“Is this way we’re living, the only one that’s available to us?” This question is asked by Cesar Catilina, the protagonist of the 2024 film “Megalopolis,” which was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
The director is recognized for motion pictures such as “The Godfather,” “The Outsiders” and “Apocalypse Now.”
The movie will be a component of “An Evening With Francis Ford Coppola and Megalopolis,” a tour that will span six dates across the country.
His tour will make a stop in the Windy City on July 25 at The Chicago Theatre, located at 175 N. State St., and will be hosted by Columbia College Chicago.
The event will feature a screening of the aforementioned science fiction drama along with two post-feature discussions.
Despite being released in theatres last year, it is currently not available on any streaming platform.
The movie stars Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina, Giancarlo Esposito as Mayor Franklyn Cicero and Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero. The plot revolves around Catilina’s desire for progression by wanting to build a utopian city. While attempting to do so, he has to battle Mayor Cicero’s control and resistance to his ideas.
The first discussion after the movie screening will be a question-and-answer session with Coppola.
The latter will be an audience conversation that is thematically titled, “How to Change Our Future.” The topic is relevant to the film’s idea of pushing towards the future amidst the conformity of the present and reluctance to change.
“We are the culture. We decide what we want in our culture; it is not mandated to us,” Carolina Posse said in an email to the Chronicle. She is an associate professor in the School of Film and Television.
Posse said that many movies in the field of cinema have gone beyond the norm, and by challenging standards, they have stood out historically.
Junior film and television major Morgan Lawson said that events like these serve as a great opportunity for students to connect with filmmakers outside Columbia.
“These events help students expand their network beyond Columbia as they break into the professional world of filmmaking,” said Lawson, who is also the School of Film and Television senator for the Student Government Association.
Eric Scholl, interim co-director for the School of Film and Television, said the school is consistently searching for ways to engage students with their creative interests, both on and out of campus.
“It’s incredibly inspirational for students to learn from the masters of the craft, and Coppola is an artist working at the highest level,” Scholl said in an email to the Chronicle.
Additional reporting from Kate Larroder
Copy edited by Manuel Nocera
