Insights from the San Sebastián Film Festival: Christine Vachon on the industry’s challenges

Joaquin Phoenix’s sudden departure: A missed opportunity

During the Creative Investors Conference at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Christine Vachon, a renowned producer from Killer Films, addressed the recent controversy surrounding Joaquin Phoenix‘s abrupt exit from Todd Haynes‘ latest project.

“The truth is, pretty much what happened is out there for all of you to read. I don’t know much more than that. I’d gossip if I had anything to gossip about, but I don’t. It was tragic,” Vachon remarked when questioned about the incident.

She emphasized the broader implications of this setback, noting, “In a lot of ways, the most tragic part about it is that Todd Haynes is 62. He’s not old, right? But there is a finite number of films that he’ll be able to do in his lifetime. I consider him one of the most extraordinary film artists of his generation, and the idea that his time was wasted and that a movie is not a result of those years of working closely with Joaquin… That is the tragedy to me. And that I can’t get over, that we as a cultural community, lost the opportunity to have another movie by Todd Haynes. That is just criminal.”

The risk-averse nature of today’s film industry

Vachon further elaborated on the current state of the American feature marketplace, highlighting the reluctance of studios to invest in projects deemed non-commercial. “One of the other tragedies of the Phoenix project is that we did have fantastic partners who were willing to take risks with us. Some of them are here and now chasing me with a crowbar [laughs]. When something like that happens, it sends a shockwave through the industry. If a company like Killer, a star like Joaquin, a filmmaker like Todd, if that fell at the finish line, then how do we take a risk on the first-time filmmaker or the actor who’s still up and coming?”

The financial strain of filmmaking in the US

Discussing the financial challenges of producing films in the US, Vachon shared insights from another Haynes project, May December. “We shot ‘May December’ in 22 days, and that was kind of insane. Todd hasn’t shot something in that short of time in years and years so we made sure that we knew what every single day looked like. There is a way to do it, and it was a very invigorating and liberating thing to do. I don’t want to say there’s freedom in shooting for less money because that is identifying with the oppressor, but I think we had to adapt and pivot.”

Exploring European opportunities

When asked about the possibility of shooting more Killer Films projects in Europe, Vachon acknowledged the financial benefits. “At a certain point of the strike, I was getting a GoFundMe a week. So, saying, ‘Yeah, we managed to make this movie happen, but it’s not gonna happen anywhere you can work on it,’ is terrible. We shoot a lot in New York, but the tax credit is untenable. It takes us five years to get [the money] back.”

The impact of COVID-19 and industry strikes

Reflecting on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent industry strikes, Vachon noted, “COVID wasn’t nearly as bad as the strikes. We worked during COVID. We were shooting the Halston mini-series for Netflix when COVID happened, and in October 2020, we were back shooting again. I mean, it wasn’t fun, but we did it. The strike was something else. It went on for a lot longer than anybody thought, and it allowed the studios to divest themselves of deals. A lot of young writers and directors who were getting their first deals got scuttled, and I don’t know if they will ever truly recover. Are we recovering? I feel like I’m a little too in it to know.”

Celebrating a milestone: Best Picture Oscar nomination

Vachon expressed her excitement about finally receiving a Best Picture Oscar nomination for Celine Song‘s Past Lives after nearly three decades in the industry. “I was not at all cynical about it. There were people in my orbit who were a little bit [cynical], and I was just like, ‘Are you kidding? I’m gonna go to everything.’ And I did! I’ve also been doing this long enough to know that great movies don’t always get honored, and I can’t be simple about it.”

The enduring passion for independent filmmaking

Despite the industry’s challenges, Vachon remains passionate about championing independent filmmaking. “I just assume there’s a whole extraordinary amount of content creation that’s happening right alongside me. The younger folks are seeing it; they’re participating in it; they’re doing it; they’re passing it around from each other to each other. Why is that not as good as when I started out and it was Todd Haynes and Gregg Araki and Bette Gordon?”

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