Terry is an aspiring film director. Catherine—an ambitious actress. And then there’s the third guy, Phillip, a photographer. Their friendship, glued initially by pure cinephilia, turns into a passionate love triangle, while the first steps into show business become a series of challenges and disappointments. James Franco pays tribute to the French New Wave—people quote François Truffaut and watch Jean-Luc Godard’s films, while the movie’s plot resembles Jules and Jim mixed with Bernard Bertolucci’s The Dreamers. The leading role was supposed to be played by Anton Yelchin (the main character of Love, Antosha, a documentary screened at this year’s American Film Festival). However, after his death Jack Kilmer (The Giant, Lords of Chaos) took over the leading role. He is accompanied by Jane Levy (Don’t Breathe) and Shameik Moore (Dope). The finished movie had to wait almost three years for its debut. Even though American critics had many reservations towards the Pretenders, James Franco proved that he is a film director who is not afraid of challenges, who is always looking for his own voice and does not care about the critics.
Jack of all trades among filmmakers: He is a film and stage director, screenwriter, producer, writer, visual artist, musician, activist and an academic teacher. Perhaps the most hardworking person in show business, involved in countless projects, both artistic and commercial. He was nominated to Academy Award for Best Actor in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours and won two Golden Globe awards, as well as many other film awards. According to American Film Festival audiences he is the most important person in American independent cinema.
2005 The Ape
2005 Fool’s Gold
2007 Good Time Max
2011 The Broken Tower
2011 Sal
2013 Kiedy umieram / As I Lay Dying
2013 Bukowski
2013 Dziecię boże / Child of God
2014 Wściekłość i wrzask / The Sound and the Fury
2016 W niepewnym boju / In Dubious Battle
2017 Tenn
2017 Instytut / The Institute
2017 The Disaster Artist
2018 Future World
2018 Pretenders / The Pretenders
2019 Zeroville
2019 The Long Home