Francis Ford Coppola spent US$120 million on Megalopolis: “Money doesn't matter”

In the framework of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Francis Ford Coppola answered the press about his latest production. Megalopolis, during a hectic conference that started more than 30 minutes late, according to media reports. The event, attended by the filmmaker's two granddaughters and film actors, focused on clarifying many details about the sci-fi film, which took four decades to develop and required $120 million from the director's own pocket.

Although the first screening of the sci-fi drama divided critics and audiences, the 85-year-old Coppola was satisfied with the film's results. “The applause I heard made me feel relieved and happy,” said the director, whose first film competed at Cannes. Apocalypse Now 45 years ago.

Director The Godfather He also highlighted the decision on funding Megalopolis with their own resources. “Money is not important. My children, without exception, have had wonderful lives without the need for luck. The main thing is friends,” he said, via The New York Times. “A friend will never let you down. “Money can evaporate.”

For this reason, he doesn't regret making this movie a reality; Whatever the business and important decision. “Many people say when they die, 'I wish I had done this,'” Coppola reflected. “When I die, I can say, 'I did this, I saw my daughter win an Oscar, I made wine, I made all the movies I wanted.' “I'm going to be so busy thinking about what I've accomplished that when I die, I won't even notice.”

Conspiracy of Megalopolis It is set in New Rome, a city comparable to New York, and follows the misadventures of Caesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a visionary architect fighting against conservative mayor Franklin Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) and the radical Claudio Pulzer (Shia LaBeouf), in an attempt to create a utopian society.

Coppola used this moment to compare the current political situation in the United States to the fall of the Roman Republic, which ties into the contemporary relevance of his work. “Our politics have brought us to the point where we are losing our republic, and that is why it is not the politicians who are saving us, but the artists,” he explained.

During its debut at Cannes, Megalopolis has generated a debate between those who respect Coppola's risky project and those who describe it as a chaotic work without a solid compass.

The director also talked about how difficult it was to find buyers or distributors to bring Megalopolis to theaters in the United States; It already has a guaranteed IMAX release and has sold rights in certain regions of Europe.

“Studios have huge debts and their job is no longer to make movies, but to pay off their debts. New companies like Amazon, Apple and Microsoft, have a lot of money, and they may be the future, and the studios that we've known for a long time, some of which are very good, may not be in the future,” he quotes. The Hollywood Reporter.

Although the production of the film could be described as strange and unconventional, the actors who attended the convention were keen to participate in the project. Adam DriverHe was also involved in the editing of the film and compared the work of the film and spoke “Experimental drama. For its part, Giancarlo Esposito He admitted that many times he didn't know “what was going to happen” during filming, although the Cannes screening allowed him to finally “get it.”

As for her penchant for editing and re-editing her films, Coppola doesn't rule out doing just that. Megalopolis In the near future, he has already started working on a new script, which rules out his retirement. “I plan to be here in 20 years,” he said.