robin Wright Robin Gayle Wright (born April 8, 1966) is an American actress. She has won a Golden Globe Award and a Satellite Award, and has received eleven Emmy Award nominations for her work in television. Wright first gained attention for her role in t ...

Vera Farmiga Vera Ann Farmiga ( ; born August 6, 1973) is an American actress who is best known for portraying paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren in the Conjuring Universe films ''The Conjuring'' (2013), ''The Conjuring 2'' (2016), ''Annabelle Comes ...

, Juliet Stevenson,

Rafi Gavron Raphael Pichey Gavron (born 24 June 1989) is an English-American actor. He had supporting roles in the films ''Breaking and Entering'' (2006), ''Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist'' (2008), '' A Star Is Born'' (2018), and the series '' Life Unex ...

and

Martin Freeman Martin John Christopher Freeman (born 8 September 1971) is an English actor. Among other accolades, he has won an Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Freeman's most not ...

. Although Binoche began the decade on a professional high with an Academy Award nomination for ''Chocolat'', she struggled at the beginning of the 2000s to secure roles that did not confine her to the tragic, melancholic persona developed in the 1990s. Despite the huge success of ''Caché'', other high-profile films such as ''In My Country'', ''Bee Season'' and ''Breaking and Entering'' failed critically and commercially. Binoche again seemed to be at a crossroads in her career.

2007–2012

2007 was the start of a particularly busy period for Binoche, one that would see her take on diverse roles in a series of critically acclaimed international movies giving her film career a new impetus, as she shed the restrictions that seemed to have stifled her career in the early part of the decade. The Cannes Film Festival saw the premiere of '' Flight of the Red Balloon'' (2007) by the Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien. It was originally conceived as a short film to form part of a 20th anniversary tribute to the

Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) ( en, Orsay Museum) is a museum in Paris, France, on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French a ...

, to be produced by Serge Lemoine, president of the museum. When that idea failed to find sufficient funding, Hou developed it into a feature-length film and secured the necessary financing. The film was well received by international critics and went on to debut around the world early in 2008. Paying homage to

Albert Lamorisse Albert Lamorisse (; 13 January 1922 – 2 June 1970) was a French filmmaker, film producer, and writer of award-winning short films which he began making in the late 1940s. He also invented the strategic board game '' Risk'' in 1957. Life Lamo ...

's 1957 short '' The Red Balloon'', Hou's film tells the story of a woman's efforts to juggle her responsibilities as a single mother with her commitment to her career as a voice artist. Shot on location in Paris, the film was entirely improvised by the cast. The film was number one on the influential critic J. Hoberman's "Top 10 List" for 2008 published in

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

. She was also honored with the Maureen O'Hara Award at the

Kerry Film Festival The Kerry Film Festival is an annual film festival that takes place in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland, during October / November. The Kerry Film Festival is funded by Kerry County Council, Fáilte Irelandthe Arts Councilas well as having corpo ...

in 2010, an award offered to women who have excelled in their chosen field in film. '' Disengagement'' by

Amos Gitai Amos Gitai ( he, עמוס גיתאי; born 11 October 1950) is an Israeli filmmaker, who was trained as an architect. Gitai's work was presented in several major retrospectives in Pompidou Center in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and ...

premiered out-of-competition at the 2007 Venice Film Festival. Co-starring Liron Levo and

Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. M ...

, ''Disengagement'' is a political drama charting the story of a French woman, of Dutch/Palestinian origin, who goes in search of a daughter she abandoned 20 years previously on the Gaza strip. She arrives in Gaza during the 2005 Israeli disengagement. The film won the prestigious Premio Roberto Rossellini and was critically acclaimed, particularly by the eminent ''

Cahiers du cinéma ''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab ...

''. However the film proved more controversial in Israel where state television station Channel 1 withdrew financial support for the film citing the "left-wing nature of Gitai's films". In stark contrast,

Peter Hedges Peter Simpson Hedges (born July 6, 1962) is an American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, film director and film producer. Early life Hedges was born in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he was raised, the son of Carole (Simpson), a psychotherapis ...

co-wrote and directed the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

-produced ''

Dan in Real Life ''Dan in Real Life'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Hedges, and stars Steve Carell, Alison Pill, Juliette Binoche, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney and Dane Cook. This is the first Touchstone Pictures film to be distributed by W ...

