Women-related issues in ‘The Aspern Papers’ relevant today: Director

Panaji, Nov 19 (IANS) Set in the 19th century Victorian era, 'The Aspern Papers', which opens this year's edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is a telling commentary on the suppression of women's emotion, independence and freedom, issues which are even relevant today, Julien Landais, director of the period drama film said on Monday.

Like human nature, which never changes over time, neither does the world, Landais said, adding, that the film was set in the overwhelmingly repressive Victorian era, when people could not express their feelings and emotions.

"You will see how it is connected to our world nowadays. Especially concerning women and their independence and freedom. I love what Henry James created at the end of that novel, which for a long time would have been considered a weird ending, but nowadays I think it is the perfect ending," the French-born director told reporters at the festival venue in Panaji, a day before the film is formally scheduled to open IFFI 2018, India's biggest international film festival.

"I feel that the world never changes. I mean human nature never changes. Years are more repressed or freer and I feel, in the same year you can feel repressed or freer. You can feel all at the same time and you can see that in 'The Aspern Papers'," Landais told the press conference here.

Landais said that the film, which is an adaptation of Henry James' similarly titled novella, is about the quest of a young editor who tries to lay his hands on love letters written by a poet to his mistress and is set amid the grandeur of Venice.

'The Aspern Papers' tells a story of obsession, grandeur lost and dreams of Byronic adventures and is based on letters which famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Mary Shelley's stepsister Claire Clairmont.

The film stars Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (lead actor), Golden Globe nominated actress Joely Richardson (lead actress), her mother - six time Oscar nominee and Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave, Julia Robins, Morgane Polanski - daughter of renowned director Roman Polanski, and Nicolas Hau.