Cannes 2009 Day 2: Some Unfinished Business in Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro

Day 2 began with the 10:00 a.m. opening film for the Director’s Fortnight screening of Francis Ford Coppola‘s Tetro. With this being one of the rare penned projects from Coppola. Playing with the notion of unrealized potential, unfinished business and certainly draws upon Coppola’s own family dynamic (his father was musically inclined and it becomes apparent that the son considered him a genius), Tetro could have passed off better as a shortened stage piece. In a linear timeline, the flashes of color in this B&W film act as reminders Vincent Gallo‘s character Angelo/Tetro’s guarded past, actor Alden Ehrenreich who is still wet behind the ears, plays his younger estranged brother prying open his older brother’s nest for answers and clues. Unfortunately, the Argentinean-Italian community backdrop serves as very little and Carmen Maura‘s short presence only reminds us of the lack of “grip” that these set of characters have on the viewer. Full review coming soon.

Winemaker, director and screenwriter with Alden Ehrenreich and Maribel Verdu.

Apocalypse Now was another one of Coppola’s films that was offered a closing night slot. The director refused it, and walked away with the Palme d’or in the end.

Alden Ehrenreich met with Coppola, read some Catcher in the Rye, and traveled down to Argentina to workshop some lines of dialogue. For the first time actor: this was a part that was beyond his wildest dreams. 

Maribel Verdu (I heart you in Y Tu Mama Tambien) unknowingly got her part by having dinner with Coppola at a Guatemalan restaurant. He didn’t tell her anything about anything until three months later she was offered a role via email.    

2nd Assistant Director: CQ‘s Roman Coppola.