Both Toronto-based director David Cronenberg and his son Brandon Cronenberg had films at the Cannes film festival this year. Brandon's
Antiviral was shown in the Un Certain Regard section, while David's
Cosmopolis was a competition entry.
Michael Haneke's
Amour might have beat
Cosmopolis for the Palme d'Or, but the elder Cronenberg's film, based on a Don DeLillo and shot on location in Toronto, attracted considerable buzz, particularly because it stars
Twilight series heartthrob Robert Pattinson. The
New York Times asked Cronenberg how the project came together.
"Q. I understand it was the Portuguese producer Paulo Branco who had the rights to Cosmopolis and contacted you. How did that come about?"
"A. I think it's an interesting intuition because it's a bit like casting. I've never been in the position of having to choose a director for something. But I imagine it's a lot like choosing an actor for a role. Paulo came to Toronto with his son Juan, who had apparently told him that I was the right director for
Cosmopolis. I knew of Paulo, but had never met him. Actually when I was the president of the jury here, we gave a prize to Manoel de Oliveira for
The Letter, a film Paulo had produced. I'd read a lot of Don DeLillo but not that book. I read it and two days later said I would do it."
…
"Q. Since you have some insight into the jury process, do you have any thoughts on this weekend's awards? Some have said you're overdue for a Palme since you've come close a few times, and you also received a lifetime achievement from the festival a few years ago."
"A. This is maybe very Canadian of me but I have to say it's meaningful just to be here in the spotlight of the competition. An independent production like ours wouldn't have been able to reach as many people. At Cannes the world comes to you. It's like Cannes is our limo."
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Original source: New York Times