Juliette Binoche, the acclaimed French actress, drew significant attention at the 43rd Torino Film Festival, held in Turin, Italy, between November 21 and November 29, 2025. During her engagement, Binoche premiered her directorial debut, the feature-length documentary titled *In-I In Motion*, and simultaneously received the festival’s “Stella della Mole” honorary award recognizing her extensive contributions to international cinema. Festival Director Giulio Base commented that Binoche’s presence, characterized by a blend of elegance, passion, fragility, and strength, would establish Turin as the event’s central focus.
The documentary offers an intimate, archival look at Binoche’s deep artistic immersion into contemporary dance, a period spanning 2007 and 2008, in collaboration with British choreographer Akram Khan. The film incorporates previously unreleased rehearsal footage from their stage production, *In-I*, which first premiered in London at the National Theatre on September 18, 2008, before embarking on an international tour. This collaboration represented a notable shift for both artists: Binoche had no prior professional dance experience, and Khan had never acted. The boundary-pushing dance theatre work featured set design by Turner Prize-winner Anish Kapoor and an original score by composer Philip Sheppard. Binoche noted the complexity of condensing 170 hours of rehearsal footage into the final cohesive film.
Utilizing her high-profile platform at the festival, the Academy Award-winning actress issued a firm social and political statement. Binoche explicitly condemned the ongoing issue of femicides and the systemic suppression of women’s rights in active global conflict zones. She articulated a clear directive, stating, "It is fundamental to immediately say no to violence," demanding a concrete response to current atrocities. Furthermore, she advocated for increased public engagement, specifically expressing a desire to see more men participating in demonstrations against such violence, remarking, "I would like to see more men to take to the streets."
In a moment of personal reflection shared with the festival audience, Binoche also discussed her progression toward artistic independence. She candidly revealed a former reliance, stating, "For years I looked for a man to protect me. That man does not exist." This realization appears to be informing her future professional direction, as the actress confirmed her readiness to transition into directing feature-length fiction films following her documentary work. The Torino Film Festival, founded in 1982 as Festival Internazionale Cinema Giovani, maintains a focus on independent and innovative cinema, providing a fitting context for Binoche’s varied presentation.
