Amid a tense sociopolitical climate, loss was one of the central topics of a talk given by Diane Kruger on Wednesday as part of Kering’s Women in Motion program at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
Visibly moved by the recent terror attack in Manchester, England, the German-American actress spoke about “grief, justice and going on with such a terrible thing,” and the untold stories of those left behind after losing loved ones in conjunction with her latest film, “In the Fade,” directed by German director Fatih Akin. Kruger plays the role of Katja, a woman who loses her husband and son in a bomb attack. “Unfortunately, it is a very relevant film,” she said.
The work, Kruger’s first-ever German-language feature, marks her first in-competition film at the festival since the presentation of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” eight years ago. The actress regaled the audience with the story of how she got the role of Bridget von Hammersmark based on the size of her appetite. “[Tarantino] said, ‘You’re hired — if you can eat a schnitzel that size, then you are Bridget von Hammersmark,’” she recalled.
Dressed in a white tank top and loose pinstripe trousers, the actress went on to speak about getting what one wants and “[having] to create that space and that respect that you think you deserve.”
Facing questions from the public sent in by Twitter, the actress noted her proudest accomplishment was her lasting power in an industry obsessed with novelty and fresh faces, before speaking about her hopes for the upcoming generation. “Young girls are very empowered these days,” she noted. “They are being raised with the understanding that they can do anything. Whether you like what they do or not, it definitely shows girls are conquering the world. My [contribution to that] involves projects like the Google shorts [series to promote girls in science] and also through living by example.”
Other participants giving Women in Motion talks this edition have included Salma Hayek and Isabelle Huppert, who earlier this week scooped the Women in Motion award.