Ahead of the premiere of “Metropolis,” Francis Ford Coppola’s first film in more than a decade, building to fever pitch at Cannes, the director faced accusations Tuesday that he tried to kiss others during a nightclub sequence .
ONE report to the Guardian Detailing the film’s chaotic production, he said that according to unnamed sources, Coppola made women sit on his lap and tried to kiss scantily clad extras.
In response, a rep for Coppola cited a statement from executive producer Darren Demetre, published by The Hollywood Reporter, in which he said, “I was never aware of any complaints of harassment or misbehavior during the project.” Demetre also noted in the statement that during two days of shooting a “celebratory club scene at Studio 54,” the director “walked around the set to create the spirit of the scene by giving gentle hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and players background. It was his way of inspiring and creating the atmosphere of the club that was so important to the film.”
The article focused heavily on the film’s unusual production conditions and, citing an unnamed crew member, said that Coppola stayed in his trailer for hours at a time, delaying filming.
Mariela Comitini, first assistant director on “Megalopolis,” told the Times through a representative, “I can say that working alongside Francis Ford Coppola was an honor. I watched as Francis created a vibrant, professional and positive environment on set and I wish I could have been a part of the celebration in Cannes. As one of the industry’s most respected top directors, Francis was undaunted by the enormity of the undertaking and completed the film on time and on budget.”
The report was published ahead of the film’s premiere Thursday at the Cannes competition, where the stakes are high as the film has yet to find distribution in the US. (After an early screening for buyers, a source said Elf: “There are zero commercial prospects, and good for him.”) On Tuesday, Coppola, best known as the director of the “Godfather” trilogy, released a teaser for the dystopian “Megalopolis” that reflected ancient Roman influences and featured hallucinatory special effects.
Coppola had been toying with the idea of making Megalopolis since the 1980s and eventually sold part of his wine estate to make it. $120 million of his own money to pull it off. The film stars Adam Driver as an architect who wants to rebuild a futuristic New York. The architect has the ability to downtime, and during the film he clashes with the future mayor of New York, played by Giancarlo Esposito, while also becoming romantically involved with the mayor’s daughter (Natalie Emmanuel). The film also stars Aubrey Plaza as a reporter named Wow Platinum, as well as Jon Voight and Shia LaBeouf.
Coppola told Vanity Fair that he began writing the script in earnest a dozen years ago and envisioned “a Roman epic set in modern America,” giving particular interest to an incident in 63 B.C. Catiline Conspiracy concerning Cicero.
Of course, reports of stormy productions are nothing new for Coppola, who made “Apocalypse Now,” a turbulent production chronicled in the documentary “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,” with footage captured by his wife, Eleanor Coppola. She died last month aged 87.