Francis Ford Coppola on Thursday premiered his self-financed opus “Megalopolis” at the Cannes Film Festival, unveiling a wildly ambitious passion project the 85-year-old director has been pondering for decades. No debut was awaited with more curiosity in Cannes than “Megalopolis,” which Coppola poured $120 million of his own money into after selling off a portion of his wine estate. Not unlike Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” some 45 years ago, “Megalopolis” arrived trailed by rumors of production turmoil and doubt over its potential appeal.
Quick Read
- Premiere Details: Francis Ford Coppola premiered his self-financed film “Megalopolis” at the Cannes Film Festival, a project he has contemplated for decades.
- Investment: Coppola invested $120 million of his own money into the film, funded by selling a portion of his wine estate.
- Film Description: “Megalopolis” is described as a futuristic fable set in New York, featuring an architect named Cesar (played by Adam Driver) who can manipulate time and envisions transforming the city into a harmonious metropolis.
- Cast: The film features a diverse cast including Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, and Shia LaBeouf, with unique character names and roles that blend modern settings with Roman epic elements.
- Tribute: The film is dedicated to Coppola’s late wife, Eleanor Coppola.
- Cannes Reception: During its Cannes debut, Coppola received a standing ovation, and the event was attended by celebrities including Richard Gere and Greta Gerwig.
- Distribution: While “Megalopolis” is seeking a wider distributor, it has been acquired for some European territories and will be shown globally on IMAX screens.
- Experimental Aspects: Coppola’s film challenges conventional filmmaking, incorporating live elements and interactive components during its screening.
- Critical Reception: The film’s experimental nature has left some viewers perplexed, with concerns about its commercial viability despite its ambitious scope.
The Associated Press has the story:
Francis Ford Coppola debuts ‘Megalopolis’ in Cannes Film Festival
Newslooks- CANNES, France (AP) —
Francis Ford Coppola on Thursday premiered his self-financed opus “Megalopolis” at the Cannes Film Festival, unveiling a wildly ambitious passion project the 85-year-old director has been pondering for decades.
No debut was awaited with more curiosity in Cannes than “Megalopolis,” which Coppola poured $120 million of his own money into after selling off a portion of his wine estate. Not unlike Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” some 45 years ago, “Megalopolis” arrived trailed by rumors of production turmoil and doubt over its potential appeal.
What Coppola unveiled defies easy categorization. It’s a fable set in a futuristic New York about an architect (Adam Driver) who has a grand vision of a more harmonious metropolis, and whose considerable talents include the ability to start and stop time. Though “Megalopolis” is set in a near-future, it’s fashioned as a Roman epic. Driver’s character is named Cesar and the film’s New York includes a modern Coliseum.
The cast includes Aubrey Plaza as an ambitious TV journalist named Wow Platinum, Giancarlo Esposito as the mayor, Laurence Fishburne as Cesar’s driver (and the film’s narrator) and Shia LaBeouf as an unpleasant cousin named Claudio.
The film is dedicated to Eleanor Coppola, the director’s wife who died last month.
Coppola, wearing a straw hat and holding a cane, walked the Cannes carpet Thursday, often clinging to the arm of his granddaughter, Romy Coppola Mars, while the soundtrack to “The Godfather” played over festival loudspeakers. Inside the theater, Coppola waved his hat and shouted “Thank you!” as the crowd stood applauding him for several minutes. Among the attendees were Richard Gere, Cannes jury president Greta Gerwig and Abel Ferrara.
Coppola is seeking a distributor for “Megalopolis.” Ahead of its premiere, the film was acquired for some European territories. Richard Gelfond, IMAX’s chief executive, said “Megalopolis” — which Coppola believes is best viewed on IMAX — will play globally on the company’s large-format screens.
In numerous places in “Megalopolis,” Coppola, who once penned the book “Live Cinema and its Techniques,” experimentally pushes against filmmaking convention. At a screening Thursday, Jason Schwartzman emerged mid-film, walked across the stage to a microphone and posed a question to Driver’s character on the screen above.
Several weeks ahead of Cannes, Coppola privately screened “Megalopolis” in Los Angeles. Word quickly filtered out that many were befuddled by the experimental film they had just watched. “There are zero commercial prospects and good for him,” one attendee told Puck.
