Film cast © AFP
UN CERTAIN REGARD – Sofia Coppola opens Un Certain Regard with The Bling Ring
For months, they stalked the stars without anyone noticing, There were seven of them, just turned 18, and the media nicknamed them The Bling Ring. Sophia Coppola takes them as the subject for her latest film with Emma Watson in the role of a little vixen in search of all that glitters
She has come a long way since the mumbo jumbo and laborious magic spells of Hermione Granger. Emma Watson has put away her blood red and golden scarf to join Sofia Coppola‘s Bling Ring about a gang of teens obsessed by celebs and fame. Here the young actress plays the role of Nicki, a sassy go-go dancer and yoga teacher.
To get into this very different role, Emma Watson drew inspiration from reality TV icons such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie of The Simple Life fame. Sophia Coppola also sent her copies of Pretty Wild, a reality TV show featuring Alexis Neiers, a member of the real Bling Ring, a gang of teenagers and young adults which held sway in Hollywood in 2009.
While the stars they venerated were out and about, the seven members of the Bling Ring broke into their homes and made off weighed down with clothes and personal effects. The victims included Orlando Bloom and Lyndsay Lohan as well as Paris Hilton, who agreed to appear in the film..
In this true story, Sofia Coppola sees a fable typical of a generation which grew up with the Internet and reality TV: “I hope I’m not being too judgemental, but it’s true I observe them with a certain distance. I think the film both criticises and glorifies them.” Coppola refuses to choose between the role of moraliser or entertainer: she asks us to make up our own minds on the issue.
Tarik Khaldi
SCREENINGS
Thursday 16th May / Debussy Theatre / 11.00 a.m. – 7.45 p.m.
