This week, Francis Ford Coppola received a standing ovation from more than 150 students after speaking at the U.K.’s top film and television school, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively reveal.
The legendary filmmaker and Megalopolis director visited the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in Beaconsfield, England, where he offered advice and insight to the audience — and discussed his career-defining moments — during a two-hour “In Conversation” event.
“Francis Ford Coppola’s visit this week gave NFTS students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from a true master of cinema,” said NFTS director Jon Wardle. “His body of work has inspired a generation of filmmakers.”
The open forum also allowed students to pose questions to Coppola, who is famed for works such as the Oscar-winning Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now.
Francis Ford Coppola on a visit to the National Film and Television School.
NFTS
However Coppola is currently watching Megalopolis get rejected by moviegoers and critics alike. Heading into last weekend, tracking and Lionsgate expected the film to rack up around $5-7 million at the domestic box office. But the film only made $4 million in its opening weekend and received a D+ CinemaScore from audiences.
Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza and Shia LaBeouf star in the director’s epic reimagining of the Roman Empire in modern-day New York City on the brink of ruin.
Coppola is also embroiled in a legal dispute over allegations he exhibited unprofessional behavior on the Megalopolis set, with multiple parties filing criss-crossing lawsuits. He has sued Variety for defamation, denying claims that there weren’t any of the traditional checks and balances in place to protect against sexual harassment and accused the publication of falsifying the statements.
