The Hollywood Reporter (January 2020)

AWARDS PLAYBOOK

BEST PICTURE, INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
10
& DOCUMENTARY
JANUARY 2020


A C A D E M Y A W A R D N O M I N A T I O N S
®
B E S T P I C T U R E







BEST DIRECTING BEST WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
MARTIN SCORSESE STEVEN ZAILLIAN AL PACINO JOE PESCI

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN BEST FILM EDITING BEST COSTUME DESIGN BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
RODRIGO PRIETO BOB SHAW, THELMA SCHOONMAKER SANDY POWELL, PABLO HELMAN, LEANDRO ESTEBECORENA,
REGINA GRAVES CHRISTOPHER PETERSON NELSON SEPULVEDA-FAUSER, STEPHANE GRABLI











































“‘ ’














”













ON OVER 275 TOP TEN LISTS









2 WINNER 3 BEST PICTURE
WINNER


BEST PICTURE

NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW AWARDS
NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

6 ®












BEST BEST

D I R E C T O R O R I G I N A L S C R E E N P L A Y

BONG JOON HO BONG JOON HO AND HAN JIN WON



“ONE OF THE SMARTEST





FILMS OF THE








C H I C A G O






































































































F O R Y O U R C O N S I D E R A T I O N



Awards Special













Best Picture





























































































8 Female Artists and the 12 Echoing a Madman’s 36 Living on The Edge
‘Club of Geniuses’ State of Mind Brazilian director Petra Costa, 17 1917: COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES. FORD: MERRICK MORTON/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. IRISHMAN, MARRIAGE: COURTESYOF NETFLIX. JOJO: LARRY HORRICKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. JOKER: NIKO TAVERNISE/WARNER BROS. LITTLE: WILSON WEBB/COLUMBIA PICTURES. HOLLYWOOD: ANDREW COOPER/ SONY PICTURES. PARASITE: COURTESY OF NEON.
With Little Women, one of two For Todd Phillips’ Joker, supervising earning her first career Oscar
films capturing artistic gender bias sound editor Alan Robert Murray nomination, explains why Americans Simply the best!
onscreen, Greta Gerwig, like author based his choices on the unraveling should view her Netflix documen- Top row, from left:
Louisa May Alcott before her, “seeks of Arthur Fleck. tary The Edge of Democracy as a 1917, Ford v Ferrari
and The Irishman;
to expand our notions of which sto- warning shot. middle row, from left:
ries deserve to be told.” 17 Best Picture Jojo Rabbit, Joker
What does it take to become a best 38 Personal Conflict on a and Little Women;
10 A Post-Nomination Boost picture nominee? The producers Global Scale bottom row, from
left: Marriage
for Some, Blues for Others behind the nine films vying for the Class warfare and culture clashes Story, Once Upon a
While the snubbed lick their wounds top prize reveal untold stories fuel the emotional fires at the center Time in Hollywood
and Parasite.
after the noms, THR’s awards analyst from their sets, their biggest hurdles of the international film race, with
surveys the latest moves affecting and thoughts on the season’s most five films telling universal and explo-
contenders’ fates. controversial events. sive stories.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1



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FINANCE HUMAN RESOURCES







2 0 2 0
AWARDS SEASON












Clearly, that project of expansion has far
to go. This awards season brought reports of
male Academy voters and audiences at large
refusing to watch a supposedly girlie movie
like Little Women — a common prejudice that
may have contributed to Gerwig’s absence
from the director nominees. Unsurprisingly,
it’s such viewers who most need to hear the
film’s critiques of what kind of art gets to be

made and championed — and what doesn’t.
“What women are allowed into the club
of geniuses anyway?” protests Amy. “The
Brontës,” comes Laurie’s dispiriting answer
— dispiriting not because the Brontës weren’t
geniuses but because women’s experiences
shouldn’t have to be grim, harrowing or even
romantic to be worth telling.
In Neon’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Sciamma
THE RACE | INKOO KANG supercharges many of these same ideas. The

Female Artists and the French drama — which wasn’t its coun-
try’s submission for the international film
Oscar — tells of a female portraitist named
‘Club of Geniuses’ Marianne (Noémie Merlant), commissioned

to paint the visage of an unwilling subject,
the unhappily betrothed Héloïse (Adèle
With Little Women, one of two films capturing artistic gender bias onscreen
(the other being Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Greta Gerwig, ‘like Louisa May Alcott Haenel). As the women get to know each
before her, seeks to expand our notions of which stories deserve to be told’ other, they fall in love and enjoy a brief oasis
when they have Héloïse’s mother’s seaside

home to themselves.
his year, like last year, and eight of the Sony’s Little Women is an ambivalent Portrait of a Lady on Fire doesn’t shy away
10 years before that, no women were romance at best: Alcott declines to pair her from the discrimination that Marianne faces
T nominated for the best director Oscar. writer protagonist, Jo (played in the film by as a female painter in the 18th century: She
Despite recent (and controversial) attempts by Saoirse Ronan), with her childhood sweetheart, sells her work under her father’s name and is
the Academy to diversify its membership, the Laurie (Timothée Chalamet), then muddies up forbidden from painting men in the nude. But
status quo remains: Only one female film- the expected happy ending she’s to have with the film is so thrilling because it explores the
maker, Kathryn Bigelow for 2009’s The Hurt Professor Bhaer (Louis Garrel). In Gerwig’s niches that women artists have historically
Locker, has ever been deemed any given year’s film, Jo’s lifelong love affair is with her liter- carved out for themselves and taken hidden
most inspired visionary. What’s different this ary ambitions, after all, and the film is so comfort in. Marianne can do her work only
awards season is that one of those snubbed extraordinarily affecting because we see how because Héloïse doesn’t suspect her new
women directors has made a high-profile film everything in Jo’s life prepares her to write the companion of being an artist. And although,
that illustrates the many hurdles female artists autobiographical novel that will become her like Jo, Marianne is beholden to the rules of
have to overcome: first to prove that they’ve got biggest triumph. Dying Beth (Eliza Scanlen) is the marketplace, her subversions of prevailing
talent (and should be compensated fairly for it), her original inspiration, family-focused Meg artistic ideals are meaningful, even innova-
then to have their own ideas about what consti- (Emma Watson) is her cautionary tale, and tive — though they might not be recognized
tutes great art recognized by male gatekeepers. secretly wise Amy (Florence Pugh) assures a as such for another two centuries. Watching
Serendipitously, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, skeptical Jo that a book about the March sisters’ Héloïse’s maid, Sophie (Luana Bajrami),
based on author Louisa May Alcott’s original “little life,” with its “domestic struggles and undergo a secret abortion at a midwife’s cot-
work, is joined in this important endeavor by joys,” is as worthy of putting ink to paper as tage, Marianne sketches for herself an image
Céline Sciamma’s critical darling Portrait of a the “gory,” “scandalous” tales that the bud- of the scene — a situation that a male artist
Lady on Fire. Together, the two period dramas ding writer had been selling to magazines but likely wouldn’t have had access to, let alone
remind us, rather movingly, that biases against unwilling to attach her name to. Jo’s boorish considered worthy of memorialization.
women artists and artworks coded as feminine editor (Tracy Letts), who initially demands The sparsely worded, visually ravishing

are deeply ingrained in our culture, and that that her female characters end up “married by Portrait of a Lady on Fire won the best screen-
it’s not just individual writers, painters and the end, or dead,” doesn’t get the appeal of her play award at Cannes — recognition for a
filmmakers who suffer when we confine our novel, but his daughters can’t get enough. Little film’s script generally being a kind of consola-
conceptions of greatness to masculine subjects Women is exciting not just because it’s about tion prize for films that don’t quite match the
but audiences and art itself, too. a group of creative women discovering who narrow conceptions of great cinema. Gerwig
they want to become but because Gerwig, like and Sciamma have expertly diagnosed the
INKOO KANG is a television critic at Alcott before her, seeks to expand our notions problem. The question is when voters and
The Hollywood Reporter. of which stories deserve to be told. viewers will accept the solution.


Illustration by Yelena Bryksenkova




T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1



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AWARDS SEASON












FEINBERG FORECAST

A Post-Nomination Boost for

Some Films and Blues for Others


While the snubbed lick their wounds after the nominations, THR’s
awards analyst surveys the latest moves affecting contenders’ fates

BY SCOTT FEINBERG


B E S T P I C T U R E I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E A T U R E






Con la fi nanciación del Gobierno de España




NOMINATIONS

BEST ACTOR ANTONIO BANDERAS
pain and glory
ACADEMY AWARD
2BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
®
Marriage Story Atlantics
Noah Baumbach landed pic and This haunting Netflix-distributed
original screenplay Oscar nominations film from Mati Diop — who became
to go with three acting noms and one the first black female director
for original score, and his film was ever to premiere a film in the main
toasted at a Jan. 15 BAFTA/PGA event, lineup at Cannes (where it won
while stars Adam Driver and Scarlett the Grand Prix) — missed out on
Johansson were feted at the Santa its chance to become Senegal’s first-
Barbara Film Festival on Jan. 17. ever Oscar nominee.


















Uncut Gems Pain and Glory
The Safdie brothers’ diamond district A Pedro Almodóvar film is an Oscar
drama was shut out of the Oscar noms nominee for the third time in this cat-
— with not even a film editing nod — egory after 1988’s Women on the Verge
FESTIVAL
prompting star Adam Sandler to tweet: of a Nervous Breakdown and 1999’s
CANNES FILM
“Bad news: Sandman gets no love from All About My Mother, the latter of which
OF FILM CRITICS
NATIONAL SOCIETY
the Academy. Good news: Sandman can won. Star Antonio Banderas also is
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTOR
WINNER
WINNER
stop wearing suits.” nominated for best actor.
D O C U M E N T A R Y F E A T U R E D O C U M E N T A R Y F E A T U R E / HONEYLAND: LJUBO STEFANOV/NEON. MARRIAGE: COURTESY OF NETFLIX. PAIN: MANOLO PAVÓN/SONY PICTURES CLASSICS. ATLANTICS: COURTESY OF NETFLIX. CAVE: COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. GEMS: COURTESY OF A24.
I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E A T U R E

HOLLYWOOD
FILM AWARDS
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTOR
EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS
WINNER
WINNER




The Cave Honeyland
Despite visa problems caused by the North Macedonia celebrated when
CRITICS CIRCLE
Trump administration that prevented Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir
NEW YORK FILM
LOS ANGELES FILM
CRITICS ASSOCIATION
him from campaigning like other short- Stefanov’s film about one of the last
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTOR
WINNER
WINNER
listed filmmakers, Feras Fayyad is a beekeepers in the region, which
OF THE YEAR
nominee in this category for the second won three prizes at Sundance, became
time in three years, for a film about the first ever nominated for both
a female doctor in a Syrian hospital. doc feature and international feature.
OF THE YEAR
DORIAN AWARDS
FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
THE BEST PICTURE
THE BEST PERFORMANCE
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTOR
1 0
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
WINNER
WINNER

PETER TRAVERS

“THE MOVIE HITS YOU LIKE A SHOT IN THE HEART.”




















































































