Isabelle Huppert: A Life to Play (2001) 52 mins

Serge Toubiana, former critic of Cahiers du cinéma and director of La Cinémathèque française, follows a year in the life of the lauded French actress Isabelle Huppert. From the shoot of her sixth collaboration with Claude Chabrol in Merci pour le chocolat, we are witness to her time at Cannes, on the stages of Paris and Avignon performing Medea and on the set of arguably her greatest role as the uptight Erika Kohut in Michel Haneke’s The Piano Teacher. In addition to interviews with the actress, her colleagues and close friends provide a greater perspective on her illustrious career. However, the moments when Huppert goes about everyday things, such as a simple walk, indicate the inherent talent of this woman whose entire life is one big play. We soon realise that she was born to act and with an immeasurable talent, which has led her to being the most consistently brilliant, intelligent and unique French actress working today.