Sandrine Bonnaire: From Hairdresser Aspirations to Cinematic Stardom
Born in 1967 into a bustling household in Grigny, where toys likely doubled as javelins, Sandrine Bonnaire emerged from a tribe of ten siblings. Her initial dream of snipping hair took a sharp detour after the father of a friend spotted her enviable charm and whisked her into the limelight as an extra in The Boom (1980). I suppose “hair today, gone tomorrow” became “extra today, star tomorrow!” One can only imagine her first step as a hairdresser turned film star: “Would you like a trim or a starring role today, madam?”
It wasn’t until 1983 that Bonnaire really caught the industry’s eye with her role in Our Loves, directed by the legendary Maurice Pialat. With no formal training, she relied on raw instinct, leading her to snatch the César for best young female hopeful—a moment that must have left her siblings wondering, “Did she bring home dinner or just an award?” Sandrine became a frequent flyer on Pialat’s set, gracing films like Police and Under Satan’s Sun, proving she could navigate both tumultuous plots and the complexities of family dynamics.
In the years that followed, Bonnaire embraced a plethora of roles, showcasing her stunning versatility in films like Without Roof or Law (1985)—a haunting narrative exploring homelessness—and collaborations with notable directors, including Agnès Varda. The woman is like a cinematic chameleon! She has channeled everything from the perils of being a modern-day nomad to the intricacies of Joan of Arc. Each performance is a reminder that Bonnaire doesn’t just play a role; she becomes it, thriving amidst psychological labyrinths and delightful chaos.
What’s New?
- Catch Sandrine Bonnaire at the Atelier theater until December 31 in The English Lover by Marguerite Duras!
Now, let’s talk about her latest project. Co-starring with Frédéric Leidgens and Grégoire Oestermann, this adaptation deals with a mind-bending plot: can we ever truly understand another’s motivations? Starring in The English Lover, Bonnaire examines the enigma of Claire Lannes, a woman who committed the unthinkable—murders her deaf and mute cousin. You see, the never-ending question of “Why?” has never been more intriguing, especially when silence tends to be the loudest voice.
In classic Duras style, the play is filled with suspense, interrogation loops, and the dark corners of human insanity. Imagine the suspenseful tension of a game of charades—except the stakes are up and your sanity may just wane with each passing act!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
- January 9 to 11, 2025: Théâtre Montansier (Versailles)
- January 14, 2025: TAP Poitiers with the ATP
- January 16 & 17, 2025: Toulon (Châteauvallon-Liberté national scene)
- February 8, 2025: Franciscaines (Deauville)
But wait, there’s more! In the quest for cinematic brilliance, Bonnaire also has two films poised for release: Eventually by Claude Lelouch, hitting screens on November 13, 2024, and The Life Before Me by Nils Tavernier in February 2025—because one does not simply take a break in between projects!
A Brief Reflection on Risk
“When you take risks, you can lose. When you don’t take any, you always lose.”
– Xavier Tartacore
This reflection resonates heavily with Bonnaire’s career: a fearless dive into the abyss of human emotion and experience. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Sandrine, it’s this: don’t be afraid to dance on the edge of lunacy and brilliance—the view is spectacular!
Musical Programming to Accompany Sandrine’s Journey:
Here’s a glimpse of the sonorous adventures you can expect with Bonnaire’s endeavors:
- Corbaal: No Time
- JS Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Trifle for piano n°25 in the min
- Erik Truffaz: Caesar and Rosalie (feat. Sandrine Bonnaire)
- Arvo Pärt: Silouans Song
- Henryk Gorecki: Good Night
- Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky: Andante Cantabile
- Serge Rachmaninov: Harvest of Sorrow
Who needs to direly reflect on human madness when you have splendid music to appreciate? Bonnaire’s artistry extends beyond the screen and stage into harmonious experiences, tackling the essence of humanity through every medium.
Further Reading:
For anyone intrigued by our dear Sandrine Bonnaire, be sure to check out ‘The English Lover’ by Marguerite Duras at the Théâtre de l’Atelier. It promises to be another plunge into the depths of human intricacy.
Born in 1967, Sandrine Bonnaire grew up in Grigny in a large and modest family (she has ten brothers and sisters). She first intended to become a hairdresser while preparing for a CAP when the father of one of her friends offered her a role as an extra in The Boom (1980) by Claude Pinoteau which will be followed in 1982 by another representation in The underachievers on vacation by Claude Zidi.
