Powerfully and captivatingly exploring your deep-rooted emotions, desires and ideals during a period of intense personal exploration, as you struggle to find your true purpose in life, can be a harrowing obstacle. But once you find your true passion that completely fulfills your sense of self, you undoubtedly begin to feel like you found your real purpose in life. That struggle to overcome any challenges you\u2019re faced with, and becoming completely happy in your life, is enthrallingly explored in writer-director Olivier Assayas\u2019s new drama, \u2018Clouds of Sils Maria.\u2019 The movie, which screened for the press on October 8 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center\u2019s Walter Reade Theater during the 52nd New York Film Festival (NYFF), not only emphasizes the profound realizations the two main characters come to terms with while examining their relationship, but also highlights the authentic chemistry and prowess of actresses Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche.<\/p>\n
\u2018Clouds of Sils Maria\u2019 follows the career dilemma world renowned actress Maria Enders (Binoche), who has achieved success both in serious European theater and Hollywood blockbusters. She achieved her breakthrough and career-defining role when she was just 18 in a film written by her mentor, Wilhelm Melchior. The actress played the role of Sigrid, who emotionally scars her boss Helen, who\u2019s twice her age and has become obsessed with her. <\/p>\n
Now, following Wilhelm\u2019s shocking death, Maria must come to terms with her experience on the film, as she has been asked to play Helen in a London stage production of the story. The prospect of playing the older woman, particularly alongside up-and-coming Hollywood starlet, Jo-Ann Ellis (Chlo\u00eb Grace Moretz), who has become more well-known for her DUIs and shocking behavior than her acting, is both enticing and terrifying to Maria. Playing Helen, particularly alongside Jo-Ann\u2019s portrayal of Sigrid, forces Maria to contend with her own aging and mortality. <\/p>\n
Maria\u2019s struggle with the decision of whether to follow through with the play is also heartbreaking to her in the sense that her views on Helen and Sigrid\u2019s illicit affair reflect the quickly changing dynamics with her personal assistant, Valentine (Stewart). While the two continuously run lines for the play in an isolated inn they\u2019re sharing in the Alps, the women\u2019s increasingly clashing views on life and their ideals about relationships make them not only question their respective careers, but also their lives\u2019 ambitions and personal relationship with each other.<\/p>\n
During the press conference for \u2018Clouds of Sils Maria\u2019 following the NYFF press screening, Binoche revealed she became involved in the acclaimed drama because she wanted to delve into a project that dealt with feminine values. The actress explained, \u201cI began thinking, \u2018Who do I want to make this (type of) film with, who can really write about it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
So Binoche called Assayas with the idea, and the two had an open discussion about the world she wanted to explore. The filmmaker asked the performer to give him time to think about how to best explore the subject on screen. \u201cHe said, \u2018Give me two weeks to write something, and see if something comes out of it,\u2019\u201d the actress revealed.<\/p>\n
The French performer noted that after the two-week period the director asked for, during which he was characteristically working on a few different ideas for various projects, he came up with an initial idea for \u2018clouds of Sils Maria.\u2019 \u201cThen I had a script a year-and-a-half afterwards, and I felt like I provoked him, but he provoked more than I did,\u201d Binoche added.<\/p>\n
Stewart then revealed that when she was first approached to take part in \u2018Clouds of Sils Maria,\u2019 she was asked to play Moretz\u2019s part. \u201cIt was something that I knew so well,\u201d the former \u2018Twilight\u2019 star explained about the Jo-Ann role, adding \u201cthat it wasn\u2019t something that I was interested in living.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the story is heavily told through Maria\u2019s perspective, \u201cthe perception you get of (Jo-Ann) is narrow, just because of the eyes you\u2019re seeing her through,\u201d Stewart elaborated on why she instead gravitated to the role of Valentine. \u201cI wanted to play something that I observed but had not done,\u201d the star also noted on her desire to bring Maria\u2019s personal assistant to life.<\/p>\n
