Megalopolis by Francis Ford Coppola Opens 15th Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest

Romanian Mihai Malaimare Jr. signs the image of the epic film.

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The new edition of the Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest festival makes a spectacular debut with an exceptional screening: Megalopolis, the long-awaited film by the legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, will open the festival on October 25, at Cineplexx Băneasa, in a national premiere. For this film, Francis Ford Coppola had Romanian Mihai Mălaimare Jr, known for his collaborations with great international directors, as cinematographer.

Considered one of the most ambitious film projects of Coppola’s career, Megalopolis was the most anticipated feature film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or grand prize. With an impressive cast including big-name actors like Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight and Laurence Fishburne, and a budget of over $100 million, the film received mixed reviews from film critics in the whole world in recent months.

Megalopolis brings to the screen a captivating story about the collapse of society and the attempt to rebuild it in a new and innovative form. The action takes place in a modern metropolis, New York, where the old and the new face each other in the battle for the future of civilization. Inspired by the historical events surrounding the Conspiracy of Catiline in ancient Rome, the film explores deep themes of power, corruption and the desire for reconstruction. Francis Ford Coppola began developing Megalopolis in the early 1980s.

“I started jotting down ideas in notebooks or collecting articles and quotes that I came across during my readings. (…) When you go to New York, you cannot help but be impressed by the influence of Roman architecture. My intention was, therefore, to write a Roman epic set in a contemporary New York that sought to replicate ancient Rome,” Coppola declared.

Sean Baker at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest

Sean Baker will be present via video call for a Q&A session with the audience on Friday, October 25, immediately following the national premiere of Anora, and Miguel Gomes will answer audience questions on Wednesday, October 30, following the national premiere of Grand Tour , also by video call. Both events will take place at Cinema Elvire Popesco. The sessions at the end of the screenings are an opportunity for the audience present in the hall to connect with the two renowned directors and explore the artistic vision of their films through direct questions.

Provocative and Emotional Stories at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest

Bird, directed by Andrea Arnold, renowned as one of the masters of British cinema and a three-time winner of the Cannes Jury Prize, will also premiere at the 15th edition. This feature film was in competition this year at Cannes and brings to the big screen a trio featuring Franz Rogowski as the most peculiar guardian angel, Barry Keoghan, who is both charming and unfortunate, and Nykiya Adams, delivering a powerful performance. Bird tells the story of an unusual friendship between Bailey, a dreamy girl on the brink of adolescence eager to leave her dysfunctional home, and Bird, a man desperately searching for his own nest.

The Shrouds, presented in the official Cannes competition, will also premiere in Romania. This psychological thriller by David Cronenberg, featuring Diane Kruger and Vincent Cassel in the lead roles, explores themes of death, loss, and human connections. The narrative focuses on a businessman who creates a new technology using lifeless bodies to explore the concepts of grief and memory. This unconventional approach highlights the complexity of human relationships and the impact of death on those left behind. Cronenberg made The Shrouds as a tribute to his wife, who stood by him for over four decades and passed away in 2017.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig, the latest film by Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, which received the Special Jury Prize and the Fipresci Prize, will be screened during the 15th edition of Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest. The film presents the dramatic situation of women in Tehran, forced to live under the terror of imposed restrictions. It tells the story of Iman, a judge at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who faces distrust and paranoia as political protests in the country intensify and his weapon mysteriously disappears. Suspecting the involvement of his wife, Najmeh, and his daughters, Rezvan and Sana, he imposes drastic measures at home. The tension escalates, and the normalcy of family life is suspended. Director Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran this year after being sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging. His conviction followed a clash with the Tehran government due to his films. “I had to ask myself, well, do I want to stay in prison, or should I leave Iran, the geographical Iran, and join the cultural Iran that exists beyond its borders?” Rasoulof declared in May while attending Cannes.

Motel Destino, the film through which Brazilian director Karim Ainouz returned to the official Cannes competition in 2024, will also be featured at the 15th edition of Les Films. It has been dubbed “one of the most erotic films in the race for the Palme d’Or,” featuring numerous sex scenes. With an atmosphere charged with suspense and tension, the film tells the story of Dayana, who is in an abusive marriage with her ex-police officer husband Elias, the owner of Motel Destino. When 21-year-old Heraldo arrives at the motel after messing up and needing a place to hide, Dayana becomes curious and lets him stay. As the two engage in a dance of power and desire, a dangerous plan for freedom takes shape. Motel Destino explores themes of guilt, destiny, and the inevitable consequences of our choices. The film delves deep into the characters’ psychology, providing an intense and emotional experience.

Diamant Brut, the debut film by French director Agathe Riedinger, also in the official Cannes 2024 competition, follows the story of Liane, a passionate and impulsive 19-year-old girl who lives with her mother and younger sister in the dusty town of Fréjus. Obsessed with beauty and the desire to become famous, Liane dreams of a successful life, believing that reality shows can provide the recognition she seeks. Fortune seems to smile upon her when she is selected for a casting call for the show “Miracle Island,” a competition that offers her the illusion of a rapid rise to stardom. The film explores themes of youthful aspirations, the superficiality of fame, and the complexity of family relationships and can be seen at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest.

L’Amour Ouf, directed by Gilles Lellouche, is one of the most anticipated French films of the year. An explosive story about passion and obsessive love, the film explores the extreme boundaries of human relationships and how far people can go for love. With innovative direction, the film tells the story of two teenagers from different social classes who grow up in the same city, at the same high school, around the same port docks. Their paths cross, and they fall madly in love. While Jackie follows her studies, Clotaire is caught up in gang turmoil and ends up in prison for 12 years on false murder charges.

Parthenope, a film by Paolo Sorrentino, explores the legends and mysteries of the city of Naples, intertwining ancient mythology with modern reality. The title refers to the siren Parthenope, one of the mythical figures of the city, and the film reinterprets her story in a contemporary context: specifically, Parthenope’s life from her birth in the 1950s to the present. Through fascinating images and an impressive soundtrack, Parthenope invites the audience on a journey through the history and soul of a place rich in stories.

“Anora” is distributed by Ro Image 2000. “Grand Tour” and “Diamant Brut” are distributed in Romania by Voodoo Films, while “Megalopolis” and “Parthenope” are distributed by Independența Film. “Bird,” “The Seed of The Sacred Fig,” “L’Amour ouf,” and “Motel Destino” will be distributed by Bad Unicorn.

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