Thurman’s monologue, a silent director and seagulls: Lars von Trier’s ‘Nymphomaniac’ in Berlin

BERLIN – Lars von Trier brought an extra-long version of his “Nymphomaniac Volume I” to the Berlin International Film Festival on Sunday, a cut that increases to nearly 2 1/2 hours the first installment of the two-part drama about a woman’s sexual life from girlhood to age 50. The Danish director left his stars to do the talking — some of them, anyway.

SEVEN PAGES OF RAGE

Uma Thurman enjoyed letting off the “fury of woman scorned” in a monologue von Trier wrote for her in the movie. “It was a real great challenge to memorize seven pages of Lars’ female diatribe of rage,” she told reporters.

“Lars kept saying I was overacting, but that’s nothing new,” Thurman added.

SLOW DOWN

Christian Slater said that the eccentric director was “patient, gentle, kept telling me to slow down.” That, he said, was a big contrast with Hollywood, where “they always want things to move so quickly — and it was nice to actually be on a set where there was actually some real time given to capture moments.”

NOT TALKING

Von Trier turned up to a photo call sporting a t-shirt with the logo of the Cannes Film Festival and the words “Persona non grata, official selection.” In 2011, von Trier was ejected from the Cannes event after a bizarre, rambling news conference in which he expressed sympathy with Adolf Hitler. He said afterward he had been joking, later issuing an apology and then saying he would refrain from future public statements.

The director skipped Sunday’s news conference.

SO LONG, SEAGULLS

Shia LaBeouf didn’t stay long either. A question as to whether the actors were worried about the film’s sex scenes elicited the response: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much.” He then walked out.

LaBeouf’s line was borrowed from French soccer player Eric Cantona, who baffled reporters with it in the mid-1990s following his suspension for a flying kick on a heckler.