F O R Y O U R C O N S I D E R A T I O N















D A N D E L E E U W , M A T T A I T K E N , R U S S E L L E A R L , D A N S U D I C K




































DISNEYSTUDIOSAWARDS.COM
© 2020 MARVEL

2 0 2 0
AWARDS SEASON































































BEHIND THE SCREEN | CAROLYN GIARDINA

Echoing a Madman’s State of Mind




For Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, sound editor Alan Robert Murray based his choices
on Arthur Fleck’s gradual transformation into the unhinged villain




hen supervising descent into madness. Everything opening scene, which shows And with Arthur’s final trans-
sound editor Alan would start off normal, and then Arthur working as a clown when formation into Joker in front of a
W Robert Murray sat our sound effects reacted to what gang members steals his sign; rioting crowd on the city’s streets,
down to talk with director was going on with Arthur.” he chases them into an alley and Murray notes that “nobody’s ever
Todd Phillips about their sonic For a sequence in which Arthur is attacked. For the gritty and chanting things like ‘Joker, Joker.’
approach to Warner Bros.’ Joker, Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is beaten early ’80s feel, Murray It’s more of a wounded animal
the filmmaker said he wanted up by three Wall Street suits on used period sounds cry out from the crowd. He’s now
realistic sounds instead of the a subway car, Murray explains such as vehicle noises become total Joker.”
typical tones expected in a comic that the sound gets more sinister with V8 engines The work on this sequence
book-inspired film. as the scene progresses. “It was and mufflers from involved gathering a group on the
Murray
“He didn’t want overdone building the scene, starting at muscle cars. “As we New York set of the Warner Bros.
punches and sound design that a normal atmosphere and then got deeper into the scene, the lot. “We recorded specific yell
made it seem unrealistic,” says amping it up as the torment sounds of the city got harsher and outs, but not words. More like a
Murray, a two-time Oscar winner increased on Arthur,” he says, louder. It was accented by sirens warrior’s scream,” says Murray,
(American Sniper, Letters From adding that this included sounds to keep that gritty, nasty, always who also incorporated processed
Iwo Jima) who earned his 10th such as the screech of the subway threatening feel of Gotham,” he animals sounds, including lions
career nomination — a record for car. “On top of that, the trains says. “We had to create sirens that and wolves, into these crowd
sound editing — with Joker. “So going by in opposite directions were not New York, but something vocalizations.
it was more of following Arthur’s took on a sinister sound. They committed to Gotham, so we Hildur Gudnadóttir’s haunt-

were made up of processed jets ended up crossing from regular ing score also was a key factor
and roller coasters and anything sirens into a more European flair.” in creating the sound. “Our
that was dark and gritty to bring Murray adds that to make the director would decide what was
PODCAST! the whole thing with Arthur audience “feel that they’re right going to start the scene — either JOKER: NIKO TAVERNISE/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT. MURRAY: C FLANIGAN/FILMMAGIC
The weekly show Behind the Screen, into perspective.” there with Arthur,” they recorded Hildur’s score or we would
hosted by tech editor Carolyn Giardina,
features conversations with cinematographers, Another example of how sounds with an ambisonic (sur- come in with a tonal sound.
editors, composers and other artists the film used sound to reflect round sound) mic, “which helped And we would trade off during
behind the magic of motion pictures. Listen
and subscribe at THR.com/podcasts. Arthur’s state of mind is in the in the Atmos mix.” the scene.”








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 1 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1



About Town


Yes, I Did Say That! Quotes



A look at who’s saying what in the awards race
Compiled by Pete Keeley











“I feel like in virtually “The nominees
are so white that
every movie that I made, this year’s Oscars

there was a connection are being held

to River in some way.” at Pottery Barn.”
JIMMY FALLON
The Tonight Show host, joking
JOAQUIN PHOENIX
The Joker actor, in a rare interview on 60 Minutes, discussing about the fact that 19 of the 20 acting
nominees in 2020 are white.
the death of his actor brother, River, of a drug overdose in 1993.














“I’ve been a cop
and a robber and “You know “My oldest just
a doctor and a you’re in trouble went, ‘Well, this
professor. … I’ve when someone can sounds like a
been a donkey. throw shade by waste of time.’ ”
I even played a congratulating you.” CHARLIZE THERON
spaceship once!” TREVOR NOAH The Bombshell star, on Jimmy
Kimmel Live!, recounting
EDDIE MURPHY The Daily Show host, reacting to her kids’ reaction to her best
The Dolemite Is My Name Issa Rae’s comment after actress Oscar nomination
star, accepting the lifetime announcing the five male Oscar after she told them there was a
achievement award at the nominees for best director: chance she wouldn’t win.
Critics’ Choice Awards, riffing “Congratulations to those men.”
on his long and varied career.










“When you wake up,
meditate, stretch,
reach for your “You’ve shown
phone … and see a “You were great sensitivity
tweet from someone robbed Sandman. to foreign
you admire that Hell of a culture, in
is so backward and performance.” contrast to your
ignorant you want to MILES TELLER government.”
go back to bed.” The Top Gun: Maverick actor, PEDRO ALMODÓVAR
on Twitter, offering sympathy
AVA DUVERNAY for Uncut Gems star The Pain and Glory director,
criticizing the Trump
The When They See Us Adam Sandler, who did not administration while accepting PHOENIX: JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES. NOAH: DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES. DUVERNAY: STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE. ALMODÓVAR: DANIELE VENTURELLI/GETTY IMAGES. CHERRY: SEAN MATHIS/WIREIMAGE.
director, on Twitter, reacting to receive an acting nomination. an award from the Los Angeles
a controversial tweet by Film Critics Association.
Stephen King in which he said he
would “never consider diversity in
matters of art. Only quality.”







FLASHBACK!
JUNE 1, 2012
Did I “I’m gonna be nominated for an Oscar one day.

Really Already claiming it.”

MATTHEW CHERRY
Say The writer-director, on Twitter. “You just gotta believe!” Cherry tweeted Jan. 13 after Hair Love,
That? his Kickstarter-funded animated short film, earned an Oscar nomination, his first.










T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 1 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1









BEST











PICTURE





1917: FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/UNIVERSAL PICTURES. JOJO: KIMBERLY FRENCH/FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES. HOLLYWOOD: ANDREW COOPER/SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT. PARASITE: COURTESY OF NEON. WOMEN: WILSON WEBB/COLUMBIA













PICTURES. IRISHMAN: NIKO TAVERNISE/NETFLIX. MARRIAGE: WILSON WEBB/NETFLIX. JOKER: NIKO TAVERNISE/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT. FORD: MERRICK MORTON/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX.
What does it take to become a best picture nominee?
The producers behind the nine films vying for the top prize
reveal untold stories from their sets, their biggest hurdles,

and thoughts on the season’s most controversial events,
from an interview walkout to female seen-not-heard roles




















































T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 1 7 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

VITAL STATS


STUDIO Universal

RELEASE DATE Dec. 25
BEST PICTURE not just its technical wizardry (thanks largely
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
to Roger Deakins’ cinematography and the
1917 stitchwork of editor Lee Smith), but also its $75.6M (through Jan. 16)
DIRECTOR Sam Mendes
immersive storytelling and sound.
CAST
Already a double Golden Globe winner (for
George MacKay,
best picture, drama, and for best director) Dean-Charles Chapman
and appearing on many critics’ top 10 lists,
TOP AWARDS
Sam Mendes’ ambitious 1917 has amassed nine BAFTA and 10 Oscar 10 Oscar noms, 9 BAFTA noms,

World War I epic follows two nominations. Among those preparing a trip 2 Globe wins
to the Dolby Theatre is Pippa Harris, Mendes’
British soldiers who venture longtime producing partner and his Neal

into enemy territory in a Street Productions co-founder. Speaking to started really talking about the war. But the
race against time — just like THR, Harris discusses how the production one that really stuck with Sam was this story
the film’s own dramatic complexities of 1917’s one-shot style made her of him having to run below the level of the

entry into the awards battle a “weather geek,” recalls meeting Taylor Swift mist and take a message into No Man’s Land.
at the Golden Globes (where she also stalked
In terms of the film, he first mentioned it to
BY ALEX RITMAN
the Succession team) and reveals which newly me around three or four years ago, just as a
anointed Oscar nominee reminds her of sort of kernel of an idea. His agent and I both
fter an eleventh-hour shimmy Kate Winslet. said, “Well, why don’t you have a go at writ-
into the awards race, Sam ing something?” He did a first draft, which
Mendes’ seemingly one-shot Sam Mendes has talked about how 1917 was really just an outline document, and it

World War I epic 1917 has enjoyed was inspired by stories that his grandfather, slightly ground to a halt. We chatted again
A a dramatic last-minute entrance a World War I veteran, told him. When did he about it, and I said, “Maybe you should work
of which even the director of two Bond titles start speaking to you about the film? with a writer, because otherwise it could be 1917: FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/UNIVERSAL PICTURES (2). MENDES: BRYAN BEDDER/GETTY IMAGES FOR UNIVERSAL PICTURES.
would be proud. Following two young British PIPPA HARRIS The funny thing is, we’ve known one of the things that ends up in a file on your
soldiers (played by George MacKay and Dean- each other since we were kids, so I remember shelf.” And that’s where Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Charles Chapman) as they undertake a daring his grandfather, Alfred. He was a great bon came in. We’d both worked with her on Penny
mission across the trenches into No Man’s viveur and great raconteur. But it was only Dreadful, and Sam had developed two movie
Land, the Universal film has been hailed as a when Sam and his cousins were little kids scripts with her — which didn’t see the light
visually sumptuous masterpiece, lauded for and bothering him to tell them stories that he of day, but he loved working with her.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 1 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

What’s been the most surprising interaction
you’ve had in the awards season so far?
Well, I did meet Taylor Swift at the Golden
Globes, which, in terms of my daughter who’s
nearly 16, was the most cred thing I’ve ever
done. But you do find yourself in these strange
scenarios where you walk into a room and
Dexter Fletcher is on one side and Brad Pitt’s
on the other, and it’s just very odd. Sometimes
it’s really lovely, because Sam and I are mas-
sive fans of Succession, so we were following
them around like groupies [at the Globes].
I’m sure Brian Cox thought we were pursuing
them. We kept saying how much we loved the

show, which was probably a bit embarrassing.





“On a film like this, you just have to forget what you’ve

prepared and be real and raw.” DEAN-CHARLES CHAPMAN
Was the plan always to shoot it in this uniquely
one-shot style?
That was on the very first document I saw.
It’s not that I think Sam’s a particular evan- imagine for Amblin [one of the film’s produc- Did they reciprocate and tell you how much
gelist for one-shots — he’s not going to make tion companies] was slightly disconcerting. they liked 1917?
everything in this way. I just think he wanted We obviously rehearsed and rehearsed and They did, actually. They were very nice
to tell a very intimate story set against a vast rehearsed. And on the second day, when the about it.
landscape, both literally and metaphorically. weather was spot-on, we just went for it. And,
And he felt very strongly that if you could stay in fact, we shot everything scheduled for Have you learned anything new about your
close and connected to the leads throughout Monday and for Tuesday and we got ahead on cast or crew while on the awards circuit?
and follow their journey, literally step by step, Wednesday’s work. So we would sort of get Not so much the awards process,
that it would be a really immersive way of tell- behind and then ahead of ourselves, which but on one of our very first panels,
ing this particular story. was a real challenge for the locations depart- Dean-Charles Chapman talked about how,

ment and production design. when he’d been doing his initial research,
As a producer, what sort of challenges did this he’d read a book of war diaries from
style of filmmaking create? 1917 came into the awards race pretty late in the World War I. In it was a diary entry by
The actual truth is that I don’t think any day but had an instant impact. Did you always his own grandfather, which he’d
of us really knew the complexities or chal- have this dramatic last-minute entrance in mind? known nothing about. That was pretty
lenges of it all! It was only when we went on I would love to say that this was a sort of cun- extraordinary.
the first location scout that it became clear ning plan. But the reality was that we started
we weren’t going to find our landscapes filming in April and finished in July, and the Are there any other films or performances
anywhere close to each other, and we were plan had always been that it would be released that you’ve seen recently, and are perhaps
going to be stitching them together. There in January. And I think Sam and I just hadn’t in the awards season discussion, that you’ve
were 12 or so major locations, which were factored in the whole “OK, if you want to be particularly admired?
geographically so far apart, and these all eligible for the Globes, you need to screen by Oh God, masses. I’m a huge fan of Florence
had to link up and be conceivably one piece X date.” And so it just so happened that we Pugh, so I was thrilled that she was
of one journey, and that was very tricky. The finished the film and I think two days later nominated for both BAFTA and the Oscars.
other big challenge was the weather. We shot had the first screening for the HFPA, and then She reminds me of Kate Winslet a lot.
across 65 days and the weather had to look the went straight into all the guild screenings. She has a sort of really rooted quality where
same. Once we started, we knew we wanted you totally believe her and whatever she
it overcast, because we didn’t want bright does, and she brought a passion and an
sunshine, which would cast a shadow. And energy to that performance in Little Women.
we became slightly obsessive weather geeks.
My fellow producer Callum [McDougall] and Among all the reviews and recognition 1917
I were rivals in terms of who could find the has received so far, is there anything in particu-
most obscure weather app with the most lar that stands out or is special for you?
up-to-date information. There were very few The thing that I found, which I’ve never

interior sets, so it wasn’t a case of “OK, it’s had on previous projects, is that I’ve had
bright sunshine, let’s shoot something else.” so many people saying, “I saw your movie,
I loved it, and I’m going to see it again.”
Was there a lot of waiting around for the right I spoke to someone yesterday who’d seen
shade of gray? it three times, and I think that’s a real
Not so much waiting around, but we got testament to the immersive nature of it.
into a slightly odd rhythm because we didn’t From left: Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Dean-Charles Chapman,
Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and George MacKay at a Dec. 15
actually film on the first day, which you can screening of 1917 in New York City. Interview edited for length and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 1 9 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

