TOKYO —

How do you survive in a relationship? How do you make it through without killing each other? Those are the questions that French actress Julie Delpy tackles in “2 Days in Paris,” her second feature as director, and the first to get wide distribution, from a script which she also wrote.

Born in France, but now an American resident, Delpy, 38, has won both critical and popular acclaim since the mid-1990s. She appeared in all three parts of renowned Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski’s trilogy “Three Colors,” starring in the middle one, “White.” In the U.S., she is well known for her role as the alluring Frenchwoman Celine in Richard Linklater’s romantic comedy “Before Sunrise” (1995), and its sequel “Before Sunset” (2004).

“2 Days in Paris” sketches the story of Marion (Delpy) and Jack (Adam Goldberg), a stressed couple from New York, who land in Paris for a two-day stopover. Delpy clearly relishes the roles of director and writer. “I’ve been writing since I was 16, so basically the same time I started acting,” she relates during a recent visit to Tokyo. “I’ve been making movies ever since, but it’s been very hard to get the money. The success of ‘Before Sunset’ helped me and I kind of tricked the financiers into giving me money. In a way, this is my first film because it was very cheap and it was a comedy, so it was easy for financiers to come to me and say ‘OK, we’ll give you 100,000 euros.’” That’s why it’s about a French-American couple.”

Though clearly about what a challenge romance is, the film will have a special appeal to the English-speaking community here as it also incorporates an expat’s eye and experience into the plot. “Marion notices that there are differences (in culture) and that it is not obvious for someone of a different culture to embrace,” Delpy says. “What is very obvious when you are an ex-pat, and a lot of my friends in LA are expats as well, is that when you come back, for example when I come back to Paris, it’s such a shock, just the personality of the French. In a way, the whole film is based on how I have compassion for foreigners that land in Paris and find themselves in the wrong side of the city.”

Getting to the heart of the film, Delpy explains the project was inspired by a terrible trip she took to Paris. “Going to Paris on New Year’s with a good friend of mine ... and going through hell, basically. Like a series of bad taxi drivers, bad meeting, not finding your way back… a bit like ‘After Hours,’ which is a film I love.”

Indeed, while many critics have compared “2 Days in Paris” to the Linklater smash “Before Sunrise,” Delpy herself, who also co-wrote that 1995 film, likens it to “After Hours.” “‘2 Days in Paris’ has the same setting as ‘Before Sunrise’ but it’s actually filmed very differently and is a very different style of writing. In ‘Before Sunrise,’ the two people avoid interaction with other people. That was a conscious choice we made … but this film is all about interaction with other people, and about the couple being distracted by other people. But it is anchored in reality and harshness. I wanted to talk about politics, sex, family, relationships, and the difficulties of being in a relationship. ‘Before Sunrise’ is extremely romantic… almost 19th century romantic,” she says.

6 Comments

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  Blue_Tiger at 10:29 AM JST - 26th May

  Putting yourself second and your significant other first is a good way to start. Realize that we are all human, we make mistakes, and to keep a cool head is another set of good things to remember...

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  blvtzpk at 10:43 AM JST - 26th May

  Before Sunrise & Before Sunset - two of my all-time faves

  Unfortunately, not the most flattering photo of her, a very attractive and talented actor/writer/director.

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  carlosgodoy1 at 10:34 AM JST - 27th May

  I saw her on TV last week, doing an 1-1 interview with a Japanese guy. He asked her something about finding life-long love and her take on the difficulties of it. His English wasnt clear, but hers was very clear: "Many men think love is a pair of tits and that's it." He was a bit flustered to say the least.

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  romulus3 at 11:26 AM JST - 27th May

  if men think that love is a set of jugs, then woman think that love is a gold card. Thats modern love for you but I guess nothing has changed over the last few thousand years.

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  Nessie at 03:03 PM JST - 27th May

  "Many men think love is a pair of tits and that's it.

  I agree with Delpy. There's so much more. There should be a frying pan and an iron in there somewhere, too.

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  carlosgodoy1 at 01:52 PM JST - 2nd June

  Absorutery. "Barefoot and preggers in the kitchen" That's what I say.

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