It’s fair to say that Bruno Dumont has favoured a quite bleak, unforgiving style of cinema – and his latest, Camille Claudel 1915, is certainly no different. The biopic is centred around the life of Camille Claudel, played by Juliette Binoche – a renowned sculpture who, following a break up with artist Auguste Rodin, had a breakdown and found herself confined to a mental institution. In spite of her somewhat speedy recovery, it’s where she spent the following 30 years of her life.
Dumont discusses how the project came into fruition, what it was like to work with real people suffering from mental illness as opposed to actors – and which Hollywood stars he would like to work with in the future.
How long have you been preparing for this movie – when did the idea of making it come to you?
In fact, it was when Juliette Binoche approached me to do a project together, I thought about what would fit, and then Camille Claudel became ideal.
Is that rare for an actor to approach a director with an idea? Was it then fun to try and find a role that perfectly suited Juliette?
It’s a really good idea, I really mean that. Because it was her that came and asked me, it was very easy for me to direct her.
There’s a very pensive opening to this title, which builds up towards a dramatic, emotional monologue by Camille to the doctor. Was the idea of having a slower start to enhance the impact of the big speech?
There is an increase in drama towards the dialogue. She in a psychiatric hospital where there is hardly anything spoken, and then you have Paul Claudel, who is one of the most important poets in French literature, who acts as a counterpoint to the silent world that she’s in, as this incredible narrator.
A handful of scenes are quite lengthy, single framed sequences – what was the thought process behind that technique?
It gives the intensity to the scene because of this tension of this one shot that is very difficult for Juliette to perform, which adds to the tension that had built up before that scene.
Juliette is stunning at the lead role, there are some scenes that are so wonderfully acted, were you ever caught up in the moment when directing? Were you able to stand back and appreciate what you were witnessing?
It’s my job to stay objective! That’s my job. But of course, she touched me. But also to work with the other women, the whole experience was incredible. Also for the crew, it was a very powerful, human experience for everyone. At the beginning everybody was afraid of these unstable women, but by the end everybody was hugging each other.
Is it important that the cast and crew take away as much from the movie as the audience?
Yeah, especially in this case. When we arrived on set, these women would physically touch you and you would withdraw, but eventually you were no longer afraid. In a way the audience go on the same journey. At the beginning it’s quite difficult, but eventually you’re embracing them too.
So what’s next for you – do you have any projects lined up?
I’ve done it already! I just shot a comedy TV series.
That’s quite a departure for you – not only being on the telly, but to make a comedy too. Was it quite different experience?
A comic is on the surface of things, so you’ve got to see them straight away. The idea of Camille Claudel is this meditation, there’s space for it, whereas in a comedy it has to be instant. It’s just immediate entertainment, but also very interesting to do.
You seem to write and direct all of your film projects – are you open to receiving scripts too, and working on other people’s creations?
I’m open to everything, I’m not dogmatic. I can work with actors, non-actors, animals…
Finally, you mentioned earlier that Juliette came to you and asked for a role. If one other actor in the world came and asked you to place them in your movie – who would you most like it to be?
Brad Pitt. I’d like to do a film with Brad Pitt, but he hasn’t asked yet [laughs]. I’d like to try it with a Hollywood machine, I’d like that. George Clooney too.
Camille Claudel is out in cinemas now.
