Sabine Azéma on Wild Grass

To celebrate New Wave Film’s recent DVD release of Wild Grass, Cinémoi talks to the brilliant and eclectic dame of the silver screen about her work with Tavernier and her latest impressive collaboration with real-life partner, Alain Resnais.

Sabine Azéma has firmly established herself as one of France’s most talented and revered actresses. After graduating from the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Azéma spent several years performing on stage before embarking upon an illustrious filming career in her late thirties.  She swiftly became the muse of her now-partner Alain Resnais, collaborating with him on several of his works, including Life Is a Bed of Roses, Love Unto Death, Smoking/Not Smoking (where she demonstrated her extraordinary versatility by playing multiple characters), Same Old Song, Not on the Lips and Cœurs . Azémba has also worked with the exceptional auteur, Bertrand Tavernier in the BAFTA award winning, Life and Nothing But and received a César for Best Actress for her stunning performance in A Sunday in the Country.

Wild Grass playfully examines the complications that ensue from the discovery by Georges (André Dussollier) of Marguerite’s (Sabine Azéma) stolen purse. This multi-layered story of the desire to hold off age, of self-doubt, of the sheer oddity of life is filled with mischievous touches and great humour, with terrific cinematography by Eric Gaultier.
Premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Wild Grass was widely recognised as being one of the most enjoyable and audacious films in the festival from the great auteur, Alain Resnais.