Welcome to New York (2014 film)
Welcome to New York | |
---|---|
Directed by | Abel Ferrara |
Written by | Abel Ferrara Christ Zois |
Produced by | Adam Folk |
Starring | Gérard Depardieu Jacqueline Bisset |
Cinematography | Ken Kelsch |
Edited by | Anthony Redman |
Production company | |
Distributed by | IFC Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 125 minutes[1] |
Countries | France United States |
Languages | English French |
Welcome to New York is a 2014 French-American drama film co-written and directed by Abel Ferrara. Inspired by the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair, the film was released on 17 May 2014 by VOD on the internet as the film failed to secure a place on the official selection at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, nor was it picked up for theatrical distribution in France[2] and is facing self-censorship by the French media, according to Vincent Maraval, one of the producers.[3][4][5]
Plot
In the film, the character Devereaux is closely based on French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn. It tells the story of a powerful man, a possible candidate for the Presidency of France, who lives a life of debauchery and is arrested after being accused of raping a maid at his hotel.
Cast
|
|
Reception and lawsuit
Following its release – to mixed reviews varying from high praise to outright disgust – Strauss-Kahn said he would sue for slander. His lawyer also complained that the film portrayed his then-wife Anne Sinclair as anti-Semitic.[6][7]
Ferrara, in a series of interviews with Indiewire, The Hollywood Reporter and other publications between September 2014 and March 2015, claimed that his distributor, Vincent Maraval of Wild Bunch, sold an unauthorized R-rated version of the film to IFC Films, for distribution in the US; the R-rated cut had already been released on Blu-ray and VOD in various European countries. Maraval subsequently responded that Ferrara had agreed on the R-rated cut to receive more financing for the film and had also contractually consented to lose final cut of the R-rated version if he did not deliver one by a certain date.[8][9][10] Ferrara then stated his intent to send a cease-and-desist letter to Maraval and IFC, which issued its own statement also claiming that it had given Ferrara the chance to deliver his own R-rated cut for theatrical showings in the US, which he declined to do.[11] As of March 27, the R-rated cut has only been shown at one American theater – the Roxie in San Francisco – though it is available in the US on VOD, and IFC has stated it intends to show it at additional theaters.[12]
References
- ^ "WELCOME TO NEW YORK (18)". British Board of Film Classification. June 24, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival: Strauss-Kahn Film Under Fire". The New York Times. May 18, 2014.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa. "CANNES: Wild Bunch Pre-Sells Abel Ferrara's 'Welcome to New York' Ahead of Cannes' Screening". Variety. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Mullholland, Rory. "Cinema producer warned over 'Dominique Strauss-Kahn film'". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Dominique Strauss-Kahn film to be unveiled at Cannes". BBC News. May 12, 2014.
- ^ Lichfield, John. "Dominique Strauss-Kahn to sue makers of Gerard Depardieu sex addiction film Welcome to New York". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Cannes 2014 - Welcome to New York, review: 'As portraiture, it flops'". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014.
- ^ "Venice: Director Abel Ferrara Attacks IFC "Punks" Who "Don't Give a Shit About Movies"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ "Venice: Abel Ferrara Movie Backer Responds to IFC "Punks" and "Vampires" Rant". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
- ^ "Abel Ferrara Battles for Director's Cut of 'Welcome to New York,' But Here's the Real Story". Indiewire. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ "IFC Accuses Director Abel Ferrara of "Slinging Mud and Insults"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
- ^ "The (sort of) truth behind the two versions of Abel Ferrara's "Welcome to New York"". Screen Comment. Retrieved March 27, 2015.