Francis Ford Coppola debuts ‘Megalopolis’ in Cannes

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

CANNES, France (AP) — Francis Ford Coppola on Thursday premiered his self-financed opus “Megalopolis” at the Cannes Film Festival, unveiling a wildly ambitious passion project the 85-year-old director has been pondering for decades. No debut was awaited with more curiosity in Cannes than “Megalopolis,” which Coppola poured $120 million of his own money into after selling off a portion of his wine estate. What Coppola unveiled defies easy categorization. It’s a fable set in a futuristic New York about a architect who has a grand vision of a more harmonious metropolis, and possesses considerable talents including the ability to start and stop time. Though “Megalopolis” is set in a near-future, it’s fashioned as a Roman epic.