Lynn-Manuel Miranda is the director of a song that was written 20 years ago by converting it to the big screen Crazy rich Asians While Hollywood is finally opening up more for those who don’t hear more voices, in his view it offers a work more than ever. John M. Interview with Sue.
John M. Sue had never heard of Lin-Manuel Miranda before. In 2007, while filming his first film in Baltimore, Step 2: Streets, One of the choreographers he worked with will be part of the original castIn height On Broadway. At the invitation of the latter, thank you for breaking one of the glass roofs in Hollywood Crazy rich Asians Went to see the show. Then nothing was the same.
During a recent video conference interview I gave, the filmmaker said, “I was impressed by what I saw.” Press. Although I run a restaurant in a Chinese family in Northern California, I understood it all and felt it all because I know what people from immigrant families do. I heard all of those conversations echoed before the show. It stuck with me. ”
A project that has matured for a long time
Winner of four Tony Trophies in 2008, Best Musician, In height Through the journey of Usnavi, a young coffee owner who dreams of being reconnected with his origins in the Dominican Republic, he describes the life of the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York, which is mainly inhabited by Spanish-speaking immigrants. At the time, Lynn-Manuel Miranda, the songwriter and composer of all the songs on the show, had the idea that it should be turned into a movie, but the project that a studio took as an option was abandoned.
‘S dazzling success Hamilton The film adaptation project Lynn-Manuel pushed Miranda to the highest heightsIn height Appeared again a few years later. It was at this point that John M. Sue could feel it.
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John M. in the set. Sue and Lynn-Manuel MirandaIn height
“I know I can translate this very well because the film tells the story of all immigrants,” he explains. But since I am not Latin, I was lucky enough to work very closely with Lynn and Guerrero Alexia Hoods, not from Washington Heights. It is absolutely necessary for me to establish parameters that allow a real one to work together. I never imposed my vision of what the film should be, but I wanted everyone to express their own expressions, and as a result thrive on these perspectives. The collaborators really guided me. This approach was completely different from what I took for my other products, but made sure everyone was involved. Everyone who participated In height, Full of deep emotion before and after the camera. ”
A timely trip
This feature film, which was delayed by a year due to an epidemic, is now being shown, which is even more relevant in the filmmaker’s view. At a time when major studios and broadcasters are increasingly sensitive to diversity and minority representation, In height According to the filmmaker, the time is coming.
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In height An adaptation of a musical instrument by Lynn-Manuel Miranda was screened in 2005.
“With everything that happened to us [aux États-Unis]I would even say that this film is more relevant today than it was 12 months ago. This is incredible. Not everything can be solved overnight, but epidemic has forced us to care about others and see what is common to all of us as human beings. The younger generation has a different view of what our dreams, beliefs and responsibilities should be because they saw a future that their parents could not see and a future that our parents could not see. It happens so naturally, I think it’s hopeful. ”
Slow evolution
With the exception of the usual rules of big studios that usually require big names to give the green light to big projects, John M. Sue has been proven, thank you Crazy rich Asians, Even without established stars, a film built on primarily valuing the racial origin of the characters would have attracted all audiences and grossed nearly $ 175 million at the North American box office. The Sino-American director, himself a second-generation immigrant, did exactly that when assigning rolesIn height.
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Shooting in the swimming pool of a musical numberIn height, John M. Image by Sue
“The problem is definitely not the lack of talent, but the lack of opportunities,” he says. I always insist on inviting actors from different backgrounds and I often say that there are stars in my films. It’s just that people don’t know it yet. Anthony Ramos [vedette d’In the Heights] Can do absolutely anything. He embodies the future of what a leading man is. I’m not sure in Hollywood, there’s still a sense of who we really are, and things are moving slowly. But there is progress. Having said that, I believe studio executives have no choice now because we are good here. We are the future of cinema and the audience is more hungry. So whether they are ready or not, we! ”
When he was getting ready to shoot Wicked, Another film adaptation of a successful musical instrument, by John M. Sue believes it is fundamental to focus on this issue first to ensure the successful transformation of a show into cinema.
“In my opinion, music is good in cinema, and music is used to express things that cannot be expressed so well in dialogue because words are not enough. In such classics Singh in the rain Or Chicago, Music numbers are an integral part of stories, and they don’t just appear on the show. To Wicked, I ask the same kind of questions In height ! »
In height (Where we come from Title in French) will hit theaters on June 10 in both the original version and the dubbed version in French. It will be available in premium video on demand in the original English version, with French subtitles in the original version and in dubbed version in French.
