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Cate Blanchett debuted her latest acting role in “The New Boy” at the Cannes Film Festival this week, but the Oscar winner wouldn’t mind a little more behind the camera.
“I’m always trying to break out of acting,” said Blanchett. “I’ve been trying to stop acting my whole professional life.”
Speaking at her Kering Women in Motion talk in Cannes, in conversation with her producing partner, Coco Francini, Blanchett said that her recent producing work behind the camera “for me, feels like an extension of my work as an actor”. “
Blanchett recalled, “I remember an Australian film director told me early in my career that I had to stop playing small roles.” “And I said, ‘Why?’ ‘That was the most interesting role,’ I said. I didn’t want to play the lead. I want one.”
“It’s about conversation,” she continued. “And sometimes that conversation involves me being in front of the lens, and sometimes behind sometimes being a little overbearing. The feature is as creative as … I’m just as interested in the development process as I am in the process of shooting it, and then I’m really interested in the post process through distribution and marketing.
Blanchett and Francini are partners in Dirty Films, a production company created by Blanchett and her husband, producer Andrew Upton. “The New Boy” is one of three films that Dirty Films will debut this year, along with “Maybe,” which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and Apple TV’s “Fingernail” from director Christos Nikou. Dirty Films was behind the FX series “Mrs. America,” where Blanchett and Francini first met and began their producing partnership.
On “Mrs.” America,” Blanchett and Francini hired mostly female directors and crew members. On that set, they decided that their mandate going forward for all of their projects would be, “You must interview a woman and you A person of color should be interviewed.”
Blanchett and Francini are proud to run a company that showcases women, international filmmakers and diverse voices. As for Blanchett, she remembers a time in her career — not too long ago — when she’d look around and be the only woman on set. With her work as a producer, she is hoping to change that.
Blanchett said, “We’ve both had experiences where we’d walk on set and do headcounts and you wonder why you feel so isolated and angry sometimes.” “I realize I’m the only woman in the cast… there are 62 men, and yes, I’m the only woman. The ratio is bad… it’s really disproportionate. And that means you’re always going to get the same jokes.” Laughing. I have a really good sense of humor, but it’s like, let’s change it.
Blanchett said, “I look forward to the day where we don’t even need to interview women in cinema.”
Francini said that despite the progress women have made in the entertainment business, it is still “undoubtedly” difficult for a woman to get a film financed. “We’re not there yet,” she said. “We make films for the audience. We would like our industry to look like our audience, and we are not there yet, but I think we are making progress.
Blanchett said, “It’s hard to get paid as an actress.”
“I think transparency is really important. We always talk about money like we shouldn’t talk about money. But why don’t we talk about money?” Blanchett continued. “We’re open about all the other aspects of the process … I think the more transparent all of this stuff is, the more you can work out how the money is flowing and where it’s going.” needs to flow and where it is not flowing yet.”
Blanchett said she is often asked about directing, but she is not there yet.
“A lot is asked of me. But for me, there are so many things I find enjoyable in the process of making a film and there are so many directors I want to work with as an actor and producer.
“It takes a long time,” said Blanchett. “There is a project we are very keen about which we are discussing so hopefully it will come to fruition but it is about making the time… I have four children and also a garden. I Doesn’t want the plants to die.”
Watch Blanchett and Francini’s full Caring Women in Motion video below.