BEST PICTURE
Ford v







Ferrari











Matt Damon and Christian Bale

star in a fast-paced, character-driven
action-drama that in today’s movie

climate feels like ‘the last of its kind’
BY SHANNON O’CONNOR



roducer Jenno
Topping’s definitive
moment while work-
ing on Ford v Ferrari
P came six weeks out
from shooting. Topping, director VITAL STATS
James Mangold and the rest of
STUDIO Fox/Disney
the team were having a meeting
RELEASE DATE Nov. 27
— toy cars and cardboard cutouts
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
in hand — to figure out how to
$211.2M (through Jan. 16)
shoot one of the film’s many
DIRECTOR James Mangold
races. Then, in a bemused tone,
CAST
Mangold announced to the room,
Christian Bale, Matt Damon
“You know, I am not really much
TOP AWARDS
of a car guy.” 4 Oscar noms,
After getting over her initial
shock from this admission, 1 Globe nom, 3 BAFTA noms,
2 SAG Award noms
Topping realized that it was
exactly what made Mangold per-
fect for the project. “He’s enough What is your takeaway, as a pro-
of a car guy to really care about ducer, about box office numbers
how those scenes were shot and and their effect on a film?
what cars meant in the movie, All of us felt like we were making
but that’s not what the movie was the last of its kind, in the sense
about to him,” says Topping. “And that it was a big, classy, expen-
that’s why it works.” sive, gorgeous movie that felt
The film, nominated for four like a classic in many ways. The
Oscars, including best picture, You have been with this film for How did the Fox-Disney merger marketplace is so mercurial, and
tells the true story of how the years. What’s it like to finally see it affect you as a producer? nobody knows what is going to
Ford Motor Co. defeated the seem- land on the awards circuit? I have to give [Fox vice chair- work. The only North Star,
ingly unbeatable Ferrari team at JENNO TOPPING Sometimes proj- man and head of production] so to speak, is finding material
the 1966 24 Hours at Le Mans race ects take a really long time to Emma Watts a ton of credit. The that you love and trying to build
in France while also exploring get made and go through a merger was happening, but she it in a way that you think will
the complex friendship between bunch of obstacles and chal- set her sights on this movie and resonate with people. In terms
car designer Carroll Shelby lenges. There is a reason backed it and Jim [Mangold]. We of the future potential of this
(Matt Damon) and rebel driver everything came together the were above the fray; we made the kind of movie, I have no idea.
Ken Miles (Christian Bale). way it did. I just think the timing movie while all the brouhaha was It looks grim on the horizon. I
Topping, whose ban- was right in other ways, having going on. To Disney’s credit, the wouldn’t know what to make if DAMON: MERRICK MORTON/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. BALE: COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. TOPPING: KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES.
ner Chernin Entertainment to do with what was happening second they saw the movie, they I were running a studio today,

announced its exit from Fox on in the life of the studio. Who embraced it and increased the because it’s so difficult to take
Jan. 17, spoke with THR about knows why these things come momentum. They were amaz- bets on things when we’re con-
the Fox-Disney merger’s effect together when and how they do? ing partners. Somehow it was sistently proved wrong. The only
on the film, the “grim” future But we definitely had a lot of one of those lucky things that we two constants are superhero
for character-driven movies wind at our back because of just kind of threaded the needle, movies — people in tights — and
and the lack of nominations for a constellation of elements that especially given that it is a kind of genre movies, and everything in
female directors. came together. movie that isn’t made anymore. between is a crapshoot.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 0 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

was an unconventional portrayal their hands over their mouths
of a marriage in that era. I think or their eyes or they are gasp-
it was important to Jim to be ing, and you feel like you are in
true to the story, and the story a very different type of movie.
was about the two guys, but to I love how much humor people
have that aspect of Miles’ life found in the film. When you see
fleshed out in a nuanced and it with big groups of people, there
interesting way. Yes, there were is a lot of laughter. On a personal
conversations about [Caitriona’s note, I feel like we are in such an
role]. It’s not like, in terms of ugly moment politically, socially,
real estate, she occupies a ton of culturally; even though the
screen time, but she does have a ’60s were not exactly a peaceful
pretty big impact in terms of the time, this movie in particular
way people perceive his charac- depicts people who care so much

ter and his choices. And she is about what they are doing and
such a great actress. Honestly, one another that I found it really
it’s hard figuring out who can go personally moving. I think part of
toe-to-toe with Christian Bale in it is the contrast in terms of what
a scene. There were much more we are surrounded by right now.
veteran actresses who [Mangold]
might have chosen for that As someone with a long history of
role, but she’s so watchable and working with female directors, what
engaging and had a little bit of a are your thoughts on the all-male
surprising spark. She really held directing nominees this year?
her own with him. I mean, it sucks. A journalist
told me the other day that I’ve
What are some of the best reac- produced more movies with
tions you’ve gotten to the film? women directors than any other
Well, the film was very emotional producer working in Hollywood.
to me. I still cry at the end, every I have no idea if that is true or not,
Were you surprised by Ford v preview and screening process. time. But you never know how but it’s a huge value for me. Of

Ferrari’s box office success? And it was true, after the movie that is going to impact other peo- course, I want more representa-
I wasn’t surprised, because I feel was released, with kids, too. It ple. I was thrilled, surprised and tion, and everybody has to just

like making movies, in a funny actually plays as an all-audience ecstatic that people were so on keep working at it. It indicates
way, is like having a relationship movie, an intergenerational the edge of their seats during that that something is a little bit
or falling in love. You’re so con- movie in a way that was really final race — because that’s a long screwy — this is the second film
vinced that you can’t believe that gratifying and hard to predict. time to ask people to stay with I’ve had that the director didn’t
anybody would see it any other a single event. I have seen the get nominated but the movie did.
way. But, yes, I always breathe Were there any conversations movie in a theater with people so So the pain Greta [Gerwig], Lulu
a sigh of relief when it finds its around making Caitriona Balfe’s many times now, and it happens [Wang] and various other people
people. And the thing that really role not fall into the “wife waiting every time. You look back at the are feeling is real, but it’s also the
pleased me about this movie is by the phone” category? whole theater and people [have] pain Jim is feeling.
that women didn’t necessarily I think one of the really mov-
know it was for them. And yet, ing things about Christian’s
they loved the movie so much. character is that he had a real
And we experienced that in the partnership with his wife. It “At this stage in our careers, we just
wanted to have fun.” MATT DAMON






What other nominated film or per-
formance did you admire?
I, like everybody else, thought
Parasite was just insanely good. I

From left: really loved it and admired it. I just
Disney Studios saw The Two Popes, and I thought
co-chairman
Alan Horn, that was great. All of them. I think
actor Christian
Bale, producers it’s a really strong year. It’s weird
Peter Chernin how that happens. There are years
and Jenno
Topping, when it seems it’s a desert, and
actor Matt there are years where there’s just
Damon and
Disney Studios so much good work being done.
co-chairman
Alan Bergman
at the film's Interview edited for length
Nov. 4
L.A. premiere. and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

BEST PICTURE you reach out to Robert De Niro when he was
starting TriBeCa Productions. Before
The Irishman The Irishman, had it been a long time since you


three worked together creatively?
JANE ROSENTHAL Obviously, Bob and Marty
talk all the time, and Marty has also been a
huge supporter of what we have done with the
Martin Scorsese reunited with Robert De Niro Tribeca Film Festival over the years. But this

and Joe Pesci — and collaborated for the first is the first opportunity I have had to work with
time with Al Pacino — for a career-defining crime him on a movie since The Color of Money.

saga of epic proportions BY MIA GALUPPO After having known each other profes-

sionally for so long, and having all worked
t’s a mix of relief and disbelief,” technological development later, Rosenthal separately on projects, what was it like to finally
says producer Jane Rosenthal of The found herself on opening night at the 57th come together?
Irishman’s best picture nomina- New York Film Festival in September 2019, I would just watch the two of them. When you
tion, more than a decade after she flanked by Joe Pesci, Al Pacino and Martin have Scorsese and De Niro together on some-
I began work on the crime epic. As Scorsese, as well as the streaming service’s thing, you just let them do what they do. The
the longtime producing partner of Robert chief content officer Ted Sarandos, at the film’s one thing about both of them that I’ve learned
De Niro, Rosenthal became world premiere. throughout the years is that they are always
involved with the Netflix “It was always something open to suggestions. To know them individu-
film — which tells the story VITAL STATS Bob and I wanted — to ally is one thing, but when you watch them
of Mafia hitman Frank bring [Scorsese and him] together they become greater than — it’s like
Sheeran (De Niro) and STUDIO Netflix back together again,” she one and one equals five. I am just thrilled that
his claim to having killed RELEASE DATE Nov. 27 says. “It just took a little we are able to have the opportunity to finally
Teamster union leader WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE longer than we thought make this movie. Ted Sarandos and Scott
Jimmy Hoffa — in 2007. N/A it would.” Stuber took a chance on this after so long,
At the time, Netflix was DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese Rosenthal talked to THR and we were finally able to make this after so

still a mail-order DVD rental CAST about that long develop- many years.
service and the de-aging Robert De Niro, ment process, a 2013 table
technology that would be Al Pacino, Joe Pesci read that inspired them to After sitting on the project for more than a IRISHMAN: COURTESY OF NETFLIX (2). SCORSESE: ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL.
required for De Niro to play TOP AWARDS keep going and her final, decade, was there ever a worry in your mind
Sheeran in his 20s as well 10 Oscar noms, emotional day on set. that, even though it was a passion project for
as his 60s was still several 10 BAFTA noms, 5 Globe noms, everyone involved, it would never get made?
years off from beta test- 4 SAG Award noms Martin Scorsese was the one Yes. (Laughs.) The majority of the time. Except
ing. More than a decade of who actually suggested that when we actually started shooting. Up until








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

Who else did you have in the audience for would come in. If we were shooting at night
the reading? and throwing taxi cabs into the river, Emma
We had Rick Yorn and we had various agents. could worry about that. (Laughs.) That’s where
We had a couple of people who could possibly it’s wonderful to have good partners.
finance the movie. [Producer] Irwin Winkler
was there. But it was also really for Marty to Did you have a favorite day on set or a favorite
hear it again — for everyone to hear it again moment from principal photography that sticks
and decide we’re going to continue to put our with you?
efforts into this. And the most passionate one There were so many, like seeing Bob and Joe
was really Bob in pushing and continuing to together for the first time. But what [sticks
push this forward. out] is actually the last day of filming, which
was a reshoot of Bob in the scene at the very

