In Venice, filmmaker Brady Corbet premiered his film “The Brutalist,” a post-war tale centered around a Holocaust survivor striving to rebuild his life in America. Corbet expressed his desire for the film to reflect the trauma of the 20th century and pay tribute to artists unable to realize their visions.
Inspired by Jean-Louis Cohen’s book “Architecture in Uniform,” the movie features Adrien Brody as Hungarian architect László Tóth, alongside Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn, Guy Pearce, and Alessandro Nivola. Brody, personally connected to the story due to his Hungarian immigrant mother’s journey, emphasized the film’s authenticity despite being fictional.
“The Brutalist” spans decades and portrays Tóth’s artistic pursuit post-war, including his encounter with wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren. The 215-minute film, shot in Vista Vision and presented in 70mm, arrived at Venice Film Festival amidst high expectations, with reviews awaiting the red-carpet premiere.
Corbet, emotional after seven years of work on the film, defended its unconventional aspects like runtime and format. He emphasized the importance of creative freedom in filmmaking and credited the Venice Film Festival for supporting his endeavors when others didn’t.
Previously known for films like “Vox Lux” and “The Childhood of a Leader,” Corbet collaborated on the script with his filmmaker wife, Mona Fastvold. “The Brutalist” competes at the festival alongside other notable premieres featuring Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, and Jude Law.