While Assayas initially did want Stewart to play Moretz\u2019s role of Jo-Ann, he agreed that the reverse casting \u201cwould have (made it) a completely different film.\u201d The writer-director also admitted to the \u2018Camp X-Ray\u2019 star that \u201cwhen you told me you preferred the part of Valentine, I completely understood what you were saying, and I understood you were right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stewart also praised Assayas and Binoche\u2019s work and ideas, saying she \u201cobviously wanted to work with the both of them. I had to reign in the glee on my face. I had to make sure my cheeks weren\u2019t turning red and I wasn\u2019t in hysterical laughter when I said some of the lines that I said in the movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young actress also admitted that her \u201cexperiences and the life that I\u2019m living gave it this (film) irony,\u201d and felt that her ease of understanding Valentine made the drama more relevant. While Stewart quickly gained notoriety of her own while filming and promoting the successful \u2018Twilight Saga\u2019 film, series, and understands how fame affects celebrities, she doesn\u2019t think \u2018Clouds of Sils Maria\u2019 is a commentary on media. <\/p>\n
Instead of focusing on social observations, \u201cI just think the relationship between these two women is so unique,\u201d Stewart praised of Assayas\u2019 work. \u201cMost of the scripts I read, especially when you compare them to European filmmakers, have a certain set of dynamics that are reiterated, and it never stops.\u201d The actress was amazed that Valentine and Maria meant everything to each other, and thought it was interesting that you \u201ccan\u2019t categorize their relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n
Binoche also embraced the fact that Maria and Valentine are so close. To help emphasize their connection, the two stars started rehearsing at the beginning of the shoot, but they ultimately didn\u2019t think the process was helpful. \u201cKristen\u2019s way of working is completely different than mine\u2026she would ask for the script that morning, and quickly learn (her dialogue). But I would ask for the script pages a month in advance!\u201d But Binche, who thought her co-star had a seed of genius in learning her lines, felt that \u201cnot knowing what the other was going to play was more interesting,\u201d Binoche divulged.<\/p>\n
Assayas allowed the two to explore their scenes together as they were shooting, as with every take they filmed, each one delved deeper into their emotions. Binoche thinks the director\u2019s greatest quality is allowing things to happen on the set as they occurred. \u201cThere was a freedom in the way he directed that was secretive,\u201d but his approach allowed the acting duo to fully discover who they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started with the idea that I wanted to use Juliette in a film as Juliette,\u201d Assayas revealed about his directorial approach. \u201cThat\u2019s how that narrative took shape.\u201d While the filmmaker wasn\u2019t necessarily attached to the idea that Maria was an actress, he \u201crealized when I was writing that the work of an actress is not so much about the superficiality or the technique of acting. It\u2019s about absorbing humanity. It\u2019s about the way of finding the truth of a person\u2019s universal emotions.\u201d So he didn\u2019t view the drama just as chronicling the emotions of an actor; even though he thinks \u201cshowing the day to day work of an actress is beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re in a play, you\u2019re in the core of the emotion,\u201d Assayas also explained about why he decided to have Maria rehearse, and ultimately perform, in a theater production, instead of a film. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have been interested in having Valentine and Maria rehearse for a film, because it\u2019s not the same approach.\u201d<\/p>\n
The director was also interested in including the play Maria is performing in, because \u201cit has to do with aging and more complex issues, like desire\u2026this s an actress who\u2019s trying to understand what\u2019s going on in her head.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maria\u2019s struggle to fully connect with her character in the play is partly reflective of her personal relationship with her own younger assistant, and the slow acknowledgement that she has become too emotionally and mentally dependent on Valentine. Binoche noted that in a way, she played three characters in the movie, as Maria realizes she has largely been affected by her ever-changing relationship with her employee. <\/p>\n
\u201cI played\u2026(Maria) at the beginning, the (actress during the) working time, and then in the end it comes up to the character she\u2019s playing. The challenges (were) showing the difficulty of what it takes to act. There\u2019s a sort of subjugation of yourself as an actor, because you\u2019re putting yourself into layers of emotions that you don\u2019t always want to go through, since they are tough ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assayas praised the three lead actresses in \u2018Clouds of Sils Maria,\u2019 saying he \u201crealized how much Kristen, Juliette and Chloe gave of themselves. Not in the sense of your work but of your own identity. It\u2019s a movie where you never forget you are watching those actresses. The fact that you know those actresses are playing those parts is what the film is about.\u201d The writer-director hopes viewers realize they\u2019re watching both the actress and the part, and truly appreciate what the performers gave to their roles.<\/p>\n
Watch a clip, and check out exclusive photos, from the ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ at the 52nd New York Film Festival below.<\/p>\n