It's May for Meryl
Friday, February 12, 2016 at 6:15PM
As Meryl Streep starts her jury duties at the Berlinale, Murtada has news about her next film.
Streep at the Berlinale Jury Press Conference
Gird your loins! There must be a rupture in the movie universe because we might not get the new Meryl Streep movie when we usually do. Since 2008's Mamma Mia, movies led by Streep have had only 2 release dates. The December prestige slot (Doubt, The Iron Lady, August Osage County, Into the Woods). Or late summer blockbuster comedy counter programming (Julie and Julia, Hope Springs, Ricki and the Flash). Plus one anomaly with the comedy It's Complicated inexplicably slotted into the December prestige date. Yes comedies get released year round, but not Meryl comedies!
2016 is changing all that. Pathe have announced a May 6 UK release of Streep's latest, Florence Foster Jenkins. Directed by Stephen Frears and also starring Hugh Grant and Rebecca Ferguson, the film is based on the true life story of the titular character, who was an amateur opera singer, known and ridiculed for her very bad singing and her complete delusion about her abilities. A US release date is expected soon and will probably be around the same time. Ater Ricki fizzled at the box office, it looks like Spring is now the best time for adult oriented female driven counter programming. Specially with the success last year of Woman in Gold and Far From the Madding Crowd.
Delighted to announce FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS will be released on 6 May starring #MerylStreep @HackedOffHugh pic.twitter.com/rGnI10B3UD
— Pathé UK (@patheuk) February 9, 2016
Meanwhile in Berlin, Streep started her jury duties with a bit of a controversy. At a press conference on Thursday, she began her remarks well talking about how she would give each film careful consideration because she's been on the other side, “a compassionate heart is important as an actress”. When she was asked about diversity, Streep applauded the gender diversity within her jury group.
“This jury is evidence that at least women are included and in fact dominate this jury, and that’s an unusual situation in bodies of people who make decisions. So I think the Berlinale is ahead of the game.”
But then she delved into murkier depths when addressing the lack of racial diversity within the same group:
“There is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture, and after all we’re all from Africa originally. Berliners, we’re all Africans really.”
The quote sounds like a riff on JFK’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech but when taken out of context reads clueless and clumsy. Maybe first acknowledge the omission of people of color before deflecting the question with humor.
How excited are you for Florence? Do you think the May release date is significant in anyway?
Reader Comments (33)
I see this as a Best Exotic/Woman In Gold type film,will do well but no nomination for Meryl,I suspect it might be awhile before we see her nominated again,she'll have to ReallyEARN THAT 20TH NOD.
FFJ was adapted here in Argentina as a musical with a friend of mine playing the titular role. It was HILARIOUS. The story is terrific, but you need a certain amount of naivete on the part of the protagonist to make it work. From the outset, the name of the film itself don't give me good vibrations. It had to be SO literal? I hope I'm wrong and the movie plays on subtler tones. And make us laugh, because FFJ thought herself as a genius singer; no hint of sarcasm whatsoever. I can dig la Streep in the role. I hope the film won't ruin her.
BTW, for everyone not informed, Bianca Castafiore, the famous character of Tintín, was based on FFJ antics and singing. You CANNOT ruin that.
Very disappointed that you also didn't do your homework. Her answer was to a completely different question: http://thedailybanter.com/2016/02/heres-how-the-media-stitched-up-meryl-streep-over-were-all-africans-statement/
Tone deaf 2nd wave white feminist says something ridiculous? I AM SHOCKED.
Didn't she mean all humans originate from African continent? I think people are a bit PC out of control at the moment. A Frears film in May sounds perfect.
Part of me is really amused by the idea of Streep getting recognition for playing the part of someone so notoriously untalented and completely unaware of it to boot. Everything about it seems delightfully against her wheelhouse and I'm so excited for this movie, I hope she's amazing in it.
Nick T - totally agree with you, the irony of her playing Jenkins is part of why I'm attracted to seeing this film and very probably one of the reasons Streep was interested in playing her.
Melly - thanks for that link, it clarifies Meryl's answer and the trigger happy way the press has sought to mis-represent it.
my favourite answer to this question came from Emma Thompson.
http://www.vulture.com/2016/02/emma-thompson-had-the-best-oscarssowhite-answer.html
As for May release - not such a big deal, just trying to find that lucky little bit of space between comic book film/blockbuster releases.
And the award-winning, FFJ-inspired Marguerite is being released in the US on March 11.
"... Maybe first acknowledge the omission of people of color before deflecting the question with humor...."
We'll let her know how to articulate her thoughts....geeesh
Hopefully Streep's collaboration with Frears does as well at award season as Cheri.
Oh gurgle, thine eye is always green with envy.
Her comment about Africans (yes a riff from JFK) is in response to a totally different question from OscarSoWhite....it's even more alarming when you see happy-trigger-warriors slamming her from all angles when she wasn't even talking about the lack of diversity in the Academy.
Your write-up on Meryl's response in Berlin is really misguided and does not take into context the question that Meryl responded to. She was not addressing the lack of racial diversity in her response. Her remark was to a completely different question. Please do your research before writing something up.
Do people ask those questions in the past when Cannes and Venice have zero jury from Africa or Middle East?
