Photo: Indie Wire
The Fablemans gave director Steven Spielberg a chance to reveal his life story to the world, as well as a moment to come to terms with the loss of his parents.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” the award-winning filmmaker said at the movie’s world-premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival 2022 on Saturday night.
“I didn’t know when I would get around to this. It is not because I decided to retire, and this is my swan song, don’t believe that. Tony [Kushner] and I started talking about this possibility when we were making Lincoln together, then Tony kind of performed the function of a therapist, and I was his patient.”
The pair delved into Spielberg’s childhood memories to create a script that vividly portrays his formative years. During that time, he came to terms with difficult realizations about the progress of his mother, Michelle Williams, and his father, Paul Dano’s relationship.
Spielberg did this while developing his passion for cinema.
“I thought, if I was going to leave anything behind, what was the thing I need to resolve and unpack about my mom, my dad, and my sisters?” he added.
“This film, for me, a way of bringing my mom and dad back. And it also brought my sisters, Annie, Susie, and Nancy, closer to me than I ever thought possible. And that was worth making the film.”
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Spielberg Feeling Gratitude
At the event on Saturday, after the film was shown, the audience gave a huge standing ovation and Spielberg responded by repeatedly squeezing his chest with gratitude.
His sisters – whose fictionalized versions featured throughout the film – were also present at the screening. Finally, the director asked them to get up from their seats so that the crowd could see them and applaud them.
The Fablemans also stars Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch, Julia Butters, and David Lynch. It is expected to be a massive player in the upcoming awards race, with considerable Oscar talk already circulating throughout the industry for Spielberg’s direction and his cast’s performances.
The Fablemans, produced by Universal, will premiere on November 11.
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