French sugar: Kounen hearts warm Coco

The third big-screen adaptation of Coco Chanel in as many years focuses on a controversial chapter of her life.

French director Jan Kounen (above) does not leave anything to the imagination in his latest film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, which focuses on her affair with the famous Russian composer. Adapted from the novel Coco & Igor, it looks at the relationship and the creative achievements it inspired. Kounen says he wanted to show the two characters as lovers and artists, but in a very `atypical' way.
"I don't want anything from the audience, I give and they take what they want,'' he says.
"And I wanted to give them something, I wanted to offer them a journey into two artists with strong personalities who confront each other.
"From a strong love story I wanted them to see the 1930s in the villa, Bel Respiro, and in The Rite of Spring.
"Stravinsky's ballet is played in different ways throughout the film, both socially and technologically.''

A film heavily reliant on breathtaking visuals and dramatic sets, Kounen says he wanted Coco and Igor's presence as artists to be felt even when the characters were not there.
"These two people are artists who are very interesting,'' he says.
"To express themselves and the characters you can do it yourself and through their art.
"Through the set and the designs you can have the presence of Coco even if she's not there.
"And the same can be said of Igor's music.
"It's like another dialogue.''
Despite the language barrier, French films seem to have found their own dialogue within the Australian art house market with the success of Brotherhood of the Wolf, Amelie, The Piano Teacher, Micmacs, The Class, La Vie En Rose, The Prophet and Paris, Je T'aime, to name a few. Kounen says he is `surprised, but happy' with the built-in Australian audience, even though he does not understand why.
"It's a very good thing, but I don't know why,'' he says.
"I remember 15-years ago I really enjoyed working here, the atmosphere and there were many things I enjoyed.
"Maybe its just a logical thing because Australians like French films like the French like Australia.''

For his next film, Kounen is stepping away from dramatic love stories and shooting a documentary titled The Last Call, which follows the linage of the Dalai Lama.
"This is a different film for me and I find the linage of the Dalai Lama very interesting,'' he says.
"The teaching of the Tibetan Buddhism has very good insights into our emotions and the knowledge of ourselves.
"It's a fiction documentary because we are portraying the life that goes through many centuries and the rest will be done with actors.''
Richard Gere is one of the people that will be interviewed in the film.