By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
CANNES, France (AP) --Netflix's entry into the Cannes Film Festival produced new drama Friday as the first screening of its film "Okja" was met with boos for Netflix and a technical glitch that prompted the festival to restart the film and apologize to the audience.
At the end of all the commotion, largely glowing reviews surfaced for director Boon Joon-ho's political fantasy about a girl and her genetically modified giant pig.
The premiere of the South Korean director's latest film, featuring Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, was a heated affair to begin with. It's the first of two Netflix films in Cannes' top Palme d'Or competition to premiere this year, selections that prompted protests from French distributors and led Cannes to rule out, beginning next year, streaming-only films.
Some members of the international press at Friday's screening booed the Netflix logo that preceded the film. But that wasn't the end to the raucousness.
The projection that followed was in the wrong aspect ratio, throwing off the framing. While the film played, the packed theater hissed and clapped until the screening was stopped. After about a 10-minute wait, "Okja" was restarted – and the Netflix logo was booed all over again.
The festival quickly issued an apology, promising that the error was technical and not anti-Netflix sabotage.
"This incident was entirely the responsibility of the festival's technical service, which offers its apologies to the director and his team, to the producers and the audience," said the festival.
Bong, the acclaimed director of "Snowpiercer" and "The Host," was light-hearted about the snafu.
"What happened this morning, I'm quite happy with it because it forces you people to watch the opening sequence twice," he said, laughing. "There is so (much) information and story elements there. So very educational. I love it."
"Okja" will hit Netflix and play theatrically in many countries on June 28. It's about a girl named Mija who has raised a massive pig named Okja who was created by a large corporation (one run by twin sisters played by Swinton). Ten years later, the company is reclaiming the animal to help sell its new line of genetically modified food.
Critics mostly applauded its melding of Spielbergian fantasy and more darkly political themes about food production and capitalism.
On Friday, Bong and his cast defended the film's digital distributor. Swinton called the hubbub in Cannes over Netflix the start of "an enormous and really interesting conversation" and declared "there's room for everybody" in Cannes.
"Let's be honest, there are thousands of films that are screened in the Cannes Film Festival that people don't see in the cinema – the most beautiful, the most esoteric films that people never see in the cinema," said Swinton. "Netflix has given Bong Jong-ho the chance to make his absolutely liberated vision a reality, and for that I'm so grateful."
On Wednesday, Cannes jury president Pedro Almodovar appeared to rule out "Okja" and the other Netflix entry in competition for the Palme d'Or, Noah Baumbach's "The Meyerowitz Stories," saying he didn't think a film not playing in theaters should win the coveted Palme d'Or.
Swinton, a former Cannes juror, responded, "The truth is, we didn't come here for prizes. We came here to show this film to the Cannes Film Festival."
Bong, a deep admirer of Almodovar, was less slighted.
"I'm just very happy he will watch this movie," the director said, chuckling. "He can say anything. I'm fine with it."
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More