Chofer: I am from Argentina too. What was the musical? Who was in it? I don't recall it. :)
@Marcos
It was called Souvenir, with Karina K:)
@ alexi - No, they didn't. It is the bullshit of the moment. Hopefully this stupidity will die soon.
I am honestly ok with a May date.... Do not necessarily think an Oscar nomination is on her mind... More important for the film to make money at this pointing a film centering on an older woman
Ricky and The Flash -> $18 million budget -> 40 million global gross -> "fizzled at the box office"
Far From the Madding Crowd -> budget can't have been below 10 million -> 30 million global gross -> a "success"
I don't get it
Wow, it's really turning into the 90s all over again for Meryl.
By the way, all Meryl Streep needs to do is tell the studio "Yes, I'm up for a campaign" and she'll get another nomination. It's just that easy.
I'd like to see the entire Berlinale Jury Press Conference and literally see what took place. I have a suspicion that people might be taking things out of context, again.
@ Hayden, the year 1990 is technically part of the 80s, therefore, Meryl has 3 nominations in the 90s; in the 10s she's already snatched 3 nominations, and, importantly, one is a WIN -> practically besting her 90s Oscar record in the first four years of this decade. And the decade's far from over. There's bound to be at least another nom by 2020.
Can't wait for this film!
Can't wait for this film and Meryl's 20th nom!
Just stop with this butthurt PC shit though, Meryl is your God and she can do nothing wrong.
Even in full context her quote is trivializing and in poor, poor taste. I know we all worship her, guys, but no one's perfect, you know? "We're all Africans" is a bullshit deflective answer that is exclusively and routinely employed by white people.
On a happier note: It's always delicious that Meryl can subvert the ludicrous sexism in Hollywood and, at her age, get paired with leading men younger than her, often 10+ years (!) younger, even. Tucci, Baldwin, Hugh Grant, the men from Mamma Mia! etc.
Question
For Meryl Streep. Berlinale is a festival committed to political issues and human rights, which is great. And now I’m especially happy that with you the jury has a president which has given more and more prove to be committed to the human rights of women.
So my question is which are the issues that - of human rights of women or violence against women worldwide - which you think that should be addressed in the production and the promotional films and which are currently the issues that your are especially worried about or committed to?
Answer
Well, I’m very committed to equality and inclusion of people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions. There should be inclusion and this jury is evidence that at least women are included and in fact dominate this jury. And that’s an unusual situation in bodies of people who make decisions. So I think that the Berlinale is ahead of the game.
Question
I would like to welcome you. I’m from Cairo, Egypt and it’s quite an honor to be with you here. And Meryl Streep your movie ‘Ricki and the Flash’ was shown at the opening of the Cairo Film Festival in November. You are a beloved iconic star back home and this is an open invitation for you and all of the jury members to come to Egypt.
My question is the following. There is the film that is representing Tunisia, the Arab world and Africa in the main competition. How do you see this part of the world and is it easy for you to understand that culture and are you following any of the Arab movies by any means? Thank you.
Answer
Yes, in fact I’ve just seen a film called 'Theeb’ which I loved. And I saw 'Timbuktu’ recently and I saw - there is another one but my mind is Swiss cheese. I don’t know very much about, honestly, about the Middle East and yet I have played a lot of different people, from a lot of different cultures. And the thing that I notice, is that we are all, I mean, there is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture. And after all, we are all from Africa originally. You know, we are all Berliners, we are all Africans really. So I’m… I think we… Look we have a critic on our jury, we have a director on our jury, we have actors on our jury, we have a photographer, cinematographer. People will be looking at different things in these films. But we are human beings and we are… A film is an emotional experience. So it’s a way that we are going to make these decisions based on what our head wants to say, but we are first attacked at the heart. So that’s an interesting process. I’m so looking forward to it.
There, read it first and talk after. She was never asked about #oscarssowhite and what she is saying is true we do come from Africa and she was also making a reference to a great speech by jfk and basically saying that she was able to understand different cultures because as the quote sais "Homo sum: humani nil a me alienum puto." But anyway this reaction doesn't surprise me, nowadays people are just looking for something to be upset about.
.....yes, Herzog, thank you for posting the Q&A after I explicitly said "Even in context." If you want, we can disagree over whether it's offensive, but yeah, I read it. Thanks for the condescension, mate.
Herzog - thanks for the transcript. However no where on this post did I say the question was about #oscarssowhite. I stand by my opinion that the comment is clumsy and that the exclusion of people of color from the jury should've been acknowledged.
All - I ooked for a video of the confrence and could not find it. I based my post on the various bits written online about the press conference. It wasn't clear which question Meryl was answering with that comment when I wrote the post.
Oh Meryl - smh.
You never know with Frears, I guess we will see.
Murtada - You may have not directly referenced Oscarssowhite but you are tagging her "We're all Africans quote" to the lack of racial diversity which is simply not the issue/ question she is addressing. Your opinion is so wrong on this.
"But then she delved into murkier depths when addressing the lack of racial diversity within the same group:"
“There is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture, and after all we’re all from Africa originally. Berliners, we’re all Africans really.”
Awardsdaily has a very well thought out and well researched article about this issue.
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/02/16/berlinale-everyone-owes-meryl-streep-an-apology/
Everyone should read this once and for all.