Lena Olin and Lasse Hallström are in New York to promote their new - and mutual - film "Chocolat". They are both incredibly satisfied with the collabaration and they hope to get to work together again.

Hallström and Olin praise each other after the first movie together. Lasse Hallström looks like he is elevating a little from the chair when he is about to talk about how it was to film together with wife Lena Olin for the first time. Words are just not enough. Totally fantastic, he says. It sounds corny to say that but that's how it was. For ten years, the couple have dreamt about working together. We have looked for the perfect project where everything was going to fit, LO says. When we finally found it, the finansing didn't go through 5 days before the shooting was to start. Instead, the opportunity came by chance when Lasse got the script for Chocolate, a fable about the importance of tolerance to the unknown. The movie company suggested to Lasse that I should do one of the characters. I really liked the character, even if it wasn't the perfect project we decided that now we would do this. Both Lasse and Lena has left the house outside NY to go to hysterically Christmas-decorated Manhattan, to promote the movie. They are both very enthusiastic about the collaboration.

She inspired me

I was afraid that perhaps it would feel awkward to direct Lena but that was not the case at all. Instead she inspired me. It felt like another dimension was put to our relationship. The only problem was that Lena was suppose to be this torn and pretty ugly woman. Since I think she is so incredibly beautiful, I had to find a way to make the beautifulness less obvious, Lasse says and laughs. To Lena it was a joy to be directed by her husband. "I knew Lasse was an unusual director. He is a genious without the negative sides. During the shooting he was so incredibly relaxed despite that he was leading this project that cost millions. He created this feeling that we were all there to have a good time."

A lot of discussion about the script

Normally, Lena and Lasse do not talk much work at home. Now there were a lot of discussions about the script. Lena had some great ideas for changes. I felt a special responsibility since Lasse was the director and I have access to him all the time, Lena says. As soon as the nearest projects are over, Lena and Lasse are doing whatever they can so they can film together again.