Francis Ford Coppola says his breakthrough in the dystopian sci-fi film genre Megalopolis reflects his utopian ambitions for the world.
“It's a Roman epic, what can I say? It's a dive into a world that exists more than it should. Sure, it's about loyalty, but ultimately it's a vision of hope,” Coppola said at the Toronto Film Festival Tuesday night, as she presented a North American premiere of her expensive passion project.
Coppola cited Adam Driver's Cesar who wanted to build a new utopian dream city in New York City as his inspiration for Megalopolis. “There's always a vision of human beings who are great and capable of taking on any challenge to create a beautiful world for ourselves and our children. It's a film full of hope,” Coppola said.
After its world premiere in Cannes, Megalopolis divided critics: some praised Coppola's bold masterpiece, others questioned its existence, and a few were left in the middle.
The marketing of Megalopolis offered its own drama, as the initial trailer for the sci-fi epic was pulled by Lionsgate on August 21, after just one day, when it was revealed that critic quotes cited in the teaser were false. The studio soon after released a new trailer without the critic quotes.
Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza and Shia LaBeouf also star in an epic retelling of the Roman Empire in a modern-day New York City on the brink of ruin. The film, part political drama, part sci-fi thriller, part romance and part comedy, was the result of what Coppola plundered from historical accounts of ancient Rome and modern New York City, the director said.
And Coppola took creative liberties with characters and events. “What if I said, 'What do you think about that crazy thing, or that weird thing?' I can tell you where I got it from. I didn't make it up,” he said.
The Toronto Film Festival continues through September 15.