Have you or anyone on the team watched the end of the movie. There were certain things
recording since you did the reading? that Bob felt he needed to do. The end of a
I have watched bits and pieces of it. Nobody movie is always emotional — you’re saying
else has seen it for a while, but you never know goodbye to a lot of people that you’ve become
where it will pop up. (Laughs.) family with, and you’re not going to see them
the first day of production, there was always again in the same context. But this had a
[a thought that] this may not happen. But I Do you think the movie benefited from having particularly profound meaning for me. I tear
also think that part of what I have as a pro- this length of development? up just thinking about it. On this movie, it’s
ducer is the tenacity to keep pushing a project I don’t think the movie itself changed very Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro and all
forward and to never give up on it. And this much. And the script didn’t change very these men that came together after having
was something [Bob] wanted to do, so he was much. But what did change was everyone’s made Mean Streets and Goodfellas and Casino,
constantly pushing this forward too. It was perspective. Marty talks a lot about the and this was the end of that genre for them.
an uphill battle until Netflix was born. The perspective of time and place, and how they I found myself looking at Marty’s work in the
fact is that Netflix didn’t exist [as a content now look at things as men in their 70s, history of cinema, and what that particular
creator] back in 2007. versus men in their 60s. style of cinema meant for their journeys. Just

From left:
You had a script reading back in 2013 with Robert
De Niro, Jane
Scorsese, Pesci, Pacino and De Niro all there. Rosenthal
What was it like for you being in that room, com- and Martin
Scorsese at
ing together for the first time? the Tribeca
It was before Marty was going to go off and Film Festival in
April 2019.
do Silence. I had said to Bob, “We should do
a reading of it and we should tape the read-
ing.” I actually thought at one point that, if
anything, at least we would have that read-
ing. We might not make the movie, but we’d
have a record of this reading. What was very
special at the reading is you realized that it
had a great deal of humor in it. Just listen-
ing to them, it came alive. When everybody






“The whole story reflects how we are getting older,
and that feels right.” ROBERT DE NIRO
to be a witness to it was profound and emo-
tional and reminded me of why I wanted to
be in this business to begin with.
came in, the actors were seated and Marty When Netflix did finally come on and you
was going to sit in the audience, but then he had secured financing, what were you most When was the first time that you watched the
decided that he should sit in the middle of the anticipating when it came to actually pulling movie with an audience?
group as they were reading. And it was great off the production? The biggest audience we saw it with was the
to see him laughing and getting into it in the The movie is complicated, with so many dif- New York Film Festival. But when it was
middle of it all. There was a momentum that ferent decades. And it was a long shoot with finally released, it was at the Belasco Theatre,
picked up after that reading, and we said, “OK, many, many locations and a lot of different and I went to see it with a real New York audi-

we’ve got to make this now. We can’t stop.” It moving pieces. So producing was also about ence. They were talking back to the screen,
was at the reading that Pablo Helman from making sure our actors and our crew could they were laughing with it — that was the
Industrial Light & Magic said to Marty that maintain their work. most fun. And I went back several times after
he thought he had a way to make the youth- that to see it with the audience. You could sit
ification tech work. That reading was a real Was there an obstacle that came up in the back and enjoy it and experience it through
turning point. It still took a long time after middle of production that made you think, “We the audience’s eyes.
that before it got made, but it finally felt like it aren’t going to be able to pull this off”?
was on its way. No. That’s where Emma [Tillinger Koskoff] Interview edited for length and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 3 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

BEST PICTURE
Jojo Rabbit












A World War II comedy featuring a Nazi youth and his imaginary friend
Adolf Hitler is a surprising crowd-pleaser thanks to its provocative and


timely message about ultranationalism and hate BY SETH ABRAMOVITCH
movie that, on paper
at least, could have

easily gone the way
of Jerry Lewis’ infa-
A mous debacle The
Day the Clown Cried, Jojo Rabbit
has defied all odds to become
one of the year’s most beloved
films — an unlikely comedic tale
about a 10-year-old fledgling Nazi
and his imaginary best friend,
Adolf Hitler. The film sprung
from the mind of Taika Waititi,
the New Zealand-based writer-
actor-director, who transformed
the sober 2004 novel Caging Skies
into a World War II-set fairy tale
that, when you least expect it to,
VITAL STATS
yanks the rug out from under the
audience while delivering a timely
STUDIO Fox Searchlight
message about ultranationalism RELEASE DATE Oct. 18

and hate. (Besides writing the
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
screenplay, Waititi also directed
$35.1M
and plays Hitler in a turn that DIRECTOR Taika Waititi
owes more than a little to John
CAST
Cleese and Mel Brooks.) discuss the triumph of the little the fact that more people are
Fox Searchlight’s first release Holocaust comedy that could. watching our film and having Roman Griffin Davis,
as a division of The Walt Disney these great Q&As with people Taika Waititi,
Scarlett Johansson
Company, it manages to bridge I assume this is your first awards seeing the film several times. I’m
TOP AWARDS
the divide perfectly between the season. How do you feel about it just loving the fact that more and 6 Oscar noms,
studios: a sharp indie wrapped so far? more people are seeing the film
inside a tale of timeless inno- CARTHEW NEAL It is my first. It’s and it’s creating discussion. It’s 6 BAFTA noms, 2 Globe noms,
2 SAG Award noms
cence. And the results — six pretty crazy. But people keep say- not just a straight comedy — it
Academy Award nominations, ing, “Oh, it’s so hard. You have to has got a lot to say, and Taika has
including best picture, best do this for so long.” And I’m got a lot to say with it. to create a movie that was even
adapted screenplay and best like, “It’s not as hard as making better than the script.
supporting actress for Scarlett a movie!” Whatever you’re doing, it
Johansson — speak for them- appears to be working. You must How did you find out about the
selves. THR caught up with Jojo I could see it being pretty fun, too. be overjoyed about the film’s nominations?
Rabbit producer Carthew Neal to I’m enjoying it and celebrating Oscar nominations. A lot of text messages were com-
It’s incredible. Everyone who ing through. A lot of beeping
From left:
actor Roman came on board — the cast and all beside the bed. And then lying in JOHANSSON: LARRY HORRICKS/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. WAITITI: KIMBERLEY FRENCH/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX. NEAL: AMANDA EDWARDS/GETTY IMAGES FOR FILM INDEPENDENT.
Griffin Davis, the crew and Searchlight — came the dark and trying to read what
writer-director
Taika Waititi, because of Taika’s script. It was was going on. Then I jumped in
actress on the Black List for quite a few the car and ran to Taika’s and we
Thomasin
McKenzie, years. It was a much-loved script, had a good morning celebrating.
producer
Carthew but no one was sure Taika could It was fun.
Neal and Film pull it off. I’ve never been involved
Independent
president in a production where there was Were Oscar nominations something
Josh Welsh at
a Jojo Rabbit that much excitement prior to you hoped might happen while
screening in starting. That script was so loved making Jojo Rabbit?
October in
Los Angeles. and people were so excited about For me, it was that I loved the
it, and it was daunting to attempt message in the heart of the film.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

I think it’s really important. Hate Was there anyone else whose for yourself as a child — that’s one of his friends came up to him
speech and hate crimes are on the support surprised or delighted you? really exciting. We don’t get to be and said, “That is such a great
rise. For me, it was important for When someone from the older party to those conversations, but movie. It was about a kid learn-
the film to have some purpose in generation praised it, that was knowing that they are happening ing to think for himself.” I think
the world, to say something that very special. We screened the is really special. he was really taken by that, that
will hopefully have people reflect- film a lot with the Jewish com- his friends could get that from
ing about things afterward. So munity. And when you get Have you spoken with the boys at the movie. Because we spent a
that’s why it’s so rewarding. feedback from leaders and schol- the heart of the film, Roman Griffin lot of time talking through the
ars in the community and they Davis (Jojo) and Archie Yates movie with them, and the mean-
The film has some interesting comment on the value of retell- (Yorki), since the nominations ing of it. And then to see his
champions who are passionate ing the story of the Holocaust in were announced? friends get there on their own,
about it. One is Mel Brooks. different ways, that’s really what Roman’s back at school in no prompting — I know he was
That was incredible. First he said matters, you know? That helped London. He’s really excited. I really proud to be part of it. He’s
something [supportive] on a chat us see the power and the impor- mean, this whole thing has been a smart kid at 12.
show about the film. Then we tance of the film. And when crazy for him and Archie. Archie
were at the AFI luncheon and he you hear stories about parents is up in Montreal, already work- Are both of them going to attend
came up to present an award and taking their kids to Jojo Rabbit, ing on his next film. I think for the Oscars?
he went off script and said, “You or kids taking their parents, them, what’s been important is I hope so. I hope the principal
know, I have to say this: Taika, and then discussing together they’ve both showed the film to lets them out of school. We’ve
you didn’t ask my permission to what happened in World War their school friends. Roman said been asking for a lot of time off
put Hitler in the movie!” And then II and about learning to think that they left the screening and from school.
he went on to say that Taika had

really nailed it. Taika was just in If there’s ever a reason to let him
a trance. I don’t think he could out, I think this is it.
believe what was happening. To “I think it’s important for kids to see We keep telling them about
have someone like that who paved how little bits of hate can end up going the educational value of all
the path give him a compliment these trips.
— he leaned over to me and said, really far.” ROMAN GRIFFIN DAVIS
“If nothing else happens, it was Interview edited for length
so worth it.” and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 5 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

BEST PICTURE than $1 billion globally. In the midst of a busy
awards season, Koskoff is already prep-
Joker ping her next film, Scorsese and Leonardo

DiCaprio’s Killers of the Flower Moon, and jug-
gling campaign duties on The Irishman as well.
But she took some time to talk with THR about
the most stressful moments on the Joker set,
the prospect of a sequel and why Scorsese still
Joaquin Phoenix delivers an intense, at times disturbing hasn’t seen the movie.
performance in Todd Phillips’ thriller that examines the origins
Knowing what Joaquin Phoenix went through
of Gotham City’s criminal mastermind BY AARON COUCH
on the role, what did his Golden Globes speech
mean to you?
mma Tillinger Koskoff has built But her gamble paid off. The R-rated Warner EMMA TILLINGER KOSKOFF From day one of
a reputation as Martin Scorsese’s Bros. project, which stars Joaquin Phoenix as principal photography, I literally was like,
right hand, working her way up loner Arthur Fleck as he becomes Gotham’s “This is the most extraordinary acting I have
from an assistant on 2004’s The psychopathic criminal mastermind, has ever had the privilege of watching up close on
E Aviator to sharing a 2020 Oscar nabbed the most Oscar nominations of the the day.” I was mesmerized for the 57 days of
nomination with the filmmaker for The year (11 nods, including best picture, best shooting that followed. I was sort of glossed
Irishman. But just four days after ending a 108- director and best actor) and has earned more over, watching him up there, because I was so
day shoot on the director’s Netflix film, Koskoff

found herself in a scouting van with Todd
Phillips, taking a leap of faith with another
director. Joker may not have seemed like a “With the comic book universe completely exploding, JOKER: NIKO TAVERNISE/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT (2). KOSKOFF: STEFANIA D’ALESSANDRO/WIREIMAGE.
natural move for Koskoff, who hadn’t kept up I thought it would be just another standard iteration.
with comic book films since working as Uma
Thurman’s assistant on Batman & Robin more Then I read the script.” ZAZIE BEETZ
than 20 years earlier — and who had never
produced a movie not directed by Scorsese.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

