Coralie Fargeat would have refused to realize Black Widow to focus on the substance
The French director was in talks with Marvel about their film on the character of Scarlett Johansson.
Receiving The substance Gets the wildest dreams of its director. After difficult discussions and the loss of universal as a distributor, Coralie Fargeat first believed that the film would never go to the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to having been screened there, he received the prize for the best scenario! The substance is now in the running in 5 categories for Oscarsand half Moore, the star actress of the film, has already been awarded the Golden Globe for best actress. In a portrait for VarietyCoralie Fargeat declares:
“When I make a film, I do it to be in Cannes, to be at the Oscars. I have the conviction that this is what I want to do. I believe in the impossible”.
The director was ready to make all the sacrifices to carry out her film. Yet broke when she worked on the scenario, she did not hesitate to refuse fairly advantageous and lucrative offers. She would have even shortened preliminary discussions With the Marvel studiowho had approached her to make his film Black Widowfeaturing Scarlett Johansson in the role of the Black Widow.
For once, the studio absolutely was due to the film to be made by a woman. In 2018, a long casting period then took place with several filmmakers. Coralie Fargeat, spotted thanks to her first film Revenge,, would have been one of the candidates, advances the American media.
It is ultimately the French Mélanie Laurent (Breath,, Thief) who found himself faced with Cate Shortland (known for drama Lore) for the position. In the end, the Australian filmmaker was chosen by the studio. The directors Chloé Zhao, Deniz Gamze Engugven, or Kimberly Peirce were also approached.
Mélanie Laurent had expressed herself about this experience at First ::
“Frankly, I was not sure I want to spend three years of my life making a Marvel. What excited me was to cross the stages of the casting. I learned a lot during this process. ”
Mélanie Laurent tells us behind the scenes of Black Widow, which she almost made
We understand why Coralie Fargeat preferred to carry out her project, much more personal and visceral than the history imposed by Marvel. In addition, the Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel had also declined the offer, because of the sexist attitude of Marvel, who wanted to take care of the action scenes. “Studios are interested in directors but they still think that action scenes only concern men”she had expressed.
Coralie Fargeat got involved until the end for The substanceeven physically. “When you see the needle enter Elisabeth’s arm to inject the product, it’s my arm”she said to Variety. She adds:
“It was a very difficult project to finance. It took us more than a year. We were confronted with the COVIR and the investors were very reluctant. We saw a lot of different partners, but it was a risky project. is not a horror film like Screamwhich is designed to scare. It’s really a genre film, but it is on several levels, it has a very strong message, and the point of view of a director. “
Finally, the risk taken by the director, Demi Moore and the whole team, has borne fruit.
