By Jake Howell jake.howell@utoronto.ca
Countdown To Cannes: Bennett Miller
The third in a series of snapshots outlining the nineteen directors in the 67th Palme d’Or Competition.
Background: U.S.; born New York City, New York 1966.
Known for / style: The Cruise (1998), Capote (2005), Moneyball (2011); directing commercials, music videos, and documentary works in addition to dramatic narratives; a small but varied filmography of nonfiction and biographical adaptations; a naturalistic approach to filmmaking.
Notable accolades: Miller’s most successful film is Capote, which landed an Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 2006 (Capote), a pair of Best First Feature wins from two separate critics societies (Toronto and New York), and a BAFTA nomination for Best Direction. Moneyball was also nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Editing, Sound Mixing, and Adapted Screenplay.
Film he’s bringing to Cannes: Foxcatcher, a film Miller has been trying to produce since 2007. Dramatizing true events behind John Eleuthère du Pont’s bizarre murder of Olympic champion Dave Schultz, and based on an autobiography by Schultz’ brother Mark, the film features Steve Carell (du Pont), Mark Ruffalo (Dave Schultz), and Channing Tatum (Mark Schultz). Additional cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Michael Hall, and Sienna Miller in supporting roles.
Previous Cannes appearances: Miller’s films have played many major festivals, but never Cannes.
Could it win the Palme? It’s too early to jump to conclusions, but there are many indications that Foxcatcher is going to be something good. For starters: Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures, the production company behind the film, is responsible for some of the most respected titles in recent years, and Miller has again drafted screenwriter and high school friend Dan Futterman (Capote) to help pen the script. A mooted release postponed from Christmas suggests time was taken to finish the film properly. The filmmaker can also boast the achievement of directing four actors to Oscar nominations (Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill for Moneyball; Catherine Keener and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote, eventual winner of the prize), so the festival’s acting trophies could very possibly find a home here. Additionally, Oscar-winning composer Mychael Danna (Life of Pi) scored. The tone of the film is sensitive, could invoke strong reactions, and all the production’s moving parts have very impressive résumés.
Why you should care: Working outside his comfort zone of comedy, it’s immediately clear that Steve Carell underwent a major transformation to play John du Pont, and prior to shooting the film in 2012, Channing Tatum stated Foxcatcher would be “the hardest acting challenge [he’s] had to date.” This is a film Miller has been trying to make for many years, so we’ll finally get to see what’s been keeping his thoughts occupied. Bottom line, though: Bennett Miller is a heavyweight when it comes to nonfiction adaptations, so expect the film to be a major player both on the Croisette and later in the awards season, when it is released stateside November 14, 2014.
Follow Jake Howell on Twitter: @Jake_Howell
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