Update: Mia Hansen-Løve‘s reps tell us the film is not inspired by her relationship with Olivier Assayas, rather about a “a couple of filmmakers.” See the original story below.
Mia Hansen-Løve fosters no illusion about how her films’ connect to those in her close circle, be it deceased mentors (The Father of My Children), herself (Goodbye, First Love), her brother (Eden) — who, speaking for his family, told me that the experience “is a bit strange, but… I don’t know, we have to deal with it, anyway” — or her mother (the still-to-be-released Things to Come). One territory that has never quite been covered, as far as I can tell, is perhaps the most interesting: her marriage to the great Olivier Assayas, a filmmaker whose influence has been felt more in common narrative and formal interests than the content of stories and traits defining characters.
Perhaps this was only a matter of time: speaking to Screen Daily, Hansen-Løve announced two titles that are in varying states of development, and one of which is “inspired partly” by her husband. (Read: not necessarily some exposé, but undoubtedly a matter of interest for fans.) More pressing (if only because it seems much closer) is Maya, which will star Roman Kolinka (a collaborator on Things to Come and Eden) as “a French hostage returning from Syria who heads to India after his traumatic experiences.” With a script and Les Film Pelleas’ support lined up, production should commence in 2017.
Little else is currently being said about the Assayas-inspired project, save for Screen Daily noting that the helmer “is confident that Assayas will maintain his objectivity, even if she makes a film that is based on their own lives.” That, needless to say, is a very personal experience he’ll have to deal with whenever the thing finally rolls around; those of us who consider Hansen-Løve one of her generation’s best voices will simply be excited for what comes of it.