'', a romantic comedy featuring Binoche alongside

Steve Carell Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in ''The Office'' (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where Ca ...

. It was released in October 2007, becoming a popular commercial success in the US, before debuting around the world in 2008. The film grossed over $65 million at the worldwide box-office. ''Dan in Real Life'' is the story of a widowed man (Carell) who meets, and instantly falls for, a woman (Binoche), only to discover she is the new girlfriend of his brother. The film also features

Dane Cook Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released six comedy albums: '' Harmful If Swallowed''; ''Retaliation''; ''Vicious Circle''; '' Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garde ...

, Emily Blunt and

Dianne Wiest Dianne Evelyn Wiest (; born March 28, 1948) is an American actress. She has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress for 1986’s '' Hannah and Her Sisters'' and 1994’s ''Bullets over Broadway'' (both of which were directed by Woo ...

. Back in France, Binoche experienced popular and critical success in ''

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

'' directed by

Cédric Klapisch Cédric Klapisch ( ; born 4 September 1961) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Klapisch was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine. He is from a Jewish family; his maternal grandparents were deported to Ausc ...

. ''Paris'' is Klapisch's personal ode to the French capital and features an impressive ensemble of French talent, including

Romain Duris Romain Duris (; born 28 May 1974) is a French actor. He is known for his role in Cédric Klapisch's ''Spanish Apartment'' trilogy, which consists of '' L'Auberge Espagnole'' (2002), '' Russian Dolls'' (2005), and ''Chinese Puzzle'' (2013). He al ...

Fabrice Luchini Fabrice Luchini (; born Robert Luchini; 1 November 1951) is a French stage and film actor. He has appeared in films such as '' Potiche'', '' The Women on the 6th Floor'', and '' In the House''. For his role in the 2015 film '' Courted'' he won ...

and

Mélanie Laurent Mélanie Laurent (; born 21 February 1983) is a French actress, filmmaker, and singer. The recipient of two César Awards and a Lumières Award, she is an accomplished actress in the French film industry. Globally, she is best known for her rol ...

. ''Paris'' was one of the most successful French films internationally in recent years, having grossed over $22 million at the world box office. Binoche and Klapisch had originally met on the set of ''

'' in 1986, where Klapisch was working as a set electrician. Also in France, ''

Summer Hours ''Summer Hours'' (french: L'Heure d'été) is a 2008 French drama film written and directed by Olivier Assayas. It is the second in a series of films produced by the Musée d'Orsay, after '' Flight of the Red Balloon''. In the film, two brothers ...

'' (2008), directed by

Olivier Assayas Olivier Assayas (born 25 January 1955) is a French film director, screenwriter and film critic. Assayas is known for his slow-burning period pieces, psychological thrillers, neo-noirs and French comedies. His work has become synonymous with th ...

, is the critically acclaimed story of three siblings who struggle with the responsibility of disposing of their late mother's valuable art collection. The film premiered in France in March 2008 and had its U.S. debut at the 2008 New York Film Festival, before going on general release in the U.S. on 19 May 2009. Widely acclaimed, the film was nominated for the Prix Louis Delluc in France and appeared on numerous U.S. "Top 10 lists", including first place on David Edelstein's "Top 10 of 2009" list in ''

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

'' magazine, and J. R. Jones's list in the

Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by ...

. ''Summer Hours'' also features

Charles Berling Charles Berling (born 30 April 1958) is a French actor, director and screenwriter. Life and career Charles Berling, son of a navy doctor, is also the nephew of the literary critic Raymond Picard. His mother, Nadia, "only daughter of (French) s ...

Jérémie Renier (; born 6 January 1981) is a Belgian actor. His film debut was in the critically praised (1996), directed by the Dardenne brothers. He became better known to worldwide audiences in ''Brotherhood of the Wolf'' (2001) and (2005). The latter ...

and

Édith Scob Édith Scob (21 October 1937 – 26 June 2019) was a French film and theatre actress, best known for her role as the daughter with a disfigured face in '' Eyes Without a Face'' (1960). Early life and family Scob was born Édith Helena Vladimirov ...

