As Francis Ford Coppola received AFI‘s 50th Life Achievement Award, Adam Driver praised his fearless approach to cinema.
During Saturday’s gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the actor paid tribute to “one of my cinematic heroes” and his big swing with last year’s Megalopolis, which Coppola self-funded after first conceiving the idea in 1983.
“A theater director who brought his process to film and revolutionized how we think about cinema, and certainly how we make it,” said Driver. “His movies, for some, are the yardstick to be measured by, and at the very least, examples of the possibilities in film, like in my opinion, Megalopolis.”
Recalling “the best piece of direction I ever heard” that came from the first day of filming Megalopolis, Driver said Coppola told the room, “We’re not being brave enough.”
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Putting that piece of advice into the context of Coppola’s storied career, the actor praised him for “spending $120 million on a piece of art, and not letting the money dictate the content of the film. And believe me, I was there. There was no talk about how he could make this more commercial.”
(WATCH) Adam Driver reflects on Francis Ford Coppola gambling with ‘Megalopolis’ during the filmmakers AFI Lifetime Achievement Award pic.twitter.com/YY4FBYGtjt
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“This is a principled life, and for a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open, then the only metric to judge a film’s success is by how much money it makes. I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions, through big moves, all in service of pushing the medium forward.
Driver continued, “Francis took $120 million and created a singular gesture for what he thought film could be, and I think that’s pretty great. That kind of move has an aftershock that certainly will be felt in his films, will be felt throughout time, and is obviously felt in this room. So, I know you have complicated feelings about awarding Francis, but to echo what everyone else has been saying, you more than deserve this moment. Congratulation on all you’ve achieved, and I’m honored to be here to celebrate you, your generosity and your bravery.”
Despite Coppola’s nine-figure investment, Megalopolis was torn apart by critics, earning $14.3M worldwide.
Filmmaking peers like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Spike Lee and more were also on hand to celebrate Coppola, as well as collaborators like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Elle Fanning and Diane Lane.
The Life Achievement Award is AFI;s highest esteem for a career in film. Coppola;s predecessors include Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Diane Keaton and John Williams.
Coppola’s The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now are ranked among history’s greatest films in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list. A six-time Academy Award winner, his other iconic feature credits, as writer, director and/or producer, include Patton, American Graffiti, The Conversation, The Outsiders and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, to name just a few.
The AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute returns this year to TNT, with encore presentations to follow on Turner Classic Movies.
The post Adam Driver Praises Francis Ford Coppola For “Not Letting The Money Dictate” ‘Megalopolis’ At AFI Life Achievement Tribute appeared first on Deadline.