of the character. I’m very good at reading
the room. I know Bob De Niro’s needs on The
Irishman are going to be far different from
Joaquin Phoenix’s on Joker. When Joaquin was
still new to preproduction and had just come
to New York to dive into prep, it was important
to me that he knew he was going to want for
nothing. I didn’t want to assume anything,
and I didn’t want to be that person who would
be like, “Hey, are you OK? No. You’re not OK.
I know you’re not OK. You’re starving.” I just
wanted him to know early on that my lack of From left: Stars Zazie Beetz and Joaquin Phoenix, director
Todd Phillips and producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff at
checking in didn’t mean I’m not here and I Joker’s world premiere in August at the Venice Film Festival,
where it won the Golden Lion.
don’t care. I just didn’t want to interfere with
what he was dealing with and going through. with my key grip and production manager.
“Can we flag it?” — meaning, to cover it. But
What kind of things would Joaquin come to there was no way to shield him. That was a
you for? major stress to me, believe it or not, because I
It was not a lot. He doesn’t come with all wanted desperately to protect that. I’m pretty
the bells and whistles a lot of actors come sure we did. I’d have to go rummage through
with. He’s pretty self-sufficient. I wanted the internet, but I’m pretty sure we got away
to respect his creative space and just take with it somehow.
care of whatever came up when it came up.
Anything he needed in terms of comfort. Scorsese has said he hasn’t seen Joker, aside
Extra time in the morning. Whatever I could from a few clips. Does that surprise you?
It’s not surprising. I don’t know where that
interview was or how that came up within
VITAL STATS
the conversation. You know what this time
is like, the madness that is Oscar campaign-
STUDIO Warner Bros.
ing. Marty has not seen anything. Joker is just
RELEASE DATE Oct. 4
one of the many films he has not seen, so it’s
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
not specific to Joker, it’s just the amount we’ve
$1.1 billion
(through Jan. 16) all been working and traveling and running
around. We’re in full prep on the next film, so
DIRECTOR Todd Phillips
he’s also prepping a movie. I think when he
CAST
Joaquin Phoenix, says, “I’ve seen clips,” he probably means from
television — television ads. Having CNN on
Robert De Niro
or whatever.
TOP AWARDS
Golden Lion at Venice,
On that note, have you had time to see the other
11 Oscar noms,
nominated films?
11 BAFTA noms,
I haven’t seen all of them. I’m trying to plow
2 Globe wins,
through them. It’s an extraordinary year for
2 SAG Award noms
movies all around. I loved Parasite. I loved it.
I loved Marriage Story. Once Upon a Time.
proud of him and so happy that he is getting do production-wise, from a physical produc- I haven’t seen [but want to see] 1917, I haven’t
the recognition for this performance. I said tion standpoint. That’s where I come into seen Jojo Rabbit. There are a couple I’m dying
to anybody who would listen to me that he’s the mix. to see and will see before Feb. 9. My schedule
going to sweep and win every possible act- has been insane, so it’s hard. But I try to see
ing award available to him for this role, and What was the most stressful shot in Joker to all the movies by that magical Oscars date.
that appears to be what’s happening. Fingers get right for you? I think that’s Marty’s thing, too. It’s simply
crossed, knocking wood, toes crossed, for The one scene that was very stressful for me time management.
what’s still to come. was the stair dance, because Joaquin had been
working on it for a while. And it’s really the You don’t seem like a franchise filmmaker, but
You are known as the kind of producer who lets first time you’re seeing the Joker, aside from then again neither does Joaquin. Would it
talent know you are there to support them, giv- the reveal in the room. This was an extremely take much convincing to join a potential Joker

ing them space unless they come to you. Is that important scene for him. His privacy while sequel should Todd and Joaquin make one?
doubly so on Joker, with an actor going through shooting the scene was of paramount impor- I would be there in a heartbeat. It’s a no-
such a transformative performance? tance to him. New York City has no paparazzi brainer. I would be bummed if I wasn’t asked
Every actor comes with different needs. I have laws whatsoever. If you are in a public space, back. It was a beautiful, incredible experience,
worked with Joaquin only on this film, and they can literally be at the camera. You can’t and I couldn’t be prouder of the film. Todd is
you can imagine what he as a human being tell them to get off the set. Every day we were an angel and heaven to work for. I would run,
went through to get to where he needed to be outside we’d be done shooting, and it’d be all not walk, back.
to perform every day — the weight loss that over the internet that night. We really wanted
he and Todd decided upon and just the nature to protect this. There were extensive meetings Interview edited for length and clarity.








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BEST PICTURE
Little Women










Writer-director Greta Gerwig breathes new life into
Louisa May Alcott’s timeless tale of four close-knit sisters coming of age

in the years during and after the Civil War BY PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

n the early 1990s, Amy at the U.S. box office since skat-
Pascal was the Sony ing into theaters on Christmas VITAL STATS
production executive Day, and is now nominated for

in charge of develop- six Oscars. And it’s only the third STUDIO Sony
I ing the latest big-screen film in history that’s directed, RELEASE DATE Dec. 25
adaptation of Little Women. written and produced by women WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
That version, directed by Gillian to contend for best picture. $111M (through Jan. 16)
Armstrong, starred Winona Ryder (Pascal also reunited with the DIRECTOR Greta Gerwig
as Jo (earning her a second Oscar 1994 film’s producer Denise Di CAST
nomination) and Christian Bale as Novi and screenwriter Robin Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson,
Laurie, as well as Susan Sarandon, Swicord, who both served as pro- Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet,
Kirsten Dunst and Claire Danes. ducers on this latest adaptation.) Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper
A decade later, when Pascal Pascal tells THR about how
TOP AWARDS
was running Sony’s film studio, she convinced Sony to make the 6 Oscar noms, 5 BAFTA noms, 2 Globe noms
she was approached by another film, a tough moment on set
adoring fan of Louisa May (think: weather) and why she was
Alcott’s iconic 1868 novel about obsessed with Gerwig’s vision of a about women’s economic indepen-
four sisters who march to their story she holds close to her heart. dence. And she wanted to tell it in
own drumbeat in a patriarchal “I’m all things Little Women,” she two timelines. She knew the cast
world: Greta Gerwig, an actress says. “My father read the book to that she wanted to put in it. She
and then-emerging filmmaker my mother when I was in utero, even knew the colors, and showed
who had her own unique take on and my name is Amy Beth.” me references from Winslow

the feminist tale. Homer paintings. She had already
Pascal and Gerwig formed an You were first approached by done an entire bible of what she
immediate bond, but it would Greta Gerwig in 2014 when you wanted the movie to feel like, what
take years to get the project off were still chairman of Sony’s film she wanted it to sound like and
the ground. Pascal left her top studio. Why were you so drawn to what she wanted it to be. It was
studio gig in early 2015, after the her take on this classic tale? one of the more inspiring meet-
Sony hack, to become a producer, AMY PASCAL She came in and told ings of my life.
while Gerwig went off to make me what she intended to do with
the Oscar-nominated Lady Bird. It the screenplay. She had the entire Were you concerned about the
was worth the wait: Little Women movie already worked out. She script jumping back and forth in
has earned more than $75 million knew that she wanted to make it time, versus telling the story in a
traditional, linear fashion?
Never. I always felt very confi-
dent in her vision. She wanted Why didn’t it get off the ground
to make it about our memory, before you left Sony in early 2015?
and the way in which we idealize Oh, it’s like every other thing — it
our childhood. takes forever to make a movie
happen. She went off and did Lady
This was before Lady Bird, correct? Bird, so it took a while to come
Yes, it was. But Greta Gerwig is a up with the complex orchestra-
force of nature, and I fell in love. tion of the screenplay she had in
her mind.



Was it difficult persuading [Sony
“To me, the book was so clearly chairman] Tom Rothman to green-

about women, art and money. I felt light Little Women? LITTLE: WILSON WEBB/COLUMBIA PICTURES (2). PASCAL: PAUL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAGES FOR SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT.
like there were all these spiky I remember him calling me and
saying, “I read the script over the
things that I could really dig into.” weekend and I cried six times,
GRETA GERWIG
and we have to make this movie.”
From left: Producer Amy Pascal, Timothée Chalamet, Eliza Then I brought Greta in for a
Scanlen, Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern, Florence Pugh and Chris
Cooper on the Massachusetts set of Little Women. meeting. He really believed in her.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

to my mother when I was in utero.
I’m all things Little Women.


Tom Rothman wrote a memo
to staff saying that Little Women
is only the third film in history
that’s directed, written and pro-
duced by women to be nominated
for best picture.
It is very, very gratifying.
I couldn’t be prouder.


In light of the backlash to Greta
Gerwig’s not being given a slot in
the directing category — and the

fact that only men were nominated
— where do you think the bias lies?
There were a lot of really great
movies this year, to be honest
with you, and there are a lot of
really worthy directors. I don’t
think that anyone singled anyone
out to not include them.


But what about the backlash?
People really feel like Greta
deserved it, and I also feel that
way. I wish that it had gone other-
wise, but she’s really OK with
it, and she’s really happy about the
But it was still a grueling process, Was there ever a point when you So we had a lot of weather apps film. We’re all so happy about all
including casting and the ques- threw up your hands in frustration that we dealt with all the time. these nominations. None of us are
tion of getting the budget to just and thought you wouldn’t be able There were days that we were in a place where we’re feeling bad.
under $40 million. Meryl [Streep] to make it happen? chasing snow. That’s the truth.
was part of it from the beginning, You think that a little bit every day
and I’m sure that helped. These when you’re making a film. Right? I’ve read that you also broke your What has been the biggest sur-
are not the kinds of movies that It’s like the challenge of getting ankle when scouting locations. prise about your producing career
major studios make. It’s pretty everything right all the time. It happened right before we post-Sony?
extraordinary that Sony actually You are always hoping that you’re started shooting. I had surgery in Oh golly, I don’t know. The smart-
supported us to the extent they remembering what the goal is. I Boston, and communicated for the est thing you can do as a producer
have. But the process is about was lucky that Greta and I got to first couple of weeks with Greta on is to make sure you work with

the script. Her take was unique remind each other every day. our Apple Watches. Then I showed really talented people. And I think
and singular, and her script was up on set in a wheelchair. I looked I’ve been really fortunate that the
completely undeniable. I talked to What was the most challeng- like Dr. Strangelove. filmmakers and other producers
Sony right before Lady Bird came ing thing during the actual shoot that I’ve worked with have been
out and told them they had to see in Massachusetts? Why does Louisa May Alcott’s book so gifted.
it. And once Lady Bird came out, I’ll tell you, the hardest thing was still resonate today?
everybody knew she was a gigan- waiting for snow. It was the one Because it’s been a best-seller for Interview edited for length
tic talent. thing that we couldn’t control. 150 years. My father read the book and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 2 9 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

nothing. It’s so precise. But I suppose what
surprised me is that for as exacting as he
is, how collaborative he is. He likes to talk
everything through. From production design
all the way down to the marketing, he’s always
analyzing, questioning
to get a real 360 view of
VITAL STATS
the whole piece.


STUDIO Netflix
The film is so relatable
RELEASE DATE Dec. 6
to viewers, even if they
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
have never gone through
N/A
a divorce. What did you
DIRECTOR Noah Baumbach
find personally relatable?
CAST
I think it’s finding,
Adam Driver, through the journey of
Scarlett Johansson,
separation, the redefi-
Laura Dern
nition of a relationship
TOP AWARDS and the fondness and
6 Oscar noms,
the love that remains.
5 BAFTA noms, 1 Globe win,
Because when you’ve
3 SAG Award noms
shared the experience
of having a child — I
mean, I’ve not been divorced from the mother
of my child, but when you’ve had that inti-
mate experience, when you’ve been so close
to someone for a year, two years, three years,
BEST PICTURE putting aside a child — when you move on,
that experience still is a part of you. And
Marriage Story sometimes I know that people separate and

never want to talk to their partners again.
For me, I’ve remained friends with most of
mine. It’s about just getting to that place

where you can celebrate what is positive about
the relationship, and holding on to that and
Noah Baumbach’s love story about a broken marriage remembering it. And that I found very relat-

showcases breathtaking performances by Adam Driver able and very, very, very moving. The film is
fundamentally a love story — it’s a story of a
and Scarlett Johansson BY REBECCA FORD
marriage told through divorce, and that idea
of looking at a relationship and appreciating MARRIAGE: WILSON WEBB/NETFLIX (2). JOHANSSON: DOMINIQUE CHARRIAU/WIREIMAGE.
oah Baumbach’s Marriage Story David Heyman finds the fact that the film the relationship even after it’s over is quite
centers on the emotionally has sparked discussion to be especially excit- relatable to me.
draining divorce of a couple. ing. “I think that’s the mark of a really good
While that sounds like a very film, that the journey does not end when the Marriage Story earned three acting nominations.
N sad and difficult story to watch, film ends,” he says. Heyman, who also pro- What is it about Noah that he’s able to get those
and at times it is, it’s also a beautiful and often duced fellow best picture nominee Once Upon sort of performances?
funny love story. The film, which debuted at a Time in Hollywood, spoke to THR about why I think it’s several things. One, the script is so
the Venice Film Festival in August, centers the love story about divorce resonated with
on New York-based theater director Charlie him, his thoughts on whether the film favors
(Adam Driver) and his wife, an actress named one person over the other and how he’s been
Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), who are on the juggling two contenders during a very busy
brink of a breakup after Nicole decides that awards season.
she wants to move to Los Angeles with their
young son. The pair sets out to amicably This was your first time working with Noah
divorce but, influenced by a pair of cutthroat Baumbach, who has a very specific, detailed
lawyers (played by Laura Dern and Ray Liotta), style of directing. What did you know about him
things quickly turn ugly. going into this, and what surprised you?