. In the autumn of 2008, Binoche starred in a theatrical dance production titled ''in-i'', co-created with renowned choreographer Akram Khan. The show, a love story told through dance and dialogue, featured stage design by

Anish Kapoor Sir Anish Mikhail Kapoor (born 12 March 1954) is a British-Indian sculptor specializing in installation art and conceptual art. Born in Mumbai, Kapoor attended the elite all-boys Indian boarding school The Doon School, before moving to the UK t ...

and music by Philip Sheppard. It premiered at the National Theatre in London before embarking on a world tour. ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'' in the UK commented that, "Binoche's physical achievement is incredible: Khan is a master mover". The production was part of a 'Binoche Season' titled ''Ju'Bi'lations'', also featuring a retrospective of her film work and an exhibition of her paintings, which were also published in a bilingual book ''Portraits in Eyes''. The book featured ink portraits of Binoche as each of her characters and of each director she had worked with up to that time. She also penned a few lines to each director. In April 2006 and again in December 2007, Binoche traveled to Tehran at the invitation of Abbas Kiarostami. While there in 2007, she shot a cameo appearance in his film ''

Shirin Shirin ( fa, شیرین; died 628) was a Christian wife of the Sasanian King of Kings (''shahanshah'') Khosrow II (). In the revolution after the death of Khosrow's father Hormizd IV, the General Bahram Chobin took power over the Persian empire. ...

'' (2008) which he was shooting at the time. Binoche's visit proved controversial when two Iranian MPs raised the matter in parliament, advising more caution be exercised in granting visas to foreign celebrities which might lead to "cultural destruction". In June 2009, Binoche began work on ''

'' directed by Kiarostami. The film was an Official Selection in competition at the

2010 Cannes Film Festival The 63rd Cannes Film Festival was held from 12 to 23 May 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films scr ...

. Binoche won the Best Actress Award at the festival for her performance. The film went on general release in France on 19 May 2010 to very positive reviews. Her win at the 2010 Cannes Film festival makes Binoche the first actress to win the European "best actress triple crown": Best Actress at Venice for ''Three Colors: Blue'', Best Actress at Berlin for ''The English Patient'' and Best Actress at Cannes for ''Certified Copy''. The September 2010 UK release of the film was overshadowed when French actor

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 al ...

made disparaging comments about Binoche to the Austrian magazine ''

Profil Profil may refer to: *La Mouette Profil, a French hang glider design *Profil (band), a French musical group *''Profil (literary magazine)'', a Norwegian literary magazine *''profil (magazine)'', an Austrian news magazine * ''Profil (Russian magaz ...

'', "Please can you explain to me what the mystery of Juliette Binoche is meant to be?" he said. "I would really like to know why she has been so esteemed for so many years. She has nothing – absolutely nothing". In response, while promoting ''Certified Copy'', Binoche spoke to movie magazine ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' saying, "I don't know him. I understand you don't have to like everyone and you can dislike someone's work. But I don't understand the violence f his statements.. I do not understand why he is behaving like this. It is his problem." ''Certified Copy'' proved to be controversial in Kiarostami's homeland when Iranian authorities announced on 27 May 2010 that the film was to be banned in Iran, apparently due to Binoche's attire; Deputy Culture Minister Javad Shamaqdari is quoted as saying, "If Juliette Binoche were better clad it could have been screened but due to her attire there will not be a general screening." Cosmopolis Cannes 2012 2

Following the success of ''Certified Copy'', Binoche appeared in a brief supporting role in ''

The Son of No One ''The Son of No One'' is a 2011 American crime thriller film written by Dito Montiel based on a book of the same name, written by Montiel. The film is Dito Montiel's third collaboration with actor Channing Tatum. Plot In 2002, a young cop, Jonath ...

'' for American writer and director

Dito Montiel Orlandito Montiel is an American author, filmmaker, and musician. Early Career & Music Born in New York City, Montiel was active in the early '80s New York hardcore punk scene when he was vocalist for Queens-based Major Conflict. Later, he wou ...

. The film also stars

Channing Tatum Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor. Tatum made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his breakthrough role in the 2006 dance film '' Step Up''. He gained wider attention for his leading rol ...

