Hyderabad: American filmmaker Francis Coppola's long-awaited project, Megalopolis, has scored a prime slot for its grand premiere at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. This marks the film's debut in the competition after intense negotiations with organisers from the Cannes, Venice, and Toronto film festivals. Cannes head Thierry Fremaux emerged successful, securing a May 17 premiere for Megalopolis at the film festival. The film will vie for Palme d'Or at Cannes.
Francis Ford Coppola's return to Cannes after 45 years: Returning to Cannes after a 45-year hiatus, Coppola brings to light Megalopolis, a project he has cherished since laying eyes on the script almost four decades ago. The film garnered significant interest when previewed to potential buyers at the Universal CityWalk Imax Theater recently. Opting for Cannes over a safer alternative, Coppola's proclivity for risk-taking shines through, reminiscent of when he premiered Apocalypse Now at the festival 45 years ago.
Megalopolis - All about Coppola's passion project: The film, dear to his heart, underwent numerous announcements, delays, and abandonments over the years of its creation, with broken filming sessions. Coppola began crafting the script for Megalopolis in the 1980s but had to set it aside due to a lack of financial backing for such a monumental project. Now, the stars have aligned. With a successful career under his belt, he now has the means to fund his dream endeavour, promising a captivating spectacle.
Coppola spent 120 million dollars of his own money to make Megalopolis: Francis Coppola conceived the concept for Megalopolis in the early 1980s and spent 120 million dollars on the project. Utilising funds from his wine business, Coppola pursued his passion project depicting the reconstruction of a bustling metropolis.
Star cast of Megalopolis: The movie, which delves into the reconstruction of a city, is led by an ensemble cast featuring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Dustin Hoffman. The narrative centres on diverging ideologies between an idealistic architect (portrayed by Adam Driver) and the city's pragmatic mayor (played by Giancarlo Esposito), resulting in a clash of ambitions.
The esteemed 77th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled for May 14 to 25, 2024. Renowned American filmmaker Greta Gerwig will take on the role of jury president for the event. French actor Camille Cottin will host both the opening and closing ceremonies. The festival will kick off with the premiere of The Second Act helmed by Quentin Dupieux.
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