Francis Ford Coppola shared his thoughts on the current studio system at the Cannes Film Festival press conference for his self-financed epic “Megalopolis,” saying they may not exist much longer.
“I worry that the film industry has become more about hiring people to take care of their debts because the studios are very, very in debt. And the job is not so much to make good films, the job is to make sure they pay their debts,” Coppola said in response to a question from Variety. “Obviously the new companies like Amazon, Apple and Microsoft have a lot of money, so it could be that the studios we’ve known for so long, some wonderful, won’t be around in the future.”
The journalist also touched on the political topic, when Coppola was asked if the film was a commentary on Donald Trump, prompting him to share his thoughts on the current state of American politics.
“Men like Donald Trump are not in charge right now, but there is a trend in the world toward a more neo-right, even fascist, tradition, which is scary because anyone who lived through World War II has given the horrors that took place. place and we don’t want that to happen again,” Coppola said. “Again, I think it’s the role of the artist, of films, to shine a light on what’s happening in the world.”
“Jon, you have different political views,” Coppola then said in a moment that drew laughter from reporters. Voight replied, “How did you find out about that?”
Coppola continued: “If I may say so, one of the hallmarks of our wonderful casting is that it reflects all kinds of political ideas. It’s not a single concept.
The sci-fi epic divided Cannes audiences during its Thursday night premiere, earning a seven-minute standing ovation but also sparking widespread chatter over its multitude of shocking scenes, including a deepfake sex tape featuring Adam Driver , Shia LaBeouf playing a Trumpian. character who sometimes dresses in drag and the evil dominatrix of Aubrey Plaza.
LaBeouf, whose biggest performance in the theater at the film’s premiere, was noticeably absent from Friday’s press conference. Beyond Coppola, the cast and crew in attendance included Driver, Plaza, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, Coppola’s granddaughter Romy Mars, Talia Shire, producer Roman Coppola and director by photography Mihai Malaimare Jr.
Reviews for “Megalopolis” were mixed, with Variety Chief film critic Peter Debruge writes that the film “is downright impressive in places and a downright horror in others, until you step back and try to take it all in.”
Coppola has been trying to make “Megalopolis” for decades, ultimately using $120 million of his own money from his wine empire to produce the film. Controversy surrounded the film before its premiere, as its expense and seemingly muted reactions to early screenings made its distribution difficult.
A Guardian report also noted chaos on set, including Coppola’s behavior towards women, including attempting to kiss extras to “get them in the mood” for a nightclub scene. Coppola has not responded to the allegations, but co-executive producer Darren Demeter defended the director in a statement to the Guardian, saying Coppola kissed some extras on the cheek in a friendly manner, but that no one ever told him that the behavior Coppola was making them uncomfortable.
“Megalopolis” is the 85-year-old director’s first film in more than a decade, since 2011’s “Twixt.” It follows architect Cesar Catilina (Driver), who, after an accident, destroys a New York metropolis, strives to rebuild it into a lasting utopia. Corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Esposito) defies Cesar and wants to stick to the status quo, but his daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) comes between the two men.
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News Source : variety.com
