Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" to open the 15th American Film Festival
More Alaska than New York, wilderness rather than wide highways: at the American Film Festival, we aim to spotlight beautiful yet lesser-known gems of American cinema (and culture). When we do turn to Hollywood, it’s always a handpicked selection of the highest quality with a distinctly auteur touch. Today, we are pleased to announce such a selection: this year's edition of the festival will start with a bang, serving up a feast for cinephiles. For the opening of the 15th AFF, we will present The Brutalist by Brady Corbet, a film that won three awards at the Venice IFF and stars the phenomenal Adrien Brody. The screening is made possible through a partnership with UIP.
A few days ago, we highlighted Pablo Larraín's unique gift for capturing grand historical events through intimate portraits, as seen in Jackie, Spencer, and now Maria Callas, which will be featured at the American Film Festival. Brady Corbet shares this rare skill. As the director of The Brutalist, Corbet joins the ranks of those rare filmmakers who can craft monumental narratives while staying deeply connected to their characters, never losing sight of the individual experience. In his electrifying debut, Childhood of a Leader, Corbet explored the psychology behind totalitarianism, offering an intimate analysis of a dictator's psyche. In Vox Lux we follow the meanderings of show business and the personal story of a singer who is an allegory of the stars of modern America. The Brutalist continues and elevates this approach, but develops it to an outstanding level. At the forefront of The Brutalist is the story of fictional architect László Toth (played by Adrien Brody in a brilliant performance), but more broadly it is a story about the construction and demise of the American dream and larger-than-life art. This epic film (215 minutes, with an intermission!) was a standout at this year’s Venice Film Festival, where it won three awards, including Best Director for Corbet.
The Brutalist: designing the American dream
Brady Corbet, following the tragic fate of László Tóth (Adrien Brody, who was already The Pianist and is now an architect), sticks his head high, looking at the spectacular buildings he erects after arriving in the United States. László endures a long wait for his wife (Felicity Jones), who is stuck in Europe, and for his own version of the American dream. Despite surviving the Holocaust, no one is there to welcome him with open arms – except perhaps his cousin, who briefly brings him into the family business before casting him out. However, László manages to impress a wealthy man with ambitions (Guy Pearce), first with a refined library, then with a building design that neither the people nor their God seem prepared for. Evoking the spirit of Xanadu, Citizen Kane's cursed mansion, Corbet proves that we often build the worst hell for ourselves, right here on earth. (description by Marta Bałaga, translated by Barbara Feliga)
