"Sydney in Wonderland" Isabelle Huppert is attracted to Japan, where tradition and modernity mix. [Actor's Interview Vol. 47]

The famous French actress Isabelle Huppert will be performing alongside Tsuyoshi Ihara in Japan. That alone is intriguing, but the fact that the heroine sees the ghost of her ex-husband when she visits Japan is also original and fascinating, as it is a Western version of a ghost story.

"Sidney in Wonderland," a new film by director Elise Girard, known for " The Silent Couple " (2017), tells the story of a writer named Sidney who loses her husband in an accident, visits Japan to republish an old novel, where she meets the ghost of her husband, and as a result is freed from the past and begins a new life. The ghost is portrayed in a way that is different from the stereotype, and the film is a love story for adults that maintains a balance between humor and deep emotion.

The highlight of the film is the presence of Isabelle Huppert, who appears nonchalant yet quietly expresses everything from silent sadness to feelings of rebirth with just one facial expression. It is no exaggeration to say that it was only possible because of her. With another masterpiece added to her collection, we spoke to Huppert about Japanese culture and her experience filming from her perspective.

Synopsis of "Sidney in Wonderland"

French author Sidney (Isabelle Huppert) is invited by a Japanese publishing company. Despite her fears of being in a strange country and with strangers, she arrives at the unfamiliar country of Japan. Guided by her taciturn editor Mizoguchi (Ihara Tsuyoshi), Sidney travels to Kyoto, Nara, and Naoshima during the cherry blossom season, speaking with Japanese readers. Then, the ghost of her late husband Antoine (August Diehl) appears before her...

Index

• The appeal of the director's unique image of Japan
• A cinephile's love for Japanese movies
• Human ghosts

The appeal of the director's unique image of Japan

Q: Recently, there has been an increase in French films and co-productions being shot in Japan, but this film is a very unique one, filled with director Elise Girard's feelings for Japan. What attracted you to this project as an actor?

Huppert: I think the French have a special affection for Japan. Most people fall in love with Japan when they go there. I have been to Japan many times for work and have even filmed there. It was Joseph Losey's The Trout (1982). But Elise (Girard)'s film has a unique tone and I liked the script. It's thoughtful, emotional, and humorous. For example, the exchange about Sidney's bag is funny, and has a bit of Buster Keaton-esque humor. It's also a metaphor for the character Sidney. I really liked that the film has a simple story, yet is complex.

I'd known Elise for a while - I'd seen her first film, Belleville Tokyo (2010), and my daughter Lolita Schammer was in her second film, The Silent Couple - so working with her was kind of a natural and exciting progression.

However, due to COVID-19, it took quite a while before we could actually start filming. When we finally got around to it, we were all set, and I just couldn't wait to start filming.

"Sidney in Wonderland" ©2023 10:15! PRODUCTIONS / LUPA FILM / BOX PRODUCTIONS / FILM-IN-EVOLUTION / FOURIER FILMS / MIKINO / LES FILMS DU CAMÉLIA

Q: As someone who knows Japan very well, what do you find attractive about it?

Huppert: It may sound cliché, but what I'm attracted to is the mix of tradition and modernity. That combination is interesting. I remember well when I shot "Trout," and it was the '80s, so it was still a very male-dominated society. Even when I went to a restaurant at night, there were a lot of male customers, which was different from Europe. But "Sidney in Wonderland" is a modern story, and it depicts both tradition and modernity. We visit temples, and there are contemporary places like Naoshima. I think the director is also fascinated by both.

A cinephile's love for Japanese movies