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...

and

Ray Liotta Raymond Allen Liotta (; December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Shoeless Joe Jackson in ''Field of Dreams'' (1989) and Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's ''Goodfellas'' (1990). He was a Primet ...

. ''The Son of No One'' premiered at the

2011 Sundance Film Festival The 27th annual Sundance Film Festival took place from January 20, 2011 until January 30, 2011 in Park City, Utah, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ogden, Utah, and Sundance, Utah. The festival opened with five screenings, one from each c ...

to fairly negative reaction. It was acquired by

Anchor Bay Entertainment Anchor Bay Entertainment (formerly Video Treasures and Starmaker Entertainment) was an American home entertainment and production company. It was a subsidiary of Starz Inc. Anchor Bay Entertainment marketed and sold feature films, television se ...

for distribution in the US and other key territories arriving in selected US cinemas on 4 November 2011. , according to film review aggregator ''Rotten Tomatoes'', ''The Son of No One'' is Juliette Binoche's least critically successful film, with only 18% of critics giving it a positive review. In June 2010, Binoche started work on '' Elles'' for Polish director

Małgorzata Szumowska Małgorzata Szumowska (; born 26 February 1973) is a Poles, Polish film director, screenwriter and producer, born in Kraków. Her 2013 film ''In the Name Of (film), In the Name Of'' received the Teddy Award for Best Feature at the 63rd Berlin In ...

. ''Elles'', produced under the working title ''Sponsoring'', is an examination of teenage prostitution with Juliette Binoche playing a journalist for ''

ELLE ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

''. The film was released in France on 1 February 2012. On 12 January 2011, Variety announced that Juliette Binoche would star in '' Another Woman's Life'' loosely based on the novel ''La Vie d'une Autre'' by Frédérique Deghelt. Released in France on 15 February 2012, the film is the directorial debut of the French actress

Sylvie Testud Sylvie Testud (born 17 January 1971) is a French actress hose film career est Actress for '' Fear and Trembling'' (2003), and the European Film Award for Best Actress for '' Lourdes'' (2009). Her other film roles include '' Beyond Silence'' ( ...

and co-stars actor/director

Mathieu Kassovitz Mathieu Kassovitz (; born 3 August 1967) is a French actor, film director, film producer and screenwriter. He is the founder of MNP Entreprise, a film production company. He has won three César Awards: Most Promising Actor for '' See How They ...

. ''Another Woman's Life'' is the story of Marie (Binoche) a young woman who meets and spends the night with Paul (Kassovitz). When she wakes up, she discovers that 15 years have passed. With no memory of these years she learns she has acquired an impressive career, a son and a marriage to Paul which seems headed for divorce. The film met with generally mixed reviews in France. On 17 February 2011, Screendaily announced that Binoche had been cast in David Cronenberg's film '' Cosmopolis'' with

Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. Known for starring in both big-budget and independent films, Pattinson has ranked among the world's highest-paid actors. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 10 ...

Paul Giamatti Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (; born June 6, 1967) is an American actor and film producer. He first garnered attention for his breakout role in '' Private Parts'' as Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton, leading to supporting roles in ''Saving Private R ...

Mathieu Amalric Mathieu Amalric (; born 25 October 1965) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known internationally for his roles in the James Bond film ''Quantum of Solace'', in which he played the lead villain, Steven Spielberg's ''Munich'', Wes Ander ...

, and

Samantha Morton Samantha Jane Morton (born 13 May 1977) is an English actress and director. Known for her work in independent cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two ...

. Binoche appeared in a supporting role as a New York art dealer, Didi Fancher, who is having an affair with Pattinson's Eric Packer. The film, produced by Paulo Branco, began principal photography on 24 May 2011 and was released in 2012, following a competition slot at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. ''Cosmopolis'' received mixed reviews from critics. August 2012 saw the French release of ''An Open Heart'' opposite

Édgar Ramírez Édgar Filiberto Ramírez Arellano (, born 25 March 1977) is a Venezuelan actor. Ramírez studied communications at the Andrés Bello Catholic University. He then worked in media and considered becoming a diplomat. When Guillermo Arriaga pra ...

and directed by

Marion Laine Marion Laine is a French actor, screenwriter and film director. Her 2008 film '' A Simple Heart'' was entered into the 30th Moscow International Film Festival The 30th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 19 to 28 June 2008. The G ...

