By Jill Lawless
CANNES, France (AP) --Norwegian director Joachim Trier thinks the best qualities of American cinema have moved to TV — and he wants them back.
In Trier's Cannes Film Festival entry "Louder Than Bombs," a bereaved father and two sons struggle to console and understand one another after the death of their family's matriarch, a famous photojournalist played by Isabelle Huppert.
The movie, Trier's English-language debut, is set and filmed in New York state with a cast that includes Gabriel Byrne, Jesse Eisenberg and teenage actor Devin Druid.
Trier said he grew up "watching a lot of American movies that were great at portraying real life."
"When I was growing up, everyone's parents got divorced and suddenly came 'Kramer vs. Kramer' or 'Ordinary People,'" he told reporters at a Cannes press conference Monday. "Years later when I was a teenager, suddenly we saw a movie like 'The Breakfast Club' that felt relevant to our lives."
Trier said that strand of rich, imaginative storytelling "has emigrated to wonderful TV shows." With "Louder Than Bombs," he and his collaborators decided: "Let's try to kidnap that back."
The film, which is competing for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d'Or, has an elaborate structure but a simple message: Families are complicated.
Byrne's father is baffled by teenage son Conrad (Druid), while distant older son Jonah (Eisenberg) is experiencing a crisis after the birth of his first child.
"For the family who's left behind after a tragedy like this (the mother's death), how one puts together one's life after that is a very complex journey," Byrne said. "The film is also an examination of family, and what it means to be a father, to be a son, to be a wife, to be a husband."
Trier, whose "Oslo, August 31," played in Cannes' Un Certain Regard category in 2011, intersperses the main storyline with other imagery, including the video games that the younger son plays and the photographs Huppert's character takes in the war zones and refugee camps.
"I think we were interested in, for lack of a better term, polyphonic structure," the director said. "Which means the different voices of the family creates one story."
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More