In particular, there’s a blowout fight scene DAVID HEYMAN I knew his work, and I had had
between Driver’s and Johansson’s characters dinner with him. We met with Lucy Dahl,
that not only stunned screening and theat- who was married to Roald Dahl, when Noah
rical audiences but also led to many online and Wes [Anderson] were writing Fantastic
memes after the film hit Netflix on Dec. 6. Mr. Fox. We really got along. He’s very precise.
Plus, there was a flurry of online arguments The film you see is very much the script he’s
about whether the film portrayed Nicole or written. I was recently asked about my favorite
Charlie as the more guilty party. Producer scenes that he cut. And actually, he cut almost

vivid and the characters are so rich and multi-
faceted. And two, he creates a very intimate
and safe space on set. He takes the time to get
what he needs, and that sometimes means
20 takes if need be. He allows the actors to
explore. They can offer up different aspects
of a scene, of themselves, and they go on the
journey of exploring that.


There were some heated arguments on social
media about whether the film reads more favor-
ably toward Charlie or Nicole. What did you think

of all that?
How great is that? It does not answer all the

questions. That’s what I like. It leaves it up to
audiences to bring themselves to it and inter-
pret it as they choose. That’s the mark of a
really good film, that the journey does not end
From left: Adam
when the film ends, that it carries on at din- Driver, Laura Dern,
ner afterward and in conversations for days, Noah Baumbach,
Scarlett Johansson
weeks and hopefully months after. and David Heyman
at the Venice Film
Festival for the world
And whose side do you think the film takes? premiere of Marriage
Story on Aug. 29.
In a way, Nicole has made the decision to get
divorced. She’s reached her place at the begin- 30 seconds of something, and he looked then to find myself meeting him and talk-
ning of the film, and Charlie is catching up. beyond uncomfortable. I so felt for him. Some ing to him briefly and having my photograph
He ultimately gets to a place of acceptance, but people enjoy it; I know actors who like to go taken with him — it’s something that I want
that’s his journey. Through this process, she to dailies, but Adam is not that. And these are to remember.
is finally heard, whereas she might not have artists. They are by nature sensitive people,
been heard within the relationship. Though and I think to expose him in that way, to Is there something you learned while making
we feel for him, because he’s going through it show him [footage] when he specifically said, Marriage Story that you’ll bring to your next
and catching up, she’s the one who hasn’t been “Please, don’t” — it’s just not right. projects?
heard through the course of the relationship. Both Quentin and Noah don’t allow mobile

You have two films in the race this year and now phones on set. It creates a couple of things: It
Adam Driver, who has said he has a phobia of two best picture nominees. How tiring has that means that when you’re on set, you’re either
watching his own work, got some attention for been for you? Do you feel pulled in different working or you are talking to your family of
walking out of an interview after they tried to directions? filmmakers who you’re making the film with.
play a clip of the film. Do you think that criticism I’m definitely tired. It’s long and it’s intense You can use the phone, but just leave the set.
of him was unfair? — but what a privilege. I feel blessed, I feel This created the family atmosphere — just
Yes, I think it was unfair. He has made it grateful. This doesn’t happen. I’ve been because people talk to each other, as opposed
very clear he doesn’t like to look at himself. nominated once before [for 2013’s Gravity], to escaping immediately to their handheld
It makes him very, very uncomfortable. We but it rarely happens in one’s career. To have it device. I think that’s something that I’m going
were at an awards event, and they screened twice in one year is bonkers. And fortunately, to encourage other directors I work with to
adopt.


What were some performances in the other
“Usually there’s like one scene in a movie, or maybe two, nominated films that really impressed you?
that you’re dreading. With this one, every scene felt like it’s Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory. I thought

all too early in the schedule.” ADAM DRIVER it was a stunning performance, but with such
empathy and melancholy. For someone who’s
normally so alive in his performance in terms
of energy and seduction, to have the bravery
both Quentin [Tarantino] and Noah have great to embrace sadness and loneliness, I thought
respect for one another and like each other. I was really beautiful. And Song Kang-ho in
think the key through it all is communication, Parasite. I think the tonal shifts — not playing
and I think they know that I care for them. I it for laughs — is one of the brilliant things
hope they know. I’m pretty certain they know about the film: It’s played with integrity and

that I care for them both and respect them yet it’s very funny.
both. Has it been tough? Yeah, at times, but
gosh, what a high-class problem. And what are your plans for after the Oscars? Is
a vacation in your future?
Has there been a highlight of the season for you I am going to come home [to London] and
so far? spend a lot of time with my family.
Meeting Pedro Almodóvar. I’ve admired
his films for many, many, many years. And Interview edited for length and clarity.

BEST PICTURE
Once Upon a Time







in Hollywood











Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature has the director’s trademark

revisionist history and irreverent violence — but it’s also his most

emotional and personal film yet BY TYLER COATES

hen the
Hollywood
rumor
mill began
W churning out
reports that Quentin Tarantino’s
ninth film would be set in Los
Angeles in 1969 — and center on
Sharon Tate and the Manson mur-
ders — the director’s fans (and
critics) naturally assumed that his
next movie would be gruesome
and irreverent, likely incorporat-
ing some revisionist history just
like his previous best-picture-
nominated films Django Unchained
and Inglourious Basterds. While it VITAL STATS

certainly doesn’t skimp on those
familiar Tarantino qualities (par- STUDIO Sony
ticularly in its third act), Sony’s RELEASE DATE July 26
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
much more emotional and sweeter
$372.7M
than any Tarantino film before it. DIRECTOR Quentin Tarantino
Following Rick Dalton
CAST
(Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff You’ve worked with Quentin People have this vision of him
Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt,
Booth (Brad Pitt), a fading Tarantino for years, all the way as an auteur, [one who] wouldn’t Margot Robbie
Hollywood actor and his stunt back to Pulp Fiction. What stands allow anyone to give their input
TOP AWARDS
double turned driver, respec- out about this particular film? and suggestions. But when you
10 Oscar noms,
tively, Once Upon a Time serves SHANNON MCINTOSH Every movie you read his scripts, so much detail 10 BAFTA noms, 3 Globe wins,
as a love letter to a time of make with Quentin is special. It’s is on the page; everyone’s job
4 SAG Award noms
great change within the film such a personal, wonderful experi- becomes really clear on what they
industry and American culture. ence for everyone, all the crew. But want to do. He absolutely allows
With Manson girls — chief I think back to when I read [the you to bring your talent and your up in L.A., so to listen to the two
among them Pussycat, played by script] with trepidation, wonder- skills to the table. For example, we of them talk about their stories
Margaret Qualley — dumpster- ing where it was heading, knowing thought we wanted to shoot it in and growing up here … I mean,
diving off Hollywood Boulevard a bit about the subject matter. You 70mm, but as Quentin and [cine- there’s so much of Barbara that
and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) always wonder until you get [to matographer Robert Richardson] he allowed her to bring to the
moving in next door to Dalton, the end], even though you couldn’t talked about the different table. But [everyone is] still really
the film offers a colorful and nos- imagine Quentin making that processes and the looks, it didn’t informed by the script.
talgic look at a long-lost era. But other movie. The whole journey seem the right way to go. For the
as producer Shannon McIntosh has been magical. They’re all great most part we shot 35, a little bit It’s a very nostalgic movie. What HOLLYWOOD: ANDREW COOPER/SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT (2). MCINTOSH: MICHAEL KOVAC/GETTY IMAGES FOR CHAMPAGNE COLLET.
explains to THR, Tarantino’s journeys, but this one was some- on 16 and even some on Super do you think it has to say about

latest (which picked up 10 Oscar thing really special because it’s 8. But that was Bob bringing to Hollywood in 2020?
nominations) offers his own such a personal story for Quentin. Quentin what he really thought 1969 was a great year for change
hopeful vision of Hollywood — a would be best for this movie in the industry, and for the world
stark contrast to the dark and How is Tarantino as a collaborator that would take place in 1969, at large. And we’re kind of back
violent reality of the Manson when it comes to actors on set, but also jump back to the back- to those things now. There’s the
murders, which changed the the craftspeople and even someone story of Rick Dalton. [Production theatrical experience versus the
cultural climate forever. in your role? designer] Barbara Ling also grew streaming experience. There are








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 3 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

perfect light and goal for Rick and
for what he wanted. She lights up
the screen in whatever she does —
and I think she lights up the screen
[in this film] in a way that we
haven’t seen before. Many people
have tried to do a Sharon Tate
movie, and some have [succeeded].
What was really special about
this is that [Sharon’s sister] Debra
Tate became our partner. When
she first heard about it, she wasn’t
too happy. We reached out and
embraced her — we wanted her to

know that [the film’s goal was to
portray] her life, not her gruesome
death. Margot’s performance, her
lightness and sweetness, is exactly
how we want to remember Sharon
Tate. And Debra could not be more
thankful for how we can now think
of Sharon. It’s easy to be a hater, to
say she should have had more dia-
logue, but that wasn’t really what
the movie was supposed to be.


Is there anything new you learned
about Quentin Tarantino while mak-
ing this film?






“Quentin is like a little kid on Christmas
every single day on set, so he matches

your enthusiasm.” MARGARET QUALLEY
so many methods for content, around at all the buildings and
and so many of us still really marquees. KHJ adds to the tap-
love the cinematic experience of estry of what’s really special to
going to the theater and seeing Quentin about his childhood, and moved heaven and earth so we It’s been wonderful watch-
the movie with a collective group. that makes it so personal. could get these things into it. ing Quentin on this journey,
We’re lucky that filmmakers like There was a treasure chest because [while in production]
Quentin can still do that. So it of [film, TV and radio clips] we There was some controversy about he got married, he’s now expect-
is a changing time. And then thought could never be found. We the limited dialogue Margot Robbie ing a child, he’s going through
obviously the world … it does feel transferred so many film formats had to work with to play Sharon these next steps in life. He’s
appropriate for the time now, how for this movie, from 8mm to Tate. What about her performance always been a loving person, but
we all look at what’s happening ¾-inch, to different sound for- do you think transcended the num- now that he’s entering father-
with our lives and take stock of mats. We were constantly calling ber of lines she got to say? hood, I think it’s all hitting
what’s important. people [and asking], “Do you have Thank goodness we could get him. This is his once-upon-a-
these machines? Can you actu- Margot Robbie with her schedule. time fairy tale, and it brings me
The film incorporates many archival ally help us transfer this?” All of The movie is about Rick and Cliff; to tears every time I see it. You
elements to re-create the world these different clips created the Sharon is the next-door neigh- wish this is how it could have
of 1969 Los Angeles. How did you tapestry of the movie, and people bor to Rick, and Margot was that happened, and you’re also so
assemble all of those elements for happy for Rick Dalton and Sharon
From left:
the film? Quentin Tate and the hope Quentin has
When we were location scouting Tarantino, given them at the end of the
actress Julia
around Los Angeles, we would Butters, movie. Maybe that’s new for
and producers
play the air checks [recordings of Shannon fans of Quentin Tarantino. He’s
radio programming] that we had McIntosh and really an emotional person like
David Heyman
gotten from [Los Angeles sta- at the Jan. 12 the rest of us. I already knew
tion] KHJ. It has such a presence Critics’ Choice that part of him, but now maybe
Awards,
and is a character within the where Once the rest of the world knows
Upon a Time in
movie. Quentin remembered the Hollywood won that, too.
different commercials and the best picture.
songs that were playing as he was Interview edited for length
[riding around L.A. and] looking and clarity.

