James Gray's Paper Tiger premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Saturday night, drawing a six-minute standing ovation, showcasing the film's impact.
Star-Studded Cast and Plot
The film stars Scarlett Johansson as Hester and Miles Teller as Irwin, a couple raising a family in 1980s Queens. Their lives take a turn when Irwin's brother, played by Adam Driver, proposes a risky financial opportunity that entangles them with the Russian mob.
Gray described the film as a 'classical drama' ahead of its premiere. “People sometimes shit on that idea, 'classical' — they equate it with 'old-fashioned,' but the two are not the same thing. Internal conflict, struggle, love, emotion — that is never old-fashioned,” Gray told The Hollywood Reporter.
Scarlett Johansson's Perspective
Though Johansson couldn't attend the premiere due to her commitments on the Exorcist prequel for Universal, she shared her enthusiasm for the film. “It had so many elements that I loved. It’s a big story inside of a small story,” she said. She described her character Hester as “feminine and soft and graceful because she has a lot of chutzpah inside her.”
Ovation and Attendees
Gray attempted to reach Johansson during the ovation, but her absence didn't dampen the cheers for Driver and Teller, who attended alongside Gray. The audience included notable figures like Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, and Pawel Pawlikowski.
Cannes is known for its tracked standing ovations, and Gray humorously encouraged the applause to continue by pointing at his watch. Eventually, he concluded the ovation with a speech.
Gray's Appeal to the Audience
Addressing the crowd, Gray expressed his gratitude and the importance of cinema. “Without you there is no cinema; cinema needs you. And cinema needs you guys more than ever,” he stated. Reflecting on his history with the festival, this being his sixth film at Cannes, Gray shared his appreciation for the audience's role in cinema's vitality.
Neon is set to distribute Paper Tiger following its Cannes debut.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paper-tiger-cannes-premiere-scarlett-johansson-adam-driver-1236597586/
