Planning for this year’s Coolidge Award got off to a later start than usual. The historic Writer’s Guild Strike made scheduling our events very challenging, as the entire industry came to a standstill in a nail-biting wait for a fair resolution to the dispute. Finally, in February, we were able to choose a category for this year’s program and proceed with an April timeframe, our traditional Coolidge Award month. As our Award category changes each year, and we’ve already honored a Foreign Language Director (Zhang Yimou), Cinematographer (Vittorio Storaro), Actress (Meryl Streep) and Film Editor (Thelma Schoonmaker), we were very interested in exploring the business of film, by celebrating the work of the Producer -- someone who bears the responsibility for carrying a film project from conception through production to distribution and promotion.
But which producer? We wanted someone whose films we would and have shown at the Coolidge, someone who is independent, as we are, someone who has impeccable taste, as we do, who is a master at bringing together the best teams of people to create memorable film experiences, as we do, and who perfectly balances the creative forces needed to make remarkable movies with the intelligent risk-taking and solid business acumen to stay solvent and strong. In short, we wanted a film producer who embodies the spirit of the Coolidge. And we found him!
Our fifth annual Coolidge Award recipient, veteran British film producer Jeremy Thomas graciously arranged to fly over from Europe, where he was in production on the new Wim Wenders film, The Palermo Shooting, starring Dennis Hopper, Lou Reed, and Patti Smith.
One of the joys of working on this year’s program was witnessing the high esteem in which those artists who’ve collaborated with Jeremy over the years hold him. We just had to describe what the Coolidge is and what we do, then drop Jeremy’s name in conjunction with the Coolidge Award, and high-caliber actors, directors, and writers immediately agreed to join us for the festivities, confounding the stereotypical reputation of the hard-nosed, cigar-stubbing, exploitive movie producer.
The Coolidge Award program kicked off again this year with a month-long retrospective screening series. Our audiences were thrilled to see big screen presentations from this amazing filmography. The Last Emperor (which one 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture for Jeremy Thomas), Bad Timing (the first film on which Jeremy collaborated with director Nicolas Roeg), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (set in a WW2 prison of war camp, starring David Bowie and Japanese music star, Ryuichi Sakamoto), The Great Rock ‘N’Roll Swindle (Julien Temple’s raucous depiction of the seminal British punk band, The Sex Pistols), and Sexy Beast (a dazzling black comedy/brilliant character study/heist film with jaw-dropping performances by Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone).
The official Coolidge Award events took place April 16, 17. Jeremy Thomas arrived with his son, Jack, a talent agent in London, who carries on the long family tradition as movie industry insider. Joining them on the flight was ground-breaking director Nicolas Roeg (Performance, Walkabout, Don’t Look Now, Eureka, Insignificance, The Witches).
Though we’ve experienced wacky New England weather patterns in past Coolidge Award years –two years in a row of snow in April, this year, the gods were smiling on us. Maybe they took pity on a planeload of Brits who live in a beautiful country but one with a perpetually damp climate... this year, every day boasted perfectly warm and sunny spring weather.
On Wednesday, April 16, the festivities began with our gala Coolidge Award Ceremony. At 8:00 after the traditional red carpet walk into the theater, Jeremy took his place among the audience. Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation’s Board Chair, Malli Gero and Executive Director Joe Zina welcomed everyone and set the tone for the night of tribute and entertainment. Clips from Jeremy’s outstanding body of work were projected at intervals throughout the event, introduced by on-stage presentations by some of his illustrious colleagues: directors Nicolas Roeg and Julien Temple, actors Tim Roth, and Debra Winger, and screenwriter Mark Peploe
In planning each year’s events, we ask our Award-winner what type of entertainment they’d prefer during the ceremony. Usually the response is a general category: opera, dance, popular music. This year, we got an immediate and surprising request: music from Mali with fusion influence. For producers, specifics are essential!
We set about this unusual quest (Mali? Massachusetts? ) excited about the challenge, and were more than a little relieved to find after some concentrated detective work, a wonderful band, Group Spirit, led by acclaimed Malian musician and griot, Balla Tounkara. During the band’s short set, audience members were dancing in their seats. We were glad to play a role in introducing a new audience to this wonderful music.
Letters were read from colleagues who were unable to attend the event due to schedule conflicts, including a great actor and friend of Jeremy’s since they were teenagers, John Hurt. Sony Pictures Classics executives Michael Barker and Tom Bernard sent a quirky humorous video salute to Jeremy, which was screened to the audience’s amusement.
Nick Paleologos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Film Office, long-time admirer of the Coolidge, once again bestowed the marquee-shaped Coolidge Award on Jeremy at the event’s finale. Jeremy’s acceptance speech was thoughtful, witty, and heartfelt. The evening felt warm and intimate, and very much like a celebration of someone whose genuine passion for cinema has contributed to the expansion of the art form,
The next day, Thursday, April 17h, audience members were treated to a brilliant one-on-one conversation between Jeremy Thomas and local resident, Nicole Guillemet, who has been Co-Director of the Sundance Institute, a Director of the Sundance Festival, and head of the Miami International Film Festival. Discussing Jeremy’s interest in adapting some of his favorite books to the big screen, the conversation informatively and eloquently provided those lucky enough to be present with a real insider’s view of international film production on a very high level. Jeremy took the trouble to compile a reel of film clips to illustrate the points he wanted to make about the issues involved in film adaptation. The audience had an opportunity to ask questions, allowing the conversation to be opened up to everyone.
Thursday evening, all the celebrity participants in the Coolidge Award ceremony (except Julien Temple who had to catch a plane back to England where he was being feted himself at the Sheffield Film Festival) came back to the theater to take part in a lively panel discussion. Harvard’s J.D. Connor acted as moderator, no mean feat with so many strong speakers who each have a long and close relationship with Jeremy. A hot topic for the panel was technology and the formats on which people are now watching films. Big screen vs. hand held? What are the implications for the filmmakers? To most people’s surprise, including the other guests on the panel, veteran big-screen director Nicolas Roeg (who started as a cinematographer, most famously on the 70mm Lawrence of Arabia) took the lead in advocating for new technology. His message, ardently articulated, was that there’s nothing to be afraid of. People have always found new ways to tell stories and always will.
For those of us on the board and staff of the Coolidge, it was a joy to get to know Jeremy Thomas and our other guests, and to provide another opportunity ‘to entertain, educate and build community - around film.’ We’re very thankful to all those who helped support the Coolidge Award program this year: Patricia Larsen Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Elizabeth Driehaus Scott Rosenberg , Susan and Robert Stoller, Tim and Corinne Ferguson, Chobee Hoy Associates, LEF/New England , and the Criterion Collection. We’re looking forward to planning next year’s program.
See you at the movies!
