Interview with Francis Ford Coppola

A new film by a cult director and screenwriter was released in Ukrainian cinemas Francis Ford Coppola – “Megalopolis”. It is a spectacular dystopia with elements of a parable that draws parallels between ancient Rome and the modern world.

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It took 40 years from the idea to the release of the film. It is also the first work of the director who gave the world such films as “The Godfather”, “Apocalypse Today”, “Dracula” in the last 13 years.

At the same time, “Megalopolis” is Coppola’s most expensive film. However, the director paid an impressive 120 million dollars out of his own pocket to realize his creative idea. Moreover, especially for filming, Coppola bought and renovated a motel in Peachtree City (Georgia) for 4 million dollars – this summer it was opened to everyone who wants to get into the atmosphere of filming.

The production and release of the tape was accompanied by a number of scandals. The media wrote that there was chaos on the set, and some of the crew were allegedly fired due to an unstable working environment. Subsequently, Coppola was accused of harassment on the set, and the director responded by suing the journalists for defamation. Not even the trailer of the film escaped scandal – at the end of August, the Lionsgate studio removed it after accusations of the appearance of fabricated quotes from film critics in the video.

Starting today, Ukrainian viewers have the opportunity to see Francis Ford Coppola’s latest work with their own eyes. For now, we offer an exclusive interview with the director – in it he talks about the hidden meanings of “Megalopolis”, a warning to America due to Trump’s possible coming to power, as well as about supporting Ukraine and getting to know Zelensky.

“I have the ability to see the future – like Cassandra”

– Mr. Coppola, they say that you wrote the script for “Megalopolis” for more than 40 years…

– There is some truth in this, but it is impossible to say what exactly he wrote.

Somewhere from the end of the 1970s, I began to think about what I would shoot about, when I will be much older, in old age? And I started collecting albums with clippings about things that interested me – newspaper articles, quotes from books, political cartoons. I thought they would show me what my true style was. So I didn’t try to write “Megalopolis” for 40 years – these scrapbooks were collected for 40 years. And, analyzing them, I came to the conclusion that I want to make a Roman epic.

– Why him?

– Because Roman epics were always interesting: there were gladiators, there were conspirators, there were madmen like Caligula or Nero. And then I read a book that suggested that America is the Ancient Rome of our day. And I thought that these stories can be transferred to modern America – and it will work.

The director transferred the events of the Roman epic to modern America

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

So I began to form a rough idea of ​​what the story of “Megalopolis” could be, but I still didn’t know how to write it. I have a good imagination, a fantastic memory and the ability to see the future – like Cassandra. But I don’t have what some directors have: the ability to see the whole movie in my head and just write it down. I think Stephen [Спілберг] has this gift. But not me.

Instead, I can only write a script as if I’m going to rewrite it a hundred times. Well, yes, I really rewrite and rewrite.

Adam Driver as the architect Caesar Catiline

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

– You mentioned Cassandra – have any of your movie predictions come true yet?

– I wrote the script for the film “The Conversation” about a private secret eavesdropper back in the 1960s, when people did not even know that such a phenomenon as secret listening existed. And in ten years, Watergate happened [Вотергейтський скандал, пов’язаний із прослуховуванням конкурента Річарда Ніксона на виборах, тривав з 1972 по 1974 роки, а психологічний детектив “Розмова” вийшов 1974-го, потрапивши в тренд вотергейтської параної].

The mayor of the city was embodied on the screen by Giancarlo Esposito

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

Regarding “Megalopolis” and the concept of modern America as Ancient Rome, many have said: “Well, why would anyone go see a movie about that?“. But this is happening in our lives right now.

“Megapolis” is a film about the death and revival of the republic. And I guess you could say that I feel that our republic is closer to its agony than ever before. Perhaps even during the war of 1812 [англо-американська війна 1812-1814 років] – everything was on the edge then too. Even the White House was burned down.

– But your film ends on an optimistic note.

– Yes. He is full of hope.

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

– You started the pre-production of “Megalopolis” back in 2001. They gathered actors – Paul Newman, Uma Thurman, Robert De Niro, James Gandolfini, Nicolas Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Edie Falco, Kevin Spacey. But the project did not take place then. What happened?

– 9/11 happened.

I’m here making a film about utopia, about a world in which humanity achieves the breakthrough I’ve been hoping for… And then there’s a big terrorist attack. I couldn’t think of a way to beat that in a script. So I stopped this project then.

