Brady Corbet’s ’The Brutalist’: A cinematic journey defying conventions
Embracing the long form
Brady Corbet, known for his bold directorial choices, is once again challenging the norms with his latest film, The Brutalist. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, this three-and-a-half-hour historical drama has sparked conversations about movie runtimes. Corbet, however, remains unfazed by the discourse.
“This film does everything that we are told we are not allowed to do,” Corbet remarked during the press conference. “I think it’s quite silly actually to have a conversation about runtime because that’s like criticizing a book for being 700 pages instead of 100 pages.”
For Corbet, the length of a film should be dictated by the story it needs to tell. He emphasized the importance of creative freedom, suggesting that filmmakers should not be confined to arbitrary standards.
“Maybe the next thing I make will be 45 minutes and I should be allowed to do it. We should all be allowed to do that. The idea we have to fit into a box is quite silly,” he said. “We should be past that, it’s 2024. As Harmony Korine once said, cinema is stuck in the birth canal. And I agree with him, so we should help it out.”
A labor of love
Corbet’s emotional connection to The Brutalist was palpable during the press conference. He revealed the challenges and dedication involved in bringing this project to life.
“This was an incredibly difficult film to make. I’m very emotional today because I’ve been working on it for seven years and it felt very urgent every day for the better part of a decade. I’m just really grateful to anyone who spent three-and-a-half hours with it.”
A story of resilience and ambition
The Brutalist spans 30 years in the life of László Tóth, portrayed by Adrien Brody. The film follows Tóth, a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survived the Holocaust, as he emigrates to the United States with his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), in pursuit of the American dream. Initially facing poverty and indignity, Tóth’s life takes a dramatic turn when he lands a contract with a mysterious and wealthy client, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce).
Brody drew inspiration from his mother, Sylvia Plachy, a photographer who fled Hungary during the 1956 revolution. He felt a deep connection to his character, understanding the profound impact of such experiences on one’s life and work.
“She fled Hungary in 1956 during the Hungarian revolution and was a refugee and immigrated to the United States, and much like László, started again and pursued a dream of being an artist,” Brody shared. “And I understand a great deal about the repercussions of that on her life and her work as an artist, which I think is a wonderful parallel with László’s creations and how they evolve and how post-war psychology influences your work.”
A stellar ensemble
The film boasts an impressive cast, including Joe Alwyn, Alessandro Nivola, Jonathan Hyde, Isaach De Bankolé, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, and Peter Polycarpou. Corbet co-wrote the script with his wife, Mona Fastvold, known for her work on The Sleepwalker.
Corbet’s cinematic journey
Corbet’s directorial journey has been marked by critical acclaim. His debut film, The Childhood of a Leader, premiered at Venice in 2015, earning him the Luigi De Laurentiis award for best debut film and the Horizons best director prize. His 2018 film, Vox Lux, also competed for the Golden Lion. With The Brutalist, Corbet is once again in the running for the festival’s prestigious top prize.
Explore more
For those eager to dive deeper into Corbet’s latest work, check out the trailer for The Brutalist. This film promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of resilience, ambition, and the human spirit.
The Brutalist is not just a film; it’s a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of creative freedom. As cinema continues to evolve, directors like Corbet remind us that the true essence of filmmaking lies in the stories we tell and the emotions we evoke.