February 9, 2010 - 12:00 pm
By Jay A. Fernandez
The rare female screenwriter working in non-romantic comedy genres, Læta Kalogridis has had her hands on a diverse array of scripts in the past 15 years — “Scream 3,” “Tomb Raider,” “Wonder Woman,” “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” “Night Watch,” and “Alexander,” to name a few. Friday, Paramount releases the Martin Scorsese-directed “Shutter Island,” her adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s paranoia-soaked Cold War thriller. And this summer Fox will let loose its action tentpole “Knight and Day,” which Kalogridis co-wrote. She also served as an uncredited helper on James Cameron’s record-busting “Avatar.” Here, Kalogridis talks about the bloody inspiration in Greek myth, female superheroes and the appeal of the “unbelievably, incredibly, outrageously violent.”
How exactly do you pronounce your name?
It’s Læta, with the diphthong—it’s Latin, actually. If it were Greek it would be Lay-eta. But it’s Latin, so it’s like Caesar.
So your ethnic background is Greek?
On my father’s side.
February 3, 2010 - 9:01 pm
By Jay A. Fernandez
The SXSW Film Conference and Festival unleashed its complete feature lineup late Wednesday night, and it’s got some must-see world premieres (”Kick-Ass,” “MacGruber,” “Elektra Luxx“) and thus-far-unseen gems. Running in ecstatic overlap with SXSW’s voluminous music and interactive fests — from March 12-20 — the film festival has developed its own distinct Texas flavor (separate from the great Austin Film Festival’s screenwriter-centric identity).
Fest producer Janet Pierson with Seth Rogen in 2009.
Industry vet Janet Pierson took over the job of festival producer in 2008 and here discusses her year-two approach to organizing the event.
What’s your background? You were a producer for a long time?
I came up through distribution and exhibition in the late ’70s. I was the assistant director of the Film Forum ‘81 to ‘86. John Pierson and I hooked up in ‘82, married in ‘83. After “She’s Gotta Have It” opened, I quit the Film Forum and just worked with John for a couple decades as a producer’s rep, co-creator and executive producer of “Split Screen,” which was our filmmaker-friendly magazine format television show. It’s funny, because the filmmakers who passed through that show, so many of them are still working and have features all over the place. We moved here in 2004 and I was asked to take over the festival in April ‘08 for the ‘09 festival.
By Gregg Kilday
It’s almost shocking that in the 62 year history of the Directors Guild Awards, no black director was ever nominated for best director before today. John Singleton earned a best director Oscar nomination for 1991’s “Boyz in the Hood,” but wasn’t similarly recognized by the DGA. And, amazingly, Spike Lee, despite such work as “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X,” never made the DGA cut.
But that all changed Thursday morning, when the DGA welcomed “Precious” director Lee Daniels into the club. He’ll be competing for the trophy, to be handed out Jan. 30, with Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), James Cameron (“Avatar”), Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Quentin Tarantino (“Inglourious Basterds”).
The Hollywood Reporter reached Daniels by phone shortly after he got the word, and he sounded genuinely amazed by the latest honor bestowed on “Precious.”
THR: There’d been lots of speculation that “Precious” could earn you a nomination, so this mustn’t have come as a surprise.
Daniels: It did, it really did. I was with my publicist the night before. She said, “I’m so nervous.” I said, “What are you talking about? It’s not going to happen. I’m OK with it. I’m not part of the club. There’s never been any African-American that’s been nominated.” So I went to bed, and I was OK with it. I just released it. But then I work up and got a call from (DGA president) Taylor Hackford. I’m floating on air right now and very humble.
THR: It’s actually kind of shocking that no black director — not even John Singleton or Spike Lee — has been nominated before. What are you making of the fact that it’s fallen to you to make the break-through?
Daniels: I can only compare it to “Precious’s” existence at the boxoffice. Aside from a very specific demographic, I never thought people would respond to “Precious.” That people of all colors have responded to “Precious” was shocking to me, and this was just as shocking. I hope I’m not blabbering, but I’m really, really humbled. I’m also really proud for all African-American filmmakers, because this gives people hope. It’s really a testament to “Precious.” When I was making it, I really thought it could go straight-to-video. I never saw all this happening.
THR: When did you first realize what you had on your hands with the movie? Was it when it debuted at Sundance?
Daniels: It was the minute that Oprah Winfrey called me after she saw the film. I thought uh, oh, this isn’t going straight-to-DVD now. Maybe, we’ll get it into ten theaters. That was the turning point for me. Even then, though, I didn’t expect it would do what it’s done. My studio, Lionsgate, has played an incredible part, marketing the hell out of it very smartly. It’s been an incredible, incredible journey.
THR: So are you going to be working the awards circuit for the next two months?
Daniels: I got to work. I’m prepping a film, “Selma,” and we start shooting in about a month. We’re just starting casting. But I enjoy working. I’m blessed to have a job right now. Jason Reitman, who’s been so wonderful to me, he said, “Lee, really stop and savor this right now because these things don’t come along that often.” So I’m kind of torn between Jason’s advice and just surviving.
