Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

French filmmaker Luc Besson says his native country excels at producing two things: cuisine and beautiful women. As evidence of the latter, he introduced the Japanese media to his latest “discovery”: Louise Bourgoin, 28, who stars in the fantasy film Les aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec. Besson, 51, who is known for launching the careers of actresses including Natalie Portman (Leon) and Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element), described Bourgoin as the “muse of the 21st century.”

Bourgoin admitted she was surprised to be chosen for Adele. The statuesque actress, who dropped out of school in Rennes, started her showbiz career as a weather girl for Canal Plus station. “After that, I was only in one movie, The Girl From Monaco in 2008, when Luc asked me to be in this project,” she said.

If you’ve seen the posters around town for Adele, you’ll know that the film looks like a mixture of The Mummy, Indiana Jones and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Bourgoin plays Adele Blanc-Sec, a feisty novelist pursued by monsters, grotesque villains, inept cops and would-be suitors.

Based on Jacques Tardi’s comic book series, the story is set between 1911 and 1922 in a Paris traumatized by World War I (Adele spends the war years in cryogenic suspension). Her adventures take her to Egypt in search of an elixir of life. Meanwhile, a 136-million-year-old pterodactyl egg in the natural history museum in Paris hatches, and the creature starts wreaking havoc on the city.

Besson said he experienced some havoc himself when trying to travel to Japan—he had to cancel his trip twice in April and May due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. “I’ve been coming to Japan, for 20 years, and this is the first time I couldn’t get here,” he said.

The director appreciates that his movies have always been well received here—from Le grand bleu in 1988 to Arthur and the Minimoys, for which he last came to Japan three years ago. “Unfortunately, my Japanese isn’t getting any better, except for sushi. I know the names of each and every fish as they come past on the conveyor,” he said.

The laconic director, who has a love-hate relationship with journalists, has often said that he isn’t going to direct any more films, but admitted that he always finds a project to take on again. In recent years, he’s devoted more time to producing and writing brainless action movies, such as John Travolta’s latest outing, From Paris With Love.

Besson said he spent a lot of time outdoors growing up, living in Greece, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia, where his parents were diving instructors for Club Med. He never even had a TV until he was 16. “There were no video games or internet. If you wanted to play, you had to invent games. Then I remember going to visit friends in 1969. They had a TV and I was amazed by images of a guy jumping from a ladder onto the moon.”

Ever since, Besson has given free reign to his imagination.

“There are so many stories to tell. I keep paper and a pen with me all the time to write down ideas.” Bourgoin said she learned a lot from the director. “I found him to be both strict and enthusiastic,” she said, adding that if there is a sequel, she is “highly motivated.”

However, if there is a sequel, Bourgoin may have some competition from Aki Hoshino. The busty 32-year-old tarento, who has been appointed a “PR muse” for the film in Japan, showed up wearing a mini-skirt and pleaded with Besson to cast her as Adele in the follow-up films. After having a good look, Besson said: “Well, if you were dressed like that on the set every day, we wouldn’t get much work done. Why don’t you star in Adele in Wonderland instead?”

Chris Betros is the editor of Japan Today (www.japantoday.com).