The 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival explores the countless versions of a unique and unparalleled acting talent, welcoming Isabelle Huppert, one of the  radiant, daring and multi-awarded stars of world cinema and theater. The Festival, alongside Isabelle Huppert, has selected a total of 15 films that display her outstanding ability for inner transformation for the sake of every role, while maintaining a solid acting identity. The selection of films, directed by beloved filmmakers, spans over different periods and countries.

Isabelle Huppert will spend four days in Thessaloniki, during which she will attend a series of events, screenings and talks. More specifically:

On Tuesday November 4th, she will deliver a large-scale masterclass, open to the public, titled “From Screen to Stage”, delving into the differences and similarities in acting techniques between cinema and theater, moderated by the renowned Greek writer Ersi Sotiropoulou.  

In addition, the iconic actress will preface several of the tribute’s films, while also presenting the witty comedy Copacabana (2010) by Marc Fitoussi, along with her daughter and co-star in the film, Lolita Chammah, who is co-starring in the film.

During her presence at the 66th TIFF, she will hold a press conference for all accredited journalists from Greece and abroad.

Moreover, as she expressed a vivid interest in visiting the historical monuments and landmarks of Thessaloniki, the Festival will host a special guided tour, having also undertaken the mission to initiate her into the culinary secrets of a city beating a great gastronomic tradition.

In her frenzy ride in cinema, full of triumphs and praises, Isabelle Hupper has been nominated 16 times for a César Award, holding the indisputable record in the history of the awards. She is a two-time César winner, for her interpretation in the films A Judgement in Stone (1995) by Claude Chabrol and Elle (2016) by Paul Verhoeven, the latter earning her a Golden Globe and a Best Actress Academy Award nomination as well.

In addition, her name figures in the high-profile elite of actors and actresses awarded at the three most prominent film festivals of the world: the Cannes Film Festival for Claude Chabrol’s Violette Nozière (1978) and Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher (2001), the Venice Film Festival for Claude Chabrol’s Story of Women (1988) and A Judgement in Stone (1995), and the Berlinale (along with film’s entire female cast) for François Ozon’s 8 Women (2002). The list of honorary distinctions bestowed to Isabelle Huppert is endless, also featuring three European Film Academy Awards, BAFTA, Lumière and David Di Donatello Awards, as well as countless more prizes at dozens of film festivals around the globe. Last but not least, Isabelle Huppert is one of the top-notch names in the worldwide theater stage, having received the Honorary Molière Award and nine nominations, most ever for an actress in the history of the awards.

Isabelle Huppert has consistently refused to contain herself within safety spaces and labels, ever since her early steps in cinema. Truly tireless, with more than 120 (!) films under her belt, she has embarked on a thundering international journey, while remaining an undisputed icon of French cinema. She has teamed up with legendary film directors from all around the world, among whom stand out the names of Michael Haneke, Claude Chabrol, Bertrand Tavernier, Benoît Jacquot, Jean-Luc Godard, Claire Denis, André Téchiné, Claude Sautet, François Ozon, Olivier Assayas, the Taviani brothers, Andrzej Wajda, Marco Bellocchio, Paul Verhoeven, Marco Ferreri, David O. Russell, Hal Hartley, Hong Sang-soo. Versatile and pluralistic in her professional life, Huppert has proven time and time again that her stardom goes way beyond any geographical, cultural or linguistic restraints.

Gifted with the rare charisma of portraying an immense gamut of feelings, dispositions and situations in the most genuine and unpretentious manner, Isabelle Huppert has the power to immerse the viewer into uncharted territories and obliterate any given sense of certainty or security. Throughout her entire career, she has excelled in an impressive variety of film genres, ranging from thrillers, dramas and comedies all the way to romances and satire films. Fearless in her selection of roles, she has breathed life into a series of unforgettable female characters who break free from the boundaries of moralism and predictability, forging a legacy of (already) immeasurable value.