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lifestyle WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015 Features Al Pacino’s producer on Iran nuclear deal’s possible effect on film industry ollywood producer Barry Navidi has Marlon Brando and, more recently, the Al Pacino When I come back here I feel at home, but it takes a returned to his native Tehran after more films “The Merchant of Venice,” “Salome,” and “Wild while to adjust, of course. Could I drive here? No Hthan 15 years, just as Iran and the US. Salome.” What brings you back to Tehran after 15 way; it’s crazy. However I don’t feel lost, I feel like finesse final details of a possible nuclear accord years? one of their own. I don’t feel like a stranger here. which he and others hope may also help forge A: I’d been meaning to come back, but I’ve been Q: Back to the film biz, what’s in your pipeline? closer cinematic ties between the two countries. so busy. Now I’m on break from touring with Al and A: With Al, I’m mounting the production of a Navidi spoke with Variety in Tehran during the his one-man-show “An Evening with Al Pacino.” movie about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. When Amir Esfandiari, director of international The screenplay was written by Jerzy affairs of the Farabi Cinema Foundation, invited me Kromolowski, who wrote “The Pledge,” and Bruce to this festival, I realized this is the perfect time to Beresford (“Driving Miss Daisy”) is going to direct come back. the picture. Right now we are casting; we are going Q: Why? Do you think if the economic sanctions to have a couple of big stars. If all goes well we will are lifted, this could have an impact on the Iranian start shooting early next year in Budapest. There is film industry? potential for a cameo role for Al. But he is also cre- Nelson, Haggard A: Absolutely. I would say it could happen with- atively involved, he is going to help me cast the in the next couple of years. It takes time, but I don’t movie, and he gave the writer a lot of notes. see why we can’t use a location here in Iran to film Q: Tell me more about the story. uninspired on 4th a [Hollywood] movie. They have the infrastructure; A: It’s based on a play by Dennis McIntyre which they have the crew; they have the means to make was specifically written for Al Pacino to play Modi films. I know that other countries, our neighbors, on stage 35 years ago. It’s basically a slice of collaborative disc are trying to lure international productions with Modigliani’s life, over a two-day span. It’s not a rebates. I don’t see why we can’t do that here. I biopic. It’s about an artist who is ahead of his time he two grand old men of country music, Willie Nelson know that one day, hopefully, I will be able to make struggling with recognition and rejection, which is and Merle Haggard, are among the last living ties to a movie here. They have great filmmakers. In time, basically all of us. That’s the theme of the story. It’s Tan era when giants like Ernest Tubb and Bob Wills with the right circumstances, I would like to bring a a comedy and a drama, but of course a tragedy as filled honky tonks. Nelson is 82 and Haggard is 78, and Western production here. That’s what I can offer. It well, because Modigliani was dying of TB. while their warm voices show some mileage, their range of would be nice to bring the two cultures together Q: What else is Al Pacino up to? expression remains remarkable, and their phrasing often is and make something international. A: Al is now preparing to do a play on impeccable. On their fourth album together, “Django and Al Pacino Broadway, David Mamet’s play “China Doll” in the Jimmie,” the feisty fellows lean on shuffling novelties and International Urban Cities Film Festival. Creatively involved fall. — Reuters lighthearted swing, such as the title song, a tip of the cow- Q: You grew up here, then you went to film school Q: On a personal level, how does it feel to be boy hat to French guitarist Django Reinhardt and country in London, and then to Hollywood where you’ve back in Tehran? blues pioneer Jimmie Rodgers. made movies, including “Divine Rapture” with A: I’ve been back for a couple of days now. “It’s All Going to Pot” playfully engages Nelson’s appetite for marijuana, and ranks as the album’s most memorable original. The two cherry-pick a few songs from their monumental catalogs, covering Nelson’s “Family Bible” and Hag’s “Swinging Doors” and “Somewhere Levett wins Ledger scholarship Between,” like friends passing the guitar at home. Most of the originals - “Unfair Weather Friend,” “Live This Long” - ctor, Matt Levett was named winner of Levett has screen credits that include TV don’t measure up to their classics, and the project would the 2015 Heath Ledger Scholarship. mini-series “Devil’s Playground,” and movie have benefited from better material. Hearing the old ARunners up were and Emilie Cocquerel “Drown.” He also directed short film friends share lines on Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s and Lily Sullivan. The winners were “Unwanted Friend” which appeared at Alright” indicates just how good “Django and Jimmie” announced Monday night at a ceremony at Tropfest. The judges for the 2015 scholarship could have been, if the two had approached the project the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles. The were Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Vince with loftier ambitions. — AP initiative, intended to celebrate the legacy of Vaughn, producer Adam Schroeder, directors Heath Ledger, is run by Australians in Film Kieran Darcy-Smith and Gregor Jordan, cast- and is now in its seventh year. Levett receives ing directors Ann Fay and, Laray Mayfield. a $10,000 cash fund, a two year scholarship at Benefactors of the Heath Ledger Scholarship the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and include Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Hugh Theatre in Los Angeles, mentorship from pro- Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Rose Byrne, fessionals in the industry, and flights from Alex O’Loughlin, Liam Hemsworth, Michelle Australia to the US Cocquerel and Sullivan Williams, Phil Noyce, Baz Luhrmann and receive flights to Los Angeles and a scholar- Catherine Martin. — Reuters ship to attend Masterclasses at Screenwise Film & TV School for actors in Sydney. Matt Levett Sofia Coppola is no longer directing ‘The Little Mermaid’ fter months of trying to determine who would play the A spokesman for Universal declined to comment. “The title character in Working Title and Universal’s live- Little Mermaid” was lining up to be Coppola’s biggest studio Aaction version of “The Little Mermaid,” director Sofia film to date. In 2006, she directed the box office disappoint- Coppola has exited the project over creative differences. ment “Marie Antoinette” for Columbia after breaking out with Country trio Gloriana Universal and producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of the acclaimed indie “The Virgin Suicides.” Both pics starred Working Title are still moving forward with the project. Kirsten Dunst. Coppola, whose last film “Somewhere” currently lacks heart, According to insiders, the studio and Coppola clashed over has no other project lined up though she did recently finish who should play the lead role of Ariel. The “Lost in Translation” the Netflix special “A Very Murray Christmas,” which she direct- director was said to be very high on newcomer Maya Thurman ed and wrote with Bill Murray and Mitch Glazer. Deadline emotion on album Hawke, the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, Hollywood first reported the news. — Reuters espite plenty of vocal talent, Gloriana has struggled to while studio brass were wary about the pick. Sofia Coppola establish an identity in the ultra- competitive country Dradio world. The trio’s third album once again shows off sterling harmonies and crafty arrangements - but leaves little emotional substance for fans to connect with. The problem may be the production of pop mastermind Matt Serletic, who has guided the band from the beginning. His busy arrange- Teen and transgender dad find their way to US family TV ments, while clever, leave little room for the singers - brothers Mike and Tom Gossin and Rachel Reinert - to convey much arly Lehwald, transitioning to life as a woman, is at ease friendly shows such as “Will & Grace,” US television is again play- premiering a series about a transgender 14-year-old called “I am warmth or personality. The result is an overly processed sound shopping for lacy bras in new reality television show ing a big part in the transgender community’s growing visibility, Jazz” on July 15, and in April this year, Discovery Life aired “New focused on lightweight material about relationships. C“Becoming Us,” while Ben Lehwald, her teenage son, tags with scripted dramas such as “Orange is the New Black” and Girls on the Block” about a group of transgender friends in “Three” is the first album since the departure of founding along, squirming in embarrassment. Carly tells Ben coolly: “Been “Transparent” leading the way. Ben Lehwald believes, however, Kansas City. While support for transgender rights might be member Cheyenne Kimball, and Reinert steps up and takes there, done that, not a big deal.” It may be hard for Ben, but the that it’s time to show the real-life drama unfolding in the snowballing in Hollywood, ABC Family, owned by Walt Disney more lead vocals - one of the album’s strengths.

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