Le Divorce at the Venice Film Festival
Associated Press - Excerpt taken from a story by TOM RACHMAN

English-Australian actress Naomi Watts, right, puts her hand on pregnant American actress Kate Hudson's belly prior to the screening of their movie 'Le Divorce' (The Divorce) in competition at the 60th Venice Film Festival, in Venice , Italy, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)		U.S. director James Ivory, center poses with U.S. actress Naomi Watts, right, and Kate Hudson during a photocall to present their movie 'Le Divorce' (The Divorce) at the 60th Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

VENICE, Italy - The makers of James Ivory's "Le Divorce" - a comedy of manners in Paris based on the novel by Diane Johnson - promoted their film, emphasizing their great warmth for the city despite the currenttension between the United States and France.

"My experience in Paris was probably the most exciting I've had so far in my life," said actress Kate Hudson, who plays a young American who becomes the mistress of an older distinguished Frenchman (Thierry Lhermitte). "As we were shooting the film, I was experiencing Paris - except for the sexual escapades - in parallel to my character."

Actress Naomi Watts plays Hudson's elder sister, who is going through an ugly divorce from her French husband. "I was playing an American woman who is very immersed and spoke the language, and I was not versed in either. I had to instantly learn French," she said.

Director Ivory, best-known for period pieces such as "A Room With a View" and "Howard's End," joked that for a change he had made a contemporary movie. "Aren't you glad that I've come into the 21st century?" he said.

back