Christine Vachon Calls Joaquin Phoenix’s Exit from Todd Haynes Project a ‘Tragedy’: ‘When Something Like That Happens, It Sends a Shockwave Through the Industry’

As a lifelong film enthusiast and a witness to the evolution of independent cinema, I can wholeheartedly say that Christine Vachon is a beacon of hope in this industry. Her unwavering commitment to supporting visionary filmmakers like Todd Haynes, even in the face of setbacks and challenges, is truly inspiring.

As a passionate cinephile attending the Creative Investors Conference during the San Sebastián International Film Festival, I couldn’t help but engage in the recent buzz surrounding Killer Films producer Christine Vachon’s remarks on the sudden departure of Joaquin Phoenix from Todd Haynes’ latest project, “May December.

To be honest, most of what transpired regarding the project is already public knowledge. I’m afraid I don’t have any additional insights to share. If I had juicy details, believe me, I’d love to chat! But alas, I don’t. It was a truly unfortunate situation,” I shared when inquired about the recent events surrounding the project.

One of the saddest aspects of this situation is realizing that Todd Haynes, at 62, has a limited number of films left in his career. He’s not old, but time waits for no one. I consider him one of the most remarkable filmmakers of his generation, and it’s heartbreaking to think that his talent was underutilized, and a movie never came from the years he spent collaborating with Joaquin Phoenix… That’s what I find tragic. And it’s something I can’t shake off, that as a culture, we missed out on another masterpiece by Todd Haynes. It’s nothing short of criminal.

Later in the discussion, Vachon revisited the contentious topic by discussing the state of the contemporary American film industry market and how studios are hesitant to venture into projects that aren’t perceived as commercially viable.

An unfortunate aspect of the Phoenix project is that we had remarkable collaborators ready to venture with us. Some of them are presently pursuing me relentlessly [smiles]. Such an event creates a ripple effect throughout our field. If giants like Killer, stars such as Joaquin, and visionaries like Todd falter at the finish line, then how can we support emerging filmmakers or those yet to fully blossom?

The film producer discussed another project by Haynes while discussing the escalating costs of creating films in the U.S., “We filmed ‘May December’ in just 22 days, which was quite extraordinary. Todd rarely works on something so swiftly. We meticulously planned each day to ensure we knew what every single day would entail. It was an invigorating and liberating experience, though I wouldn’t say there’s a sense of freedom in shooting with limited funds as it could be seen as embracing oppression. However, we had to be flexible and adjust our approach.

Regarding the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, the producer was questioned about the prospect of filming additional Killer Films projects across Europe, similar to recent American productions such as Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” which was filmed in Budapest. The producer expressed that, at a certain stage, they were receiving a GoFundMe campaign every week. To say, ‘Yes, we managed to make this movie happen, but it won’t be feasible anywhere you can work on it,’ is unfair. We frequently film in New York, but the tax credit is not sustainable. It takes us five years to recoup the money.

During the pandemic, filming the Halston mini-series for Netflix was quite a challenge, but compared to the strikes, it pales in comparison. While COVID disrupted our production, we managed to resume shooting again in October 2020. It wasn’t enjoyable, but we persevered. The strikes, however, were an entirely different story. They dragged on much longer than anyone anticipated, and they gave the studios the opportunity to restructure their deals. Many promising young writers and directors lost their first opportunities because of it, and I wonder if they will ever fully recover. As for us, I’m not sure if we are truly recovering yet – I feel like I’m too immersed in the current situation to tell.

After nearly three decades in the film industry, Celine Song finally received a Best Picture Oscar nomination for her work on “Past Lives.” Her impressive career includes films like “Far From Heaven,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” and “Carol,” and she expressed great joy upon hearing the news. In simpler terms, she was overjoyed.

I wasn’t at all skeptical towards it. Some of the people around me showed a touch of skepticism, but my response was more like ‘Really? I’m going to attend everything.’ And true to my word, I did! I’ve been in this field long enough to understand that not every fantastic movie receives recognition, and it’s not as straightforward as that.

Regarding her ongoing dedication to promoting indie filmmaking despite facing resistance from the industry, this seasoned producer expresses her passion for movies as the driving force behind her persistence.

It seems like a vast amount of content creation is taking place all around me, and the younger generations are involved in it – they’re creating, sharing, and engaging with this content. However, I can’t help but wonder why this current wave isn’t considered as exceptional as the early days when artists like Todd Haynes, Gregg Araki, and Bette Gordon were just starting out.

2024-09-24 20:46

Christine Vachon Calls Joaquin Phoenix’s Exit from Todd Haynes Project a ‘Tragedy’: ‘When Something Like That Happens, It Sends a Shockwave Through the Industry’

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