Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater spoke about taking risks in art at the Berlin Film Festival press conference for their new film “Blue Moon” on Tuesday, saying that this diminishes when money is prioritized.
via: EW
"When we prioritize money at all costs, what we get is generic material that appeals to the most amount of people and we’re told that’s the best. It’s a dance we all do together," Hawke explained during a press conference at the Berlin Film Festival, where his new film Blue Moon debuted Tuesday. He was joined by the film's director Richard Linklater and fellow stars Andrew Scott and Margaret Qualley.
Asked if art must carry more offensive themes to contend with the "dark times" we live in, Hawke spoke up in defense of “some of the great offensive art," giving examples such as “great punk music or some early Brecht plays that are punk in their sensibility.”
“Audiences have to care. They don’t sell. You guys, the community, has to make it important. For offensive art to have a place in our conversation, it has to be cared about,” Hawke said. "If you love offensive art and you want it, then demand it and you'll get it. It will get made. Right now, people don’t think they’ll make any money off of it so it doesn’t get made.”
The audience at the press conference burst into applause after Hawke's impassioned speech.
"Linklater’s Blue Moon tells the story of the legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel during the opening night party for his former partner Richard Rodgers’ hit show, Oklahoma!" per the official synopsis.
The idea of “offensive art” also plays into the film.
“Offensive times conjure up offensive art maybe," Linklater said during the press conference. "But movies particularly have always been escapism, and in our movie, he’s accusing Oklahoma! of being escapist in the middle of the horrors of WWII. So I don’t know, I think most human psyches want to escape a bit. There’s probably less offensive art now than there has been in the past.”
In addition to Hawke as Lorenz Hart, Scott plays Richard Rodgers, Margaret Qualley is Hart’s protégé Elizabeth, and Bobby Cannavale stars as Hart’s bartender, buddy, and confidante.
Blue Moon "brought the house down in Berlin," Variety reported, with a standing ovation at its premiere. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film in the U.S., and according to the report, is planning for a debut in May.
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