BEST PICTURE
Parasite











After winning the top prize at Cannes, earning nearly universal
acclaim and exceeding box office expectations, Bong Joon Ho’s

film is the first Korean feature to compete at the Academy Awards
BY REBECCA KEEGAN



roducer Kwak Sin-ae has known $25 million of that from typically subtitle- something like this happening, but it was
Bong Joon Ho since the late 1990s, averse domestic audiences. Kwak spoke to THR never a realistic dream. To see it happen in
when she was an eager young film about the challenges of marketing the inde- reality, it’s very surprising. It all feels a little
journalist covering South Korean finable film, the disappointment in seeing its bit bizarre as well.
P cinema and he was a promis- actors go unrecognized amid the thrill of the
ing young director making short films. Now other Oscar nominations and what she hopes In the past few years, the Academy has
Kwak, 51, has produced Bong’s rapturously the honor means for the future of the Korean been trying to become a more international
received Parasite, which collected six Oscar film industry. organization, to invite more members from
nominations — including best picture, best outside the United States and to be less

director and best international feature — and What does it mean to you that Parasite centered on Hollywood films. Do you think
became the first South Korean film to garner is the first South Korean film to get an there’s a need for an organization of that type?
that recognition from the Academy. Oscar nomination? Just based on pure facts, regardless of value
Part thriller, part black comedy, part social KWAK SIN-AE A lot of people watch the Oscars judgment, in reality it’s true that the Oscars
satire, Parasite has transcended boundaries there, and there are a lot of fans of cinema, have been an event that really represents
of genre and nationality, grossing more than including myself. Ever since I was young, I American cinema and Hollywood. It’s true PARASITE: COURTESY OF NEON (2). BONG: STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE.
$137 million worldwide since it unspooled at would see Oscar trophies on posters of films that films that receive a lot of recognition
the Cannes Film Festival in May, more than that won them. I always had the fantasy of from the Academy gain a lot of influence in








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 3 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

What has awards season been like for you?
Have you been attending many events? Have
“When director Bong tells me he has a part for me, I tend to you met any interesting people?
It’s my first time going through an awards
agree to it before I even look at the script.” SONG KANG-HO
season, so it’s all very surprising. It feels very
new because the cultures are very different.
Like director Bong says, in Korea when we
the overall film industry. I have a very posi- We actually didn’t have a lot of difficulties meet other people, we’re always sitting down
tive view of the Academy’s effort to become in terms of the production. What was more around a table. Here in the States, we all have
more international. Thanks to Parasite being difficult was promoting the film and sharing to stand up for a very long time and mingle
included in this year’s lineup, now people are the story with the public because the genre in parties. I met so many people, so many
paying more attention to Korean cinema, and of Parasite is not easy to define, and we could directors and actors in films that I’ve watched
that makes me very happy. really only share the first half of the story. and admired.
Determining how to approach the audience

Had you worked with Bong Joon Ho before was a challenge for Parasite. Have you learned anything new about your
Parasite? How did you come to be involved in cast or director Bong while going through
this film? It’s unusual for a movie with subtitles to per- the season? It’s a lot of time you’ve all spent
It’s my first time working with him. form so well with American audiences. Why do together starting from Cannes until now.
My company was the production company you think Parasite has been able to overcome I already knew that they had a lot of passion, a
for his 2009 film, Mother, and we had known what has traditionally been a barrier for non- lot of focus, especially with director Bong and
each other ever since I was in my late English films here?
20s. When director Bong was making his I think the reason is pretty simple: It’s the
short film [Incoherence], I was a writer on a quality of the film. The film itself is really
film magazine called Kino; in our magazine, gripping. It’s unpredictable. The perfor-
we [covered] director Bong’s short film. mances are great. In terms of all the major
Director Bong said that he was a big fan of elements that comprise a film, all of it was
our magazine, and that’s how we came to well done and very captivating. I think people
know each other. talk about that, so through word-of-mouth the
film just reached more and more people.

VITAL STATS
Parasite earned six Oscar nominations, but

the actors weren’t nominated. Why do you
STUDIO Neon
RELEASE DATE Oct. 11 think that is?
I’m not sure. I heard about the voting system
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE
and the result is an accumulation of every
$137M
DIRECTOR Bong Joon Ho individual’s decision. It’s difficult for me to
really think about what was going on in their
CAST
minds. We really did hope for a nomination.
Song Kang-ho, Park So-dam,
Choi Woo-shik, Song Kang-ho is the greatest actor in Korea.
He also has a pretty substantial fan base in From left: Song Kang-ho, writer Han Jin Won, editor Yang Jinmo,
Chang Hyae-jin, production designer Lee Ha-jun, producer Kwak Sin-ae, Lee
the international community. We had hoped Jung-eun and Bong Joon Ho at the 25th Annual Critics’ Choice
Cho Yeo-jeong, Lee Sun-kyun Awards on Jan. 12.
that he would get nominated along with
TOP AWARDS
the film. It was a disappointment, but I’m Song Kang-ho, but it’s been great to see how
Palme d’Or at Cannes,
6 Oscar noms, not really sure why [it happened this way]. well they’re doing in the process. I know that
Perhaps one of the reasons is that he wasn’t as the reason why they’re going through all of
4 BAFTA noms, 1 Globe win,
familiar to the voters in the Academy. this is because they know that the success of
1 SAG Award nom
the campaign will influence the Korean film
Some people have speculated that it might industry and bring a lot of support and inter-
Director Bong has brought a welcome sense reflect a bias, that some voters haven’t taken est to Korean cinema.
of humor to this whole process of awards time to get to know Asian actors like they have
season. What’s his personality like when he’s in other groups. What are some of the other countries where
production and shooting? It would be a stretch for me to ask why all Parasite has found an audience?
He’s actually very funny even on set. He’s those individuals made the decisions and for The film did incredibly well in France,
very detailed and very fast with his deci- which reasons. Vietnam and Germany, but overall the film
sions. The humor you see from him during has done well in every country where it
this awards season, he’s the exact same way Song Kang-ho looked pretty happy in that was released. The fact that a Korean film has
on set and in normal life. Everyone in the video online of him holding a coffee cup and never been nominated for an Oscar, when I

Korean film industry is aware of director celebrating when you all got the news that first came here I felt very distant from this
Bong’s personality. Of course, people want Parasite was nominated for best picture. whole scene. Now thanks to our film, I feel like
to work with him because he creates great He was definitely overjoyed with the nomina- that gap has closed a bit more. I feel hopeful
films. Also, they just want to experience a set tions. He is a leader of the actors. Regardless and like there is so much potential to com-
that’s very fun. of which nominations he received, person- municate with the international audience. I’m
ally he was very happy that the film that we very excited and happy for that.
What were your key challenges as a producer on all cherished so much is doing so well at the
this film? Academy. He was very happy. Interview edited for length and clarity.








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 3 5 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

2 0 2 0
AWARDS SEASON



P L A Y B O O K





which does not rise to the level of
impeachment. But what we see
in both cases is how some parties
are ready to abuse the consti-
tution to try to destroy their
opponents at all costs.


This is your third personal film

after 2009’s Undertow Eyes and
2012’s Elena. Why did you decide
to tell the story through the lens
of your family, rather than tak-
ing the more traditional historical
documentary route?
All my films come from a per-
sonal perspective. I’m interested
D O C U M E N T A R Y
in the concept of trauma and how
it shapes us as human beings —
LIVING ON THE EDGE how powerful it can be to dive

into one’s own trauma and then
find the energy and the light that
can come from that. And in this
case, I was interested in political
Brazilian director Petra Costa, earning her first Oscar nomination for Netflix’s documentary
The Edge of Democracy, explains why Americans should view the film as a warning shot trauma. My generation grew up
By Adam Benzine in an age of optimism, believing
democracy was here to stay. And,
similar to what the United States
n impeachment trial
on a call with my producer Joanna
went through in 2016, there was
Have Lula da Silva or Dilma
A that divides the country. [Natasegara]. We’d had a very Rousseff had an opportunity to see an earthquake that made us feel
depressing call just beforehand,
that basic human rights and a
the film?
Large crowds chanting to
“lock up” their right-wing consoling ourselves that this Yes. Lula saw the film in prison line of ethics that separates the
candidate’s political opponent. wouldn’t happen and thinking — more than once, I heard. And humane from the inhumane,
And the rise of an authoritarian about how we would survive the Dilma also saw the film; we had guaranteed through decades of
leader who threatens to undercut next step. We were really not an agreement to show it to her fighting [for it], were suddenly
democracy and the rule of law. expecting this at all, it was such a before it was finished. And they starting to dissolve. And the
Sound familiar? huge surprise. We were scream- both had positive responses to it. trauma I felt — which I think
In Netflix’s The Edge of ing like crazy. many people felt in the U.S. with
Democracy, nominated for best What lessons should U.S. the election of Donald Trump and
documentary feature, Brazilian How have viewers reacted to audiences draw from in the U.K. with Brexit — was the
writer-director Petra Costa delves the film in Brazil? the documentary? sensation of losing your future
into her country’s messy politi- The film has been explosive The film has so many and your idea of what your coun-
cal history — and in the process in Brazil. There was one parallels with what is try was and would be.
presents a dark “distorted mirror” tweet [about the film] per Costa happening in the United
of the myriad crises facing the minute for the first month States, it feels like a dis- You credit three co-writers
U.S. today. With remarkable access of release, and Netflix recently torted mirror of the situation in alongside yourself. How did you
to former Presidents Luiz Inácio announced that it was the second- America. From the “lock her up” approach writing the film?
Lula da Silva, Dilma Rousseff most-watched documentary movement that attacked Hillary It was a back-and-forth process. EDGE: COURTESY OF NETFLIX. COSTA: DAVID BECKER/GETTY IMAGES FOR NETFLIX. FACTORY: STEVEN BOGNAR/NETFLIX. CAVE: COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. SAMA: COURTESY OF PBS. HONEYLAND: LJUBO STEFANOV/NEON.
and Michel Temer — as well as on its platform in 2019. It really Clinton, which was a mirror to There were some parts that I wrote
the current hardline president, triggered a huge political debate. what happened to Lula in Brazil, while I was in Brasilia, in the heat
Jair Bolsonaro — Costa docu- I’ve received messages that were to the intense polarization in the of the event. And then an amazing
ments Brazil’s fraying democracy really gratifying from people, but streets and inside Congress with editing team helped a lot with the
through the prism of her family’s of course there were also attacks of families not speaking to each writing and the rewriting. Carol
own history, contrasting the views all sorts. The nomination became other. The difference, though, is Pires, a journalist who works with

of her right-wing, industrialist the most talked-about topic on that the impeachment of Donald The New York Times, covered the
grandparents with the ideals of her Twitter in Brazil. And there were Trump is at the heart of why the entire impeachment process and
left-wing, freedom-fighter parents. some interesting comments from impeachment law was invented, helped a lot in getting the political
Bolsonaro himself, saying that to prevent this type of abuse context right, and also in finding
What was your reaction to being the film is not a documentary but of power, while in Brazil, the the right measure of how much
nominated? a fiction, and only fit for vultures impeachment was for a techni- to put myself into the film or not,
I was with my mother, my boy- to eat. He also said that he hasn’t cality — a misdeed that most along with [co-writers] Moara
friend and my grandfather, and seen the film. presidents had committed before, Passoni and David Barker. We were








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 3 6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

AROUND THE WORLD WITH NOMINATED DOCS

The other four contenders in the category take viewers to Syria, North Macedonia,
China and even Ohio while exploring global issues By Katie Campione


fine-tuning the narration until the
very last day of mixing.