Aubrey Plaza as journalist Wau Platinum

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

“Like anyone who lived through World War II, I don’t want a repeat”

– Now, when “Megalopolis” is finally released, there are less than two months until the US elections, from which the whole world does not know what to expect. Many – including you – do not see anything good in the possible victory of Donald Trump…

– What is happening now in America – in our republic, in our democracy – is the same as how Rome turned from a republic into an empire thousands of years ago. Our politics have led us to the point where we may now lose the republic.

In the film, New York – the New Rome – is threatened by the remains of a Soviet satellite

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

– One of the heroes of “Megalopolis”, the banker Hamilton Crassus III, generally resembles Trump very much. And for this role, you invited the Oscar winner – and one of the most famous “Trumpists” in Hollywood – Jon Voight…

– Our cast represents a wide variety of political ideas. What I definitely didn’t want was for us to be seen as some kind of didactic Hollywood project that just teaches the audience. The film stars people whose careers were “cancelled” at a certain stage [Войт мав проблеми в Голлівуді через конфлікт з дочкою Анджеліною Джолі, актор Шайя ЛаБафф неодноразово звинувачувався в аб’юзі та насильстві]. There are people who are staunch conservatives, and there are those who are extremely politically progressive. But we all worked on one film together. I thought that would be interesting.

The character of the scandalous Shia LaBeouf is also a kind of allusion to Trump

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

But I want to add: “Megalopolis” is not only an American story. Trends similar to those described in our film can be seen everywhere. People like Donald Trump are generally not in power right now, but there is a trend in the world… a growing neo-fascist division that is frightening.

Like anyone who lived through World War II and saw the horrors, I don’t want a repeat of that. And I believe that this is the task of artists – to highlight what is really happening in the world.

Coppola and Driver on set

– Unfortunately, we in Ukraine know well what war is… Back in 2022, shortly after the start of a full-scale invasion of Russia, you came to the Oscar ceremony wearing a badge with the American and Ukrainian flags, and ended your Oscar speech with the words Viva Ukraine! – Long live Ukraine! We remember this important gesture of support and are grateful for it. But how do you assess the situation now?

– Probably, I cannot give any evaluations. But I can say that my heart is breaking with what is happening in this absurd reality of today’s world and I cannot be silent about it.

“My heart breaks with what is happening in the absurd reality of today’s world”

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

In my life, I met both Putin and Zelensky. And I know what I’m talking about when I say that if one word had been spoken – one word with the true meaning of “stop” – the war would have been stopped. The difference between NATO and Russian forces is 25 times greater [на користь НАТО]. And Putin is not crazy, delusional. If someone said stop – and really meant it – they would stop.

– And under what circumstances did you meet with Zelenskyi?

– In September 2021, I received a call and was informed that President Zelensky and his government were in Washington to visit President Biden. And, of course, they all love The Godfather. So we hosted a dinner for the Ukrainian government at my Inglenook winery in California. Zelensky was quite shy, you would never have guessed that he would become such a hero.

Francis Ford Coppola with a Ukrainian flag badge at the 2022 Oscars

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

“I want to do another risky project”

– By the way, about the wineries: you financed the production of “Megalopolis” with your own money – you invested $120 million, received from the sale of one of your wineries and several vineyards. How did you take such a significant financial risk?

– I absolutely do not care about finances. It means nothing to me. Well, one thing, if this $120 million would be all I have. But it is not so. I have bequeathed many things to my children, and the most important thing is their knowledge and talents. Also, they have Inglenook, which I mentioned, and there is no debt. So I went for it with a light heart.

– You are now 85. Do you consider “Megalopolis” as your final project?

– No. I had an uncle, my father’s brother, who died at almost 103 years old. He had a clear mind until the very end. My uncle wrote operas, read Proust in French, had a wonderful memory – you could talk to him about any topic. So, I may well live to be 100 or thereabouts. This means that I may have about twenty more years of productive life.

I am currently working on two potential projects. One is a normal movie that I wish someone would finance and make in England because I have so many memories of my wife in England [дружина режисера, режисерка-документалістка, письменниця та художниця Елінор Коппола померла цього квітня у віці 87 років].

Coppola dedicated “Megalopolis” to his wife, who died this year

A frame from the movie “Megalopolis”

The second project is called “Distant Vision” (Distant Vision). It is the story of three generations of an Italian-American family – similar to mine, but fictional. And this history intersects with the history of the invention and development of television. I will finance this movie with what Megapolis brings. I want to do another risky project.