. Based on the novel ''Remonter l'Orénoque'' by

Mathias Énard Mathias Énard (born 1972) is a French novelist. He studied Persian and Arabic and spent long periods in the Middle East. He has lived in Barcelona for about fifteen years, interrupted in 2013 by a writing residency in Berlin. He won several awa ...

, the film is the story of the obsessive relationship between two highly successful surgeons. The film depicts the consequences of an unexpected pregnancy and alcoholism upon their relationship. The second film directed by Laine, ''An Open Heart'' met with tepid reviews in France and poor box office receipts.

2013–present

Released at the 2013

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...

Bruno Dumont Bruno Dumont (; born 14 March 1958) is a French film director and screenwriter. To date, he has directed ten feature films, all of which border somewhere between realistic drama and the avant-garde. His films have won several awards at the Canne ...

's ''

Camille Claudel 1915 ''Camille Claudel 1915'' is a 2013 French biographical film written and directed by Bruno Dumont. The film premiered in competition at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. Plot At the end of her career the sculptor Camille Claudel seem ...

'' is a drama recounting three days of the 30 years French artist

Camille Claudel Camille Rosalie Claudel (; 8 December 1864 19 October 1943) was a French sculptor known for her figurative works in bronze and marble. She died in relative obscurity, but later gained recognition for the originality and quality of her work. The ...

(Binoche) spent in a mental asylum though she had not been diagnosed with any malady. The film examines Claudel's fight to maintain her sanity and find creative inspiration while awaiting a visit from her brother, the poet

Paul Claudel Paul Claudel (; 6 August 1868 – 23 February 1955) was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholicism. Early lif ...

. The film received excellent reviews with Binoche in particular gaining excellent reviews for her performance. Following this, Binoche completed work on '' A Thousand Times Good Night'' for director

Erik Poppe Erik Poppe (born 24 June 1960) is a Norwegian film director, producer and screenwriter. Poppe is regarded as one of Scandinavia's most experienced and compelling film directors recognized for his work with actors and multi-pronged narrative ...

in which she plays a war photographer and the romantic drama '' Words and Pictures'' with

Clive Owen Clive Owen (born 3 October 1964) is an English actor. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for playing the lead role in the ITV series ''Chancer'' from 1990 to 1991. He received critical acclaim for his work in the film '' Close ...

from veteran director

Fred Schepisi Frederic Alan Schepisi ( ; Kael, Pauline (1984). '' Taking It All In''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 55. born 26 December 1939) is an Australian film director, producer and screenwriter. His credits include '' The Chant of Jimmie ...

. She co-starred in

Gareth Edwards Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947) is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey". In 2003, in a poll of international ...

's ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film '' Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produ ...

'', which was theatrically released in May 2014. August 2013 saw Binoche reunite with

for ''

Clouds of Sils Maria ''Clouds of Sils Maria'' (known simply as ''Sils Maria'' in some territories) is a 2014 psychological drama film written and directed by Olivier Assayas, and starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, and Chloë Grace Moretz. The film is a Fren ...

''. The film was written especially for Binoche and plot elements parallel her life. It also featured

Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Aca ...

and

Chloë Grace Moretz Chloë Grace Moretz (; born February 10, 1997) is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including four MTV Movie & TV Awards, two People's Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards, and two Young Artist Awards. She began acti ...

. The film had its debut at Cannes 2014. Following this role Binoche was slated to appear in ''Nobody Wants the Night'' by

Isabel Coixet Isabel Coixet Castillo (; born 9 April 1960 ) is a Spanish film director. She is one of the most prolific film directors of contemporary Spain, having directed twelve feature-length films since the beginning of her film career in 1988, in additio ...

which was due to begin shooting late in 2013. In 2015, Binoche starred on stage in a new English language translation of ''Antigone''. Directed by

Ivo van Hove Ivo van Hove (born 28 October 1958) is a Belgian theatre director known as the artistic director of Toneelgroep Amsterdam in the Netherlands and for his Off-Broadway avant-garde experimental theatre productions. On Broadway, he has directed revi ...

