Cosmopolis Producer Confirms: Rob Headed To Portugal After Cannes!

UPDATE: We've added two more interviews where producer Paulo Branco talks about when Rob will be in Portugal. He also gives more details about Cosmopolis.

Rough translation of this article:

Guimarães – Capital Europeia da Cultura will have an unprecedented turnout on May 28, when the English actor Robert Pattinson, idol of millions of movie fans, will attend the premiere of 'Cosmopolis', directed by David Cronenberg and produced by Paulo Branco, days after learning if they won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.


Major crowding will certainly happen on May 29, in the two 'Cosmopolis' screenings in Lisbon. One will take place at Centro Cultural de Belém, while the other will be open to the public, and Pattinson (and other actors, including Paul Giamatti) will be with the fans. The 'team' also includes the filmmaker David Cronenberg and writer Don DeLillo, whose novel is the basis of the film.


"I hope the fans are more civilized here," said Paulo Baulo to the CM, acknowledging that Pattinson's stay in "Cannes is a concern," since his last time in the French city the reactions were described as Beatles-like. 


In the film which opens in 30 theaters on May 31st, Pattinson plays a character very different from the vampire 'Edward Cullen', star of Twilight. This is the odyssey of a Manhattan mogul that runs through the city (although shooting has taken place in Toronto and not in New York) in his limousine.


'Cosmopolis' wants the Palme d'Or


'Cosmopolis' is in a list of candidates for the Palme d'Or in the official competition of the Cannes Film Festival, revealed yesterday. According to Paulo Branco, producer of the film where David Cronenberg has made a metaphor about the capitalism crisis, to find yourself in this list "will only provide visibility throughout the world" to the project. Besides the 11th film produced by Branco candidate for the top prize at Cannes, the festival which runs from May 16-27 features works by Walter Salles ("On the Road"), Leos Carax ("Holy Motors"), Michael Haneke ("Amour") and Wes Anderson, whose 'Moonrise Kingdom' opens an exhibition.

Rough translation:

The tv piece starts by describing the movie's story. In it its mentioned that “Robert Pattinson gets away from the teen themes represented by the Twi Saga to be the lead actor of Cosmopolis”. Then Paulo Branco starts to talk telling that “(Rob) in the beginning refused the role because he had a bit of fear of the challenge imposed by this movie. In this movie he is, from beginning to end, in all photograms (scenes)” It was Paulo Brancos idea of adapting this book to the cinema and Cronenberg was the 1st director that the producer thought of. “It took me a while to get to him because, although I'd already met him, I didn't know him that well. At first he (Cronenberg) said it was a bit difficult to do it because of other projects he had going. I gave him he book and 24 hours later he phoned me saying “Paulo this is for me! It is the ideal book for me to adapt. Let's do this” The piece continues by saying that Cosmopolis is one of the movies in competition for the Palme d'Or in Cannes. More than a win, the producer considers the presence of the movie at Cannes as a showroom for the movie to the world.

Rough translation:

I: Paulo, good evening. This is the 11th movie that you produce and has been selected to the competition in Cannes - the most important film festival in Europe. From what we saw in the trailer and from the little we know, this is not an European movie. Is this your most important movie?


PB: Well, as a producer I like to think all movies are important, but this one is special, of course. It's a movie where, for the first time, I worked the way they do on the other side of the Atlantic. It was filmed in Toronto with one of the best directors in the world, David Cronenberg, that was kind enough to listen and accept my proposal, and with great Hollywood actors. And it's the first time I work on a movie this big and with this budget.


I:We're talking about a major production?


PB: We're talking about a medium American production, about 15M Euros. A French-Canadian movie. We had as much support from France as from Canada. Although, it is a budget that indie producers are not used to, especially with the freedom I had to produce this movie: choosing the director, David Cronenberg, and the actors (along with Cronenberg). It was an unique experience. I am proud (for the movie) to be in Cannes now; to be aknowledged. Every movie in Cannes, in competition, they're not just “another movie”. It's always something special, someone who has been and follows the festival, can understand.


I:The cast and crew of this movie is impressive. Famous director, David Cronenberg. The main actors are, I should say, even more famous (Juliette Binoche and Robert Pattinson, from the Twilight Saga). I want to know if there's anything planned for the release of the movie in Portugal in May with them?


PB: Precisely. It was created some sort of empathy with Don de Lillo, David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson, that since the beginning, when I talked about the idea of doing a small promo tour in Europe to promote the movie, starting in Portugal, they immediately accepted. They'll be here right after Cannes for the Portuguese premiere of the movie. I think it's a unique event, for a movie premiere, in Portugal. And an example of professionalism and devotion from the people that worked in this film. For Pattinson, this project is essential. He watched the movie and personally told me that it was, maybe, the project that he was most proud of and wanted to support it wherever it was necessary. Don DeLillo, one of the biggest writers in the world, when saw the movie...(Interviewer interrupts Paulo Branco)


The last question is hard to understand, Paulo Branco talks about Cannes, promoting and selling movies at the festival.


Can't wait for all the great coverage ahead. In the meantime, let's watch those Cosmopolis trailers again ;)

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