What are your hopes for the future
of the film and for Brazil?
I hope the film will raise people’s
awareness about the frailty of
democracy. Many other coun-
AMERICAN FACTORY THE CAVE
tries around the world should be Produced by the Obamas, American Factory checks For The Cave, director Feras Fayyad returns to his
declaring a state of emergency, or in on the General Motors plant that directors Julia native Syria, this time to document a team of female

a kind of state of alert. Political Reichert and Steven Bognar explored in their 2009 doctors working in an underground hospital.
parties are willing to destroy short The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, which Fayyad was previously nominated for his 2017 film,
was also nominated for an Academy Award. the Syrian war documentary Last Men in Aleppo.
democracy to be able to win or
to stay in power. And that is
happening in Brazil and the U.S.
and in many other places. It’s
catastrophic not just for human
rights, but also for the climate.
And it might be too late if we
wait to protect the rule of law and
democracy, acquired through so
many centuries of hard work. It’s FOR SAMA HONEYLAND
alarming what is happening in For Sama documents the Syrian war from a personal Shot with a skeleton crew over three years,
Brazil; we’re really at the edge of perspective. Directors Waad al-Kateab and Honeyland intimately follows one of the last female
becoming an authoritarian gov- Edward Watts drew from more than 500 hours of wild beekeepers in Europe as her livelihood is
ernment. Or past that edge. footage recorded by al-Kateab, starting as a student threatened by a wayfaring family that joins her tiny
in Aleppo through the birth of her first daughter. Macedonian village deep in the Balkans.

Interview edited for length
and clarity.











A C A D E M Y A WA R D N O M I N E E
®

B E S T D O C U M E N TA R Y



S H O R T S U B J E C T





























BOUND BY LOVE, NOT BY BORDERS




“It may be the most
unnerving 40 minutes
of your year.”

T H E D A I L Y B E A S T

2 0 2 0
AWARDS SEASON



P L A Y B O O K






I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E A T U R E F I L M



PERSONAL





1
CONFLICT







ON A GLOBAL







SCALE







Class warfare and culture clashes fuel the emotional
fires at the center of the international film race, with
five films telling universal and explosive stories
By Boyd van Hoeij




B ong Joon Ho’s acclaimed actors was nominated). And
Parasite, which also
Sundance favorite Honeyland also
landed five other Oscar
scored a best documentary nod,
nominations includ- becoming the first title ever to
ing best picture, best director double-dip in these categories.
and best original screenplay, Do multiple nominations make
looks like the film to beat in the this trio the logical frontrunners? 4
international feature film derby. Or will they spread the love too
The first Korean film ever to thin as voters choose
be nominated for any Oscar is their top picks in
joined by four European films in different categories,
the international category: Pain allowing room for an
and Glory, directed by Spanish unexpected Polish or
Bong
maestro Pedro Almodóvar; French victory? and thematically, is Almodóvar’s for Almodóvar.
French filmmaker Ladj Ly’s In terms of highly stylized approach, familiar Unlike Pain and Glory, no
debut, Les Misérables; Polish themes and genres, from his extensive filmography, knowledge of Jan Komasa’s life
submission Corpus Christi from the nominees might which he himself mines in this or previous films (which include
helmer Jan Komasa; and North at first glance look thinly veiled autobiographi- Berlinale hit Suicide Room) is
Stefanov
Macedonian nonfiction entry like an almost ran- cal film (said to form a trilogy required to deepen your apprecia-
Honeyland, from rookie docu- dom cross section with Law of Desire and Bad tion of Corpus Christi. This soberly
mentarians Tamara Kotevska and of world cinema. Education). Banderas’ protagonist told and powerful story explores
Ljubomir Stefanov. Parasite, about a is a celebrated film director with the predicament of a troubled
Unusually, this year the Kotevska near-destitute clan a hairstyle, apartment and young man who pretends to be a
category formerly known as posing as valiant obsessions that keep remind- priest in a small community that
best film in a foreign language (and unrelated) new employees of ing us of the master himself. is trying to get over a fatal car
includes a total of three titles a stinking rich family, combines Unsurprisingly for someone crash. Whereas the protagonists
with other nominations as well. genre tropes in black comedy who made a film called All About of Parasite might seem interested

Besides Parasite’s enviable haul and suspense with social com- My Mother, there’s an homage simply in bettering their own PASSPORT: ADOBE STOCK. CORPUS: COURTESY OF TIFF. HONEYLAND: LJUBO STEFANOV/NEON. PAIN: MANOLO PAVÓN/SONY PICTURES CLASSICS. PARASITE: COURTESY OF NEON. MISERABLES: COURTESY OF LE PACTE. BONG, KOTEVSKA: JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES. KOMASA: VIVIEN KILLILEA/GETTY IMAGES. LY: ARAYA DIAZ/GETTY IMAGES. ALMODOVAR: VALERIE MACON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES.
of six, there’s Pain and Glory, mentary. Honeyland, on the other to his mother, played by Julietta station by profiting from the stu-
which also scored a best actor nod hand, chronicles the tough life Serrano and by Penélope Cruz pidity of the rich, the 20-year-old,
for Antonio Banderas, suggest- of Hatidze Muratova, said to be in flashbacks that turn out to be a saucer-eyed Polish protagonist STEFANOV: JESSE GRANT/GETTY IMAGES FOR INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION.
ing widespread support among the last woman practicing wild fictionalized enhancement of here almost accidentally morphs
the Academy’s largest branch, honey hunting in the Balkans, in the original madre, all the while into someone both he and the
the actors (regrettably, none of a stripped-down, vérité style. suggesting themes of personal village seem to need for differ-
Parasite’s large cast of superlative Quite the opposite, visually struggle and the power of cinema ent reasons. Monetary gain or








T H E H O L L Y W O O D R E P O R T E R 3 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 A W A R D S 1

a desire on the part of the poor to
outdo the rich at their own game.
This isn’t even a particularly South
Korean situation, as largely uncon-
trolled globalism experiments
have led to enormous inequality in
France and elsewhere around the
world. In Parasite, there isn’t a cub
on the loose that should have been
kept caged, but other ills lurking in
3
the dark act as pointed metaphors
for often-invisible experiences
of exploitation and injustice. Ly’s
film is angrier and more immedi-
2 ate, while Bong masterfully uses
1 Honeyland, also nominated for best
documentary feature, follows Macedonian genre codes to serve up a story
beekeeper Hatidze Muratova. 2 Corpus about the ugly world we live in
Christi stars Bartosz Bielenia as a man who
masquerades as a priest. 3 Parasite, the first with nuance and finesse — before
Korean film to be nominated for an Oscar,
earned five additional noms. 4 Pain and Glory things also come to an angry boil.
stars Antonio Banderas, who also garnered Honeyland similarly keeps
a best actor nom. 5 Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables
references Victor Hugo’s classic novel, its focus on a very small cast
similarly exploring unrest in a Paris suburb. of characters. But when new
neighbors who also hope to make
money with honey move in and
ignore Muratova’s insistence on
respecting the balance of nature
— she leaves half of the honey
for the bees and they don’t — a
disaster isn’t far off. As Sheri

Linden points out in her review,
the shambolic family, in their
improbable dwelling-on-wheels,
might as well be a multina-
tional corporation destroying a
5 nature sanctuary.
Les Misérables, Honeyland and
Parasite explore inequality, injus-
tice and environmental calamities
and wonder out loud how we’re
even gainful employment aren’t a warts-and-all portrait as a deep who are miserable in one or more supposed to live in a world that
the young man’s goal so much as study of those warts, embedded ways. Les Misérables represents all is unjust and seems to be get-
salvation — or at least, mental in cracked fault lines between the but the richest and most powerful ting worse instead of better. Pain
clarity and peace. That said, both lofty Republique and its professed in France and beyond and Glory and Corpus Christi join
stories explore how easily an act but struggling ideals of freedom, — which is to say, the other three films in trying to
of human deception can spread equality and brotherhood. almost all of us. answer the question of how to live
like oil until it becomes impos- Ladj Ly’s debut, which, like In this sense, Ly between the past and the present,
sible to control. Parasite and Pain and Glory, was and Bong tap into between what we know, what we
Ly
Rounding out the five, Les a Cannes competition title, is very similar material. believe we know and the entirely
Misérables offers a snapshot the film most directly concerned The action in Parasite unknown territory that is the
of malcontent, contemporary with society’s bigger picture. The is almost exclusively future. All of these nominees rep-
France through the eyes of three stolen cub is the pretext and not set in two homes; resent facets of the complex world
banlieue cops looking for — of all the subject of the film. Ly is inter- Almodóvar one only half above we live in. As an art form, movies,
things — a lion cub stolen from a ested in behavior, movements ground and the other like the one Banderas’ character

circus. Will they be able to defuse and systems that clash and cause towering over others makes to understand and improve
the mounting tension among despair, resentment and rot that on a hill (no points for on his own life, can offer pleasure
different groups while searching can never stay hidden for too long. guessing where the and food for thought in equal
for the feline? Or will everything The film shares more than just Komasa rich live). But the two measure. Though only one of
go belly-up? Les Misérables offers its title and locale with the iconic homes and the fami- them can win, viewers will recog-
a state-of-the-nation portrait of novel by Victor Hugo, because in lies that live in them make up a nize something of their complex
France as an angry, edge-of-your- the current world ruled by one- microcosm in which the exploita- and contradictory selves onscreen
seat experience that’s not so much percenters, there is the 99 percent tion of the poor by the rich leads to in each of them.








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91 Years of THR




Memorable moments
from a storied history

































































1995557 1995888 199559 1 1966660 1996611 1 199962 1966633 1 1999644 199665 1966 1967 19968 1 1969 1 19700 19977771 1 199722 199733 1997444 1 19775 197776 1 1977


In ’67, Hitler Comedy The Producers Won an Oscar





It’s been more than 50 years sparked by the sort of perfor- least 17 months. In August 1966, Hitler on his marquee.” And then
since Mel Brooks’ The Producers mance in which star Zero Mostel it announced that Brooks’ film, The Producers grossed $1.6 mil-
wrestled with the challenge of has no peer and marking an then titled Springtime for Hitler, lion in theaters, which meant
courting Oscar for a film offering impressive directorial debut by would be made on a $1 million it barely broke even. But when
a comic version of Adolf Hitler, Brooks,” said the review. But what budget. (The final cost for the Brooks adapted it as a Broadway
something Jojo Rabbit is fac- THR seemed most concerned 40-day shoot that began a year musical in 2001 with Nathan Lane
ing this year. “There are many about was that Embassy Pictures after the THR announcement and Matthew Broderick starring,
to whom this brand of humor might have botched the film’s was $941,000, or $7.25 million in it ran for 2,502 performances and
is more an opening of wounds chances for Oscar noms by open- today’s dollars.) The title, though, won a record 12 Tony Awards.
that can never heal,” THR said in ing it in New York and not having was an ongoing problem. Brooks — BILL HIGGINS
its Dec. 28, 1967, review. “Those enough trade screenings. “Gene had been thinking about using
who will not buy Grundig and Wilder’s supporting performance Springtime for Hitler in some-
Volkswagen will probably pass would have been eligible and thing since 1962. Universal’s Lew
by The Producers as well.” (For perhaps likely to have earned an Wasserman was interested in the
anyone under 50, the German Academy Awards nomination,” film but wanted it switched to

company Grundig was once the said THR. (It turned out Wilder Springtime for Mussolini because
largest radio manufacturer in was eligible and did receive a sup- “Mussolini’s nicer.” It ended up
Europe; Volkswagen was founded porting actor nod; Brooks, then being changed to The Producers
in 1937 by a Nazi labor union.) 41, won the Oscar for original because Embassy head Joseph
But on the bright side, THR loved screenplay.) THR had been fol- E. Levine said no Jewish theater
the movie. “It is a hilarious film, lowing the film’s progress for at owner would “put Springtime for


The “Springtime for Hitler” musical sequence in 1967’s The Producers. Right: THR first wrote about the Mel Brooks film on Aug. 18, 1966.
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