FEAR AND TREMBLING
Original Title:Stupeur et tremblements
France, 2003
Director: Alain Corneau
In this adaptation of Amelie Nothomb’s autobiographical novel, Japan is seen through the eyes of a young Belgian woman who, after having spent her childhood in Tokyo, wants to go back to the country of her fondest memories as an interpreter in a big company.
As a woman and as a foreigner unable to grasps the codes of a strict hierarchical society, she fails miserably. Scorned and humiliated, her life spins into a downward spiral that is both tragic and hilarious.
Screenplay:
Alain Corneau and Amélie Nothomb (based on the eponymous novel by Amélie Nothomb)
Cinematography:
Yves Angelo
Editing:
Thierry Derocles
Production:
Christine Gozlan, Alaine Sarde
Principal cast:
Sylvie Testud, Kaori Tsuji, Suwa
Production details: 35mm / colour / 107 mins.
Director's bio-note:
Director of 17 films, sixty-year-old Alain Corneau occupies a unique place in French cinema. He was trained as a musician, but moved to cinema and studied at IDHEC, the French Film School.
He worked as assistant director with Nadine Trintignant (It Only Happens to Others) and Costa-Gavras (The Confession). He then shot three films with Yves Montand.
He made his first film, France, Inc. Corneau has tried his hands at various genres of cinema: musical, historical, detective and adventure films and comedies. Indian Nocturne, a very personal film, was screened at Cinefan in 2001.
His All the Mornings of the World swept the Césars in 1992, including Best Director and Best Film.