, the production had a world premier in Luxembourg at the end of February. Then, it embarked an international tour to London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Paris, Recklinghausen and New York. Binoche narrated the new documentary film titled ''Talking about Rose'' about the

Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...

soldier Rose Lokissim who fought against

Hissène Habré Hissène Habré (Arabic: ''Ḥusaīn Ḥabrī'', Chadian Arabic: ; ; 13 August 1942 – 24 August 2021), also spelled Hissen Habré, was a Chadian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 5th president of Chad from 1982 u ...

's dictatorship in the 1980s. In 2016, Binoche reunited with

for a comedy film ''

Slack Bay ''Slack Bay'' (french: Ma Loute) is a 2016 French comedy film directed by Bruno Dumont. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Set on the north-west coast of France in the summer of 1910, with black hum ...

''. The 2016 Cannes Film Festival saw the première of ''Slack Bay'' (''Ma Loute''), also starring

and

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, also written Bruni-Tedeschi (; born 16 November 1964), is an Italian-French actress, screenwriter and film director. Her 2013 film, ''A Castle in Italy,'' was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. ...

, which is a burlesque comedy based in the Ambleteuse region of Northern France. Set in 1910, the film tells the unusual story of two families linked by an unlikely romance. ''Ma Loute'' won much praise from French critics and was a popular success at the French box office. Following the success of her reunion with Bruno Dumont, Juliette Binoche next made a special appearance in '' Polina, danser sa vie'' (2016) directed by Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj, focusing on the story of a gifted Russian ballerina, Polina (Anastasia Shevtsoda). From Moscow to Aix-En-Provence and Antwerp, from success to disillusion, we follow Polina's incredible destiny. Binoche portrays a choreographer, Liria Elsaj, who awakens a desire in Polina to move away from classical ballet to explore more contemporary dance. In October 2017, she performed Barbara's autobiographical prose in the Philharmonie de Paris, accompanied by the French pianist

Alexandre Tharaud Alexandre Tharaud (born 9 December 1968) is a French pianist. He is active on the concert stage and has released a large and diverse discography. Life and career Born in Paris, Tharaud discovered the music scene through his mother who was a danc ...

. '' Telle mère, telle fille'' (''Like Mother, Like Daughter'') (2017) is a comedy from Noémie Saglio and features Binoche as a free-wheeling 47-year-old who falls pregnant at the same time as her uptight daughter Avril (

Camille Cottin Camille Cottin (; born 1 December 1978) is a French actress and comedian. Following her debut as a stage actress, she became known in 2013 for playing a capricious Parisian woman in the Canal+ hidden camera-sketches series ''Connasse'' (2013–20 ...

). The film also features

, reuniting with Binoche 32 years after they were a sensation at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival in André Téchiné's ''Rendez-Vous''. In May 2017 Binoche and Cottin appeared together again, this time on the small screen in the final episode of the second season of ''

Dix Pour Cent ''Call My Agent!'' (french: Dix pour cent, lit=Ten Percent) is a French comedy-drama television series that premiered on France 2 on 14 October 2015. The series depicts talent agents at the fictional agency ASK (''Agence Samuel Kerr'') and their ...

'' (''Call My Agent'') where Juliette Binoche played herself in a tongue-in-cheek episode centering on the Cannes Film Festival. Returning to the big screen, Binoche next appeared in a supporting role in Rupert Sanders's big screen adaptation of the cult manga ''

Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the seinen manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized in 1989 under the subtitle of ''The Ghost in the Shell'' ...

'' (2017). Binoche played Dr Ouelet, a scientist with the Hanka organization responsible for creating the ghost in the shell, Major, portrayed by

Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has featured multiple times on the ''Forbes'' Celebrity 100 list. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 ...

. Binoche, Sanders and Johansson did extensive promotion for the film in the US, Japan, Europe and Australia. May 2017 saw the première of Claire Denis's '' Un Beau Soleil Intérieur'' (''Let the Sunshine In'') (2017) at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is the story of a middle-aged Parisian artist, Isabelle (Binoche), who is searching for true love at last. The film depicts her many encounters with a number of unsuitable men. The film also features

Xavier Beauvois Xavier Beauvois (; born 20 March 1967) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. Career His film ''Don't Forget You're Going to Die'' was entered into the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize. His film '' Of Gods and ...