Her film career really began in 1983 with the role of Suzanne, the teenager of A our loves by Maurice Pialat. It’s a revelation, Sandrine Bonnaire, devoid of dramatic training, plays completely on instinct and wins the César for best young female hopeful. Having become Pialat’s favorite actress, she also shoots Police et Under Satan’s sun under his direction. She is illustrated in other films (shooting on sight by Marc Angelo (1984); Blanche and Mary by Jacques Renard (1984); The best of life by Renaud Victor (1985) before the other important stage of his early career took shape, his meeting with Agnès Varda who offered him the difficult role of Mona, the young wanderer of Without roof or law (1985), a pioneering film designed as a documentary that deals with the condition of the homeless. She continues her journey by filming with young directors: Olivier Langlois for Revolver yellow (1987), Patricia Mazuy for Cowhides (1988) and Francisca Archibugi for In the evening (1990), The Event by Audrey Diwan (2021). She shines in more austere roles, The captive of the desert by Raymond Depardon (1989), Joan the Maid by Jacques Rivette (1993), The Ceremony by Claude Chabrol. She plays in several films by Claude Lelouche Bastard (2013), Love is better than life (2021), Eventually (2024). His eclecticism made him take detours through the theater in Berthold Brecht’s play, The Good Soul of Setchouan (1990), Jean-Claude Carrière’s “Aide-mémoire”… and on television where she performed A woman in white (1996) by Aline Issermann. In 2006, she directed her first film Her name is Sabinea documentary dedicated to his autistic sister, presented at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes and won the International Critics’ Prize.
News:
- Sandrine Bonnaire is at the Atelier theater until December 31 to the English Lover by Marguerite Duras
With Frédéric Leidgens and Grégoire Oestermann
After the success of its adaptation of End of GameJacques Osinski takes on another great classic. Inspired by an authentic news item, The English Lover revolves around the inscrutable personality of Claire Lannes, a seemingly ordinary woman who committed the unthinkable: the murder of Marie-Thérèse Bousquet, her deaf and mute cousin.
What motivations lie behind this appalling act?
Through an interrogation in two acts, unsaid, silences and ambiguities punctuate this psychological thriller. Marguerite Duras’ text offers a dizzying immersion into the twists and turns of human madness.
Tour:
January 9 to 11, 2025 at the Théâtre Montansier (Versailles)
January 14, 2025 at TAP Poitiers with the ATP
January 16 & 17, 2025 in Toulon (Châteauvallon-Liberté national scene)
February 8, 2025 at the Franciscaines (Deauville)
- Release of two films: Eventually by Claude Lelouch on November 13, 2024 and The life before me by Nils Tavernier in February 2025
Poster for the play “The English Lover”
LECTURE :
“When you take risks, you can lose. When you don’t take any, you always lose. “
Xavier Tartacore
Musical programming:
Corbaal : No Time
Lola Bastard, Michael Stroudinsky, Erik Truffaz
Youtube
Teaser of the film by Sandrine Bonnaire, “Her name is Sabine” (2008)
youtube
JS Bach : The Well-Tempered ClavierPrelude in C major BWV 846
Zhu Xiao-Mei, piano
I will look at MIR 235
Ludwig van Beethoven : Trifle for piano n°25 in the min WoO 59, “Letter to Elise”
Tanguy de Williencourt, piano
Wonder MIR492D
Erik Truffaz : Caesar and Rosalie (feat. Sandrine Bonnaire)
Blue note 5507048
Arvo Pärt : Silouans song
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
Onu Kaljuste, direction
Henryk Gorecki : Good night op 63 – III. Lento. For soprano alto flute, 3 toms-toms and piano. In memory of Michael Vyner
Dawn Upshaw, soprano
Sebastian Bell, transverse flute
Nonesuch 7559-79362-2
Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovski : Andante cantabile on mail
Yo Yo Ma, cello
PITTSBURGH Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, direction
Sony 88697 52307 2/37
Serge Rachmaninov : Harvest of Sorrow, Op. 4 No. 5
Elisabeth Soderstrom, soprano
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Decca 436920-2
Gaguik Mouradian, kamanche
Dun en glkhen – petition to the king before exile, based on a poem by Sayat Nova
Album “Spirit of Armenia”, direction Jordi Savall
ALIA VOX AVSA 9892
Jacques Higelin : Duo of happy angels
Sony 8876549
To go further:
L ‘English lover by Marguerite Duras at the Théatre de l’Atelier
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