Hollywood star Johnny Depp is set to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th edition of the Rome Film Festival. The 2024 Rome Film Festival is scheduled to run from October 16 to October 27. Alongside this honour, Depp’s directorial, ‘Modi – Three Days on the Wing of Madness’, will be screened during the festival.
As reported by Deadline, ‘Modi’ will make its way to the Rome Film Festival following its world premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival later this month.
About Johnny Depp's directorial ‘Modi – Three Days on the Wing of Madness’
The film is described as a "seventy-two-hour whirlwind in the life of bohemian artist Amedeo Modigliani." Riccardo Scamarcio takes on the lead role, with Antonia Desplat and Al Pacino also starring in key roles. Set in Paris in 1916, Modi explores the artist's chaotic journey as he navigates life in the war-torn city.
According to the official synopsis, "On the run from the police, his (Modigliani) desire to end his career and leave the city is dismissed by fellow artists Maurice Utrillo, Chaim Soutine, and Modi’s muse, Beatrice Hastings. Modi seeks advice from his art dealer and friend, Leopold Zborowski, however, after a night of hallucinations, the chaos in Modi’s mind reaches a crescendo when faced with an American collector, Maurice Gangnat, who has the power to change his life.”
Johnny Depp on Modigliani
In a conversation with Variety, Johnny Depp shared what resonated with him about Modigliani. “Modigliani was, of course, one of the great contemporary artists of all time. But he also represented an era and point of view where new possibilities still existed. His vision fascinates me. He doggedly walked to the beat of his own drum and possessed a natural allergy for convention during a time where the norm was being openly challenged across every medium. It would be foolish not to admit that everything Modigliani ever stood for, and continues to stand for, resonates deeply within me. I feel immensely fortunate to be given the opportunity to, along with a sublime cast and crew, capture his world in three days," he told Variety.
Al Pacino felt Depp was the right choice to direct 'Modi'
It was Al Pacino who wanted to make the film on Modigliani for years and took the script to the film’s producer Barry Navidi, as per Variety.
Barry Navidi also told Variety that it was Al Pacino who felt Deep was the right director for the film. “I think John is a very sensitive artist. He’s a painter, a musician, an actor, and an active director, which I got to witness up and close. I was quite impressed and just loved the way he worked all the time on set. We were, of course, thinking of several other directors before Johnny, as the project has been around for so long, but Al recognised that he was the right director because he has the sensibility and sensitivity of an artist. In the end, Johnny totally owned it,” he said.
Johnny Depp, best known for iconic roles in films like 'Pirates of the Caribbean', 'Alice in Wonderland', and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', made his directorial debut in 1997 with 'The Brave'.