Venice Film Festival: Bradley Cooper's 'Maestro' lands 7-minute-long standing ovation
Bradley Cooper's second directorial after A Star is