Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history, Juliette Binoche is certainly one of the major French Stars of this decade known for her often intellectual films that combine an onscreen erotic presence with what Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert describes as 'almost ethereal in her beauty and innocence'. An Oscar Awardee for her supporting role in Anthony Minghella’s The English Patient in which she plays a French nurse in WWII torn Europe who while taking care of a a terribly wounded Patient also falls in love with a young Sikh Indian sapper. Her humanism and  beauty stole the show from her British co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Kristine Scott Thomas who were the major protagonists of this 1996 film. Truly “bridging” Movie Worlds from different continents and prestigious directors, Binoche is one of the rare actors in the international arena who has both Box Office Potential as well as has earned great respect for her often eclectic choices for more Artistically ambitious film projects with such great directors as Polish Krzysztof Kieslowski's Trois couleurs: Bleu (1993), French Louis Malle's Damage (1992), American Philip Kaufman’s critically acclaimed The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988),  Swedish director Lasse Hallström’s  Chocolat (2000) or German Michael Haneke's Caché (2005). A great admirer of Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, she is due to play in his next feature film to be shot outside Iran in Italy entitled “Copie Conforme” aka “Certified Copy” which is still in pre-production. 

This Month, Playboy November issue has drawn attention for its cover featuring Juliette Binoche on its cover. She is not the first nor last Star to pose naked for the prestigious Male magazine. Former Stars like Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot made Playboy History by accepting to pose in front of the magazines talented photographers. 

However many male readers ( or should I say voyeurs ) of this popular magazine may be frustrated while many feminist advocates will certainly clap at Binoche’s carnal pirouette, for most photos are shot out of focus and aimed at suggesting more than showing the French Star’s body attributes.   

'POSER POUR PLAYBOY, C'EST UN ACTE MILITANT'

The magazine contains two photo sessions, one which shows her modeling in various dresses and the other where the professional actress manipulates the eye of the camera and Cameraman through some beautifully choreographed body language. Interviewed lengthily on what motivated her to pose naked for a Male Oriented Magazine like Playboy, the French Star who has often played nude scenes in her films explained that she was convinced by the utopist experience that the young photographic crew were suggesting which contrasted from what most playboy models are usually asked to showoff. 

“Modeling Naked for Playboy was equally an Act of Universal Love as well as a Feminist Act of Militancy to Change the World.” She confessed to the journalists. “We decided to talk about the body in different terms by giving it a soul an not to look at it as just a carnal envelop. We have a tendency in the West to differentiate the body and emotions but we wanted on the contrary to combine both. I also wanted to prove that I was bold and comfortable about my body.”

Understandably this November issue of Playboy has sold well and will become a vintage item for collectors worldwide.

However more interestingly Binoche also makes a political statement rather than a sexual one by not entirely subscribing to the traditional requirement from “Playboy Bunnies” which is to “bare it all”. Proving that like a true actress she prefers to suggest desire rather than actually perform it. 

Isn’t ART an imitation of LIFE after all?

VIVE LA BINOCHE!

Photo 1: Title ©Playboy & AFP

Photo 2: Acclaimed International French Star ©imdb.com

Photo 3: Oscar Awardee of The English Patient in 1996 ©imdb.com

Photo 4: Catherine Deneuve Star of Louis Bunuel’s Belle Du Jour also posed for Playboy in the 70’s.

Photo 5: Modeling Naked for Playboy was equally an act of Universal Love  as well as a Feminist act of Militancy, says Binoche ©Playboy Magazine, AFP

Photo 6: Juliette Binoche to Star in Abbas Kiarostami’s next French Iranian film « Copie Conforme » aka « Certified Copy » ©imdb.com

Photo 7: Juliette Binoche or The Art of Suggestion