Nicolas Duvauchelle Nicolas Duvauchelle (born 27 March 1980) is a French actor, perhaps best known for his role as Theo in three seasons of the crime drama '' Braquo''. Career Duvauchelle starred in numerous films including ''Lightweight'', '' À tout de suite'' ...

Josiane Balasko Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer, and director. She has been nominated seven times for César Awards, and won twice. Career One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is ...

, Valeria-Bruni Tedeschi and

. ''Un Beau Soleil Intérieur'' was a success with audiences and critics around the world. Next, Binoche appeared in

Naomi Kawase is a Japanese film director. She was also known as , with her former husband's surname. Many of her works have been documentaries, including ''Embracing'', about her search for the father who abandoned her as a child, and ''Katatsumori'', about ...

's ''

Vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...

'' (2018). Following that, she reunited with

Claire Denis Claire Denis (; born 21 April 1946) is a French film director and screenwriter. Her feature film ''Beau Travail'' (1999) has been called one of the greatest films of the 1990s, as well as of all time. Other acclaimed works include '' Trouble Ev ...

for the English language '' High Life'' (2018), Olivier Assayas for '' Doubles Vies'' (2019) and Patrice Leconte for ''La maison vide'' (2019).

Personal life

Binoche has two children: son Raphaël (born on 2 September 1993), whose father is André Halle, a professional scuba diver, and daughter Hana (born on 16 December 1999), whose father is actor

, with whom Binoche starred in the 1999 film ''

''. Her sister, Marion Stalens, born 1960, is a professional photographer with Corbis, as well as a director of documentary films, including: ''La réconciliation?'', a documentary shot on the set of John Boorman's film '' In My Country''; ''The Actress and the Dancer'', which explores genesis of Binoche's dance show ''In-I''; and ''Juliette Binoche – Sketches for a Portrait'', a documentary which follows Binoche as she paints the portraits that would later appear in her book ''Portraits in Eyes''. Marion is married to stage director Pierre Pradinas. Her half-brother Camille Humeau (born 1978) is an acclaimed musician and has been part of the line-up of Oncle Strongle, before top-lining the group Artichaut Orkestra. In 2007, he appeared in a stage production of ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...

'' directed by

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was knighted in the 2020 New Years Honours List. That s ...

Charitable work

Since 1992, Binoche has been a patron of the French

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...

n charity ''Enfants d'Asie'' (previously ASPECA). Through this charity, she is godmother to five Cambodian orphans, and has funded the construction of a children's home in

Battambang Battambang ( km, បាត់ដំបង, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang Province and the third largest city in Cambodia. Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is the leading rice-producing province of the cou ...

. Starting in 2000, she has been involved with the organization

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; french: Reporters sans frontières; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as found ...

. In 2002, she presided over "Photos of Stars" with

Thierry Ardisson Thierry Ardisson (; born 6 January 1949, Bourganeuf, Creuse), is a French television producer and host and a movie producer. Many of his shows have some of the longest run times on French television, such as ''Paris Dernière'', ''Tout le mon ...

. Nearly 100 French stars were given disposable cameras, which were then auctioned, the buyer then having the exclusive photos taken by the star developed.

Political views and activism

French actress Juliette Binoche in one of the VLT enclosures

On 7 February 2006, Binoche attended a high-profile demonstration organized by

in support of

Jill Carroll Jill Carroll (born October 6, 1977) is an American former journalist who worked for news organizations such as '' The Wall Street Journal'', MSNBC, and the ''Christian Science Monitor''. On January 7, 2006 while working for the ''Monitor'', she ...

and two Iraqi journalists who had been abducted in Baghdad. She supported

José Bové Joseph "José" Bové (born 11 June 1953) is a French farmer, politician and syndicalist, member of the alter-globalization movement, and spokesman for Via Campesina. He was one of the twelve official candidates in the 2007 French presidential elec ...

in the

2007 French presidential election Presidential elections were held in France on 21 and 22 April 2007 to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France (and ''ex officio'' Co-Prince of Andorra) for a five-year term. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, ...

, which was won by

Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...

. She disclosed on a number of occasions that she did not approve of the Sarkozy administration, stating that he was creating a monarchic republic. In 2009, she gave her opinion on the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

during the shooting of ''Quelques jours en septembre'', a spy film that tells that several interest groups, including the American secret services, were aware of an imminent attack on the United States, during which she talks with a secret agent, consultant for the film, and then states in an English newspaper: "He couldn’t tell me everything, but he told me a lot." "I was surprised by some things." For her, the CIA and others knew about it. Binoche and numerous other French personalities, including Isabelle Adjani,

Yvan Attal Yvan is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Jacques-Yvan Morin, GOQ (born 1931), politician in Quebec, Canada *Marc-Yvan Côté (born 1947), former Quebec politician and Cabinet Minister for the Quebec Liberal Party *Maurice-Yvan S ...

, Jane Birkin, and

, joined Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières (RESF) on 7 January 2010 with a symbolic "cake of solidarity" to highlight the taxation and legitimacy issues being faced by undocumented workers in France. Binoche was a signatory to a June 2010 petition organized by Reporters Without Borders and

Shirin Ebadi Shirin Ebadi ( fa, شيرين عبادى, Širin Ebādi; born 21 June 1947) is an Iranian political activist, lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was ...

to protest against the detention of numerous people, including members of the press, who were protesting the occasion of the first anniversary of the disputed re-election of Iran's president

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدی‌نژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956),

. At the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Binoche spoke out against the detention of Iranian director

Jafar Panahi Jafar Panâhi ( fa, جعفر پناهی, ; born 11 July 1960) is an Iranian film director, screenwriter, and film editor, commonly associated with the Iranian New Wave film movement. After several years of making short films and working as an ass ...

, incarcerated in Tehran's Evin Prison since 1 March 2010 without charge or conviction. At the press conference following the press screening of ''Copie Conforme'', Binoche was informed that Panahi had begun a hunger strike.Binoche's appeal "very influential" in Iranian director's release , The Observers
Observers.france24.com (25 May 2010). Retrieved 7 January 2011. The following day, Binoche attended a press conference called especially to demand the release of Panahi. Also in attendance were

Mohsen Makhmalbaf Mohsen Makhmalbaf ( fa, محسن مخملباف, ''Mohsen Makhmalbaaf''; born May 29, 1957) is an Iranian film director, writer, film editor, and producer. He has made more than 20 feature films, won some 50 awards and been a juror in more than 1 ...

, and Gilles Jacob. Binoche read a letter that said that Panahi's detention was "unwarranted and intolerable". When Binoche was awarded the Best Actress award at the festival, brandishing his name on a placard, she used her speech as an opportunity to raise Panahi's plight once again. On 25 May, it was announced that Panahi had been released on bail. It was generally agreed that the publicity Binoche and Kiarostami elicited for his case was a strong factor in his release. On 20 December 2010, Panahi, after being prosecuted for "assembly and colluding with the intention to commit crimes against the country's national security and propaganda against the Islamic Republic", was handed a six-year jail sentence and a 20-year ban on making or directing any movies, writing screenplays, giving any form of interview with Iranian or foreign media, as well as leaving the country. Binoche continued to lobby on his behalf. In May 2018, she co-authored a tribune in the newspaper ''

Le Monde ''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...

'', in which she opposed the lawsuit brought by the French judiciary to three people who had helped migrants, and said she had already helped migrants in need and intends to continue to do so. In February 2019, during a press conference at the

, Binoche said that

Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (; born March 19, 1952) is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. He and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films includ ...

was a great producer and "we shouldn't forget, even though it has been difficult for some directors and actors, and especially actresses". Binoche also said: "I almost want to say peace to his mind and heart, that’s all, I’m trying to put my feet in his shoes. He’s had enough, I think. A lot of people have expressed themselves. Now justice has to do its work."

Early life

Career

1984–1991

1992–2000

2001–2006

2007–2012

2013–present

Personal life

Charitable work

Political views and activism

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Accolades

References

External links