Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ receives 10-minute ovation at Cannes premiere
The world premiere of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's highly anticipated sci-fi epic, "Megalopolis", took place on Thursday night at the ongoing 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
The film was met with a 10-minute standing ovation at the Grand Lumiere Theatre. Coppola embraced each of his principal stars — Nathalie Emmanuel, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Giancarlo Esposito — and threw his hat into the cheering crowd.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Following the loss of his wife Eleanor last month, Coppola took a moment to introduce his family members present, including his son, Roman Coppola, and sister, Talia Shire, who both contributed to the film.
He expressed his gratitude, stating, "They were all my family. And in fact, as Cesar (Adam Driver's character) says (in the film), 'We are all one family.'" He added, "The most important thing we have, the most beautiful word I think in any language, is — Speranza — hope! And that's what I dedicate this movie to. Hope, and the children. Make the world for the children."
The build-up to the film's unveiling was notable. Imax announced a global theatrical release for "Megalopolis" with the date yet to be determined. Coppola approached the Palais to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "My Way", fitting for a filmmaker who made this film outside the Hollywood system, maintaining complete creative control.
Applause filled the theatre as Coppola's arrival was shown on the big screen, intensifying when the theme from "The Godfather" played, as the director walked the red carpet with his cane. Adam Driver assisted Coppola up the steps of the Palais to greet festival director Thierry Fremaux, culminating in a massive ovation as Coppola entered the theatre.
Attendees included Richard Gere – who hugged Coppola before the film began, "Challengers" star Mike Faist and composer Hans Zimmer.
85-year-old Coppola's last competition entry at Cannes was "Apocalypse Now", 45 years ago, a film that won him the Palme d'Or for the second time. Like "Apocalypse Now," "Megalopolis" arrived at the festival with significant buzz.
Coppola began developing the concept in the early 1980s, working on it sporadically over the following decades with various actors attached. He drew inspiration for the plot from a coup attempt in 63 BC by the Roman aristocrat Lucius Sergius Catiline, who also lends his name to Driver's character.
Coppola has been discussing the project for decades, investing $120 million of his own money (he sold a portion of his wine business). The VFX-heavy shoot in Atlanta was reported by THR to have faced numerous challenges.
Regarding theatres premiering the film, much depends on its reception at Cannes, especially following a private screening in LA on March 28, where potential buyers were skeptical about its commercial potential. This week, the film's distribution rights were sold for several European territories, but it has yet to secure a US distributor.
Regardless of the outcome, Coppola stayed true to his vision. As The Hollywood Reporter's chief film critic, David Rooney, described in his review, "The character in 'Megalopolis' played by Adam Driver with idealistic passion, Cesar Catilina, is a visionary genius intent on saving New York City by building a utopian future, dislodging the elite ruling class in the process. In many ways, Cesar's mission, both noble and egomaniacal, seems a direct reflection of the dogged determination of Francis Ford Coppola to get this movie made at any cost."
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