#21 - Mélanie Laurent + Nathalie Baye

Two of the most accomplished actresses in contemporary French cinema—Mélanie Laurent and Nathalie Baye—discuss their careers in one of our Free Talks, which are sponsored by HBO®. Nathalie Baye is a living legend of French cinema who began her career working with the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Maurice Pialat, and Francois Truffaut. More recently, Baye has shown no signs of slowing down as she continues to produce exciting work with directors like Tsai Ming-liang and Xavier Dolan. Her latest film, SK1, is a suspenseful thriller that chronicles the multi-year hunt, arrest, and trial of serial killer Guy Georges. This past Sunday, Baye sat down with César Award-winning actress and filmmaker, Mélanie Laurent to discuss their work and careers with film critic Stephen Witty in the Film Society's Amphitheater. Laurent is best known to American audiences for her work in films like INGLORIOUS BASTERDS and BEGINNERS. During the discussion, Baye spoke candidly about her relationship with directors, admitting that all she wants is “to be loved.” Truffaut, she said, was great with actors simply because he loved them well. On Godard, Baye said that he is “the biggest thief,” before adding, “I say [this] with the most tenderness.” Mélanie Laurent made her directorial debut with 2011’s THE ADOPTED, and her follow-up, BREATHE, made its New York premiere here at the Film Society this past Saturday. The actress turned director spoke at length about her experiences stepping behind the camera and gave her perspective on what makes actor-director relationships flourish. She also admitted that directing has been her dream since she was a little girl. Both SK1 and BREATHE are official selections of the 20th Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, currently underway at the Film Society. Co-produced with UniFrance films, the annual series surveys the latest and greatest in French cinema. . This podcast is brought to you by The Film Society of Lincoln Center. Film Lives Here. www.filmlinc.com