The 15th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in 2010 was energized by an impromptu dance. That year, Juliette Binoche (61 years old), who received the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Abbas Kiarostami’s movie *Love Copy* and came to Korea, performed lively moves at an after-party in Gwangalli. Binoche intensified the atmosphere by moving her body to ABBA’s song *Dancing Queen* at the farewell event for then-BIFF Executive Director Dong-ho Kim. Kim also participated in the fun with his “tour bus dance,” raising his hands high.

Fifteen years following that night, which remains a topic of discussion today, Binoche—now working as a director—came back to BIFF for its 30th anniversary. Her first full-length documentary, *In-I in Motion*, was selected for a special showing. The film documents the creation and live performances of *In-I*, a dance theater work she performed with British choreographer Akram Khan in 2008. “I have always loved reinvention and pushing boundaries,” Binoche said briefly during a press conference and masterclass at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu on the 25th. “The angel that leads artists is intuition. Even when the way forward isn’t clear, I relied on my inner voice and intuition to take leaps into new discoveries.”

Binoche’s instinct has guided her to become a renowned actress. She is the first performer to receive the Best Actress award at the three major film festivals: Venice for *Three Colors: Blue* (1993), Berlin for *The English Patient* (1996), and Cannes for *Love Copy*. For *The English Patient*, she was also honored with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She began her acting journey in André Téchiné’s *Rendezvous* (1985), and has appeared in around 70 films over four decades. In addition to film, she has delved into art through television, theater, and dance. This year, she also acted as a jury president at the Cannes Film Festival.

Her first film as a director, *In-I in Motion*, emerged from a partnership between two prominent figures. The late Robert Redford, who died on the 16th, inspired her to transform the dance theater production *In-I* into a movie. During an interview with Spanish media at the San Sebastián Film Festival on the 20th, Binoche shared, “In 2009, while performing *In-I* in New York, Redford came to my dressing room and kept saying, ‘You have to turn this into a film.’ Touched by his genuine enthusiasm, I responded, ‘I will, I definitely will.’” She continued, “His words stayed with me, and the process started when I asked my sister, photographer Marion, to record the last Paris performance.”

Even though she is over 60, her enthusiasm has not faded, much like it was 15 years ago when she danced spontaneously. She enthusiastically responded to each question with thorough explanations. When the interpreter took a break to breathe after a long answer, she politely offered water, revealing her considerate nature.

She also revealed her challenges. “When I first practiced *In-I*, my body moved surprisingly smoothly, and I thought, ‘Am I a genius?’ I soon realized it was a mistake and even became so anxious that I forgot to breathe.” She thanked the film’s completion to Akram, her instructors, and three editors who stood by her. “Artists must constantly pursue creativity. If you live creatively, art will support you and lead you to unforeseen destinations. I genuinely believe that.”

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