Julia Roberts has defended her new #metoo-themed post-hunting film from accusations that it revives anti-feminist arguments, saying humanity is at risk of “losing the art of conversation”.
The Oscar-winning actor is making his Venice Film Festival debut with the psychological thriller from Italian director Luca Guadagnino. The film premieres out of competition at the Lido on Friday night.
The drama is set in the world of higher education and stars Roberts as a beloved professor who finds himself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student (Bear Ayo Edebiri) accuses him of assaulting his friend and colleague (Andrew Garfield). The cast also includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny.
Unsurprisingly, the film’s exploration of conflict and power dynamics made its way into a press conference on Friday, where the first question Roberts was asked was whether the drama undermines feminist principles.
“Don’t worry, because that’s not in my nature,” Roberts replied with a smile. “I don’t think it’s just reviving the argument that women are betraying each other or not supporting each other. There are a lot of old arguments that are revived in this movie in a way that creates conversation.
“The best part about your question is that you all came out of the theater talking about it. That’s how we wanted it to feel. You understand what you believe in very much because we’re pushing all of this. So, you’re welcome,” the star joked.
Guadagnino added, “We look at people in their truths. Everyone has their own truths. It’s not like one truth is more important than another.”
“And how, from the perspective of filmmakers and artists, how do we see the clash of truths, and what is the boundary of those truths together? It’s not about creating a manifesto for the revival of old-fashioned values.”
There were several other questions about the film’s politics and whether it was trying to be controversial. Roberts and Edebiri were also asked what attracted them to playing “confused women.”
“The problems are where the juicy stuff is,” Roberts said. “It’s like a domino of conflict, when one falls, then suddenly everywhere you turn there’s a new conflict and challenge. That makes it worth getting up and going to work in the morning.”
“That’s how you grow,” Edebiri said. “That’s the kind of movie I like to watch.”
Roberts explained that working on The Hunt reminded her of the tender mercies of Bruce Beresford’s 1983 drama, which followed a former country music star whose career and relationship with his ex-wife and daughter are ruined by alcoholism.
“I just think there’s something magical about the idea that a camera just landed on a place and happened to document what was happening where it landed. That’s how I feel about this film,” she said.
“It’s not so much that we’re making a statement. We’re just sharing this life at this moment, and then we want everyone to go away and talk to each other. That’s what I think is most exciting, because we’re losing the art of conversation in humanity right now.”
Elsewhere, Guadagnino was asked why the opening credits seemed to revert to the classic font used in the credits of many Woody Allen-directed films. “The crass answer would be, why not,” he replied.
“When I started thinking about this film with my collaborators, we couldn’t stop thinking about crime and transgression, or another woman, or even Hannah and her sisters. And a story that felt very connected to Woody Allen’s great oeuvre from 1985 to 1991.
“It also felt like an interesting nod, thinking about an artist who has faced some kind of issues with their being. And what is our responsibility to look at the work of an artist we like like him? And by the way, that font is a classic,” Guadagnino said.
