Juliette Binoche, who has newly arrived in Edinburgh to take the lead role in festival play Antigone, has expressed her support for troubled Greece and the cultural treasures it has brought to European civilisation.

Binoche, who is in Edinburgh for the first time and admitted she did not know about the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) until recently, plays the title role in Antigone, which runs from August 8 to 22 at the King's Theatre.

She said that the Sophocles play, despite being thousands of years old, has messages for modern society.

The actress said because of Greece's cultural impact on Europe its currant economic woes should be forgiven.

Antigone, which has already been performed in London and is directed by Ivo Van Hove with a translation by Anne Carson, was written in 441BC.

The French actress, meeting the press at the King's Theatre, said: "Sophocles play is genius, the more we can show the play the better it is.

"The play is very political...my feeling, playing Sophocles, and having this heritage that is 2500 years ago, I think we should give Greece a break.

"They gave so much with their thinkers and genius and poets.

"I think we have to save Greece no matter what, because what they gave us is so immense."

She added: "I think we have to take care of them."

Binoche said there was little difference in the EIF production to its performance in London but that "I will be better in it."

The EIF officially opens on Friday with Antigone opening on Saturday.

"I am used to festival but I have never come here because I did not have the occasion to, so I am thrilled to be here - not that I will have a lot of time - because meanwhile I am here I have to prepare for a movie so it is nonstop," she said.

"I will have no time to see shows. Now that I am aware there is a festival here - I was not that aware before - I will definitely come back."

Binoche, who said she has not seen Edinburgh properly yet but is impressed by its architecture and the quality of its space and light, said that the play is very relevant today.

"It's very approachable, for me, Sophocles is very direct, which has a lot to do with Anne Carson's translation because she is not putting an intellectual field inbetween [the play and the audience]," she said.

"It's witty, it's poetic, it has a truth in it. We are very lucky to have her, because she brings out the depth of the play and the truth of it."

In the play, Antigone is a Theban noblewoman who defies King Kreon to bury her brother, who was deemed a traitor for fighting in a civil war.

She added: "It's tangible. People are very surprised this was written 2500 years ago - we are still talking about the same problems we are going through now.

"It is a very modern play, very contemporary, political but it puts the essential questions about humanity, about human beings, about the relationship between masculine and feminine and power and place.

"Antigone lets go of the need for possessions, for the need for power, for enjoyment, she lets go of all that, just as Kreon is holding on to the power."