Villa Amalia Interview

France’s legendary screen actress Isabelle Huppert headlines Benoît Jacquot's sumptuous, passionate tale, adapted from the acclaimed novel by Pascal Quignard (All the Mornings of the World). Huppert stars as Ann Hidewitz, a world-class musician whose whole world collapses when she witnesses her husband kissing another woman. Without hesitation, she abandons him to embark on a transnational journey towards an unknown future that ultimately brings her to the secluded and isolated Italian island of Ischia, where Ann pushes herself to new extremes…

The fragility and resilience of the human spirit is an intriguing dichotomy that predominates in the oeuvre of Benoît Jacquot. Villa Amalia is Jacquot’s fifth collaboration with leading lady of choice, Isabelle Huppert, and is testament the pair’s symbiotic relationship developed over the years. Huppert’s beguiling presence in this masterfully orchestrated film truly expresses the director's enduring fascination for the propensity that human beings have for self-destruction and self-renewal. With this captivating central performance supplemented by impressive supporting contributions from Jean-Hugues Anglade and Maya Sansa, Benoît Jacquot composes a powerful and sublime visual symphony that both captivates and elevates with its raw poetry and humanity.

Cinémoi is delighted to present this exclusive interview with a great director reflecting on yet another great work of art, the challenges of filmmaking, and an enduringly fruitful relationship with the most consistently brilliant actress of our times.

Villa Amalia is released on DVD 4th October courtesy of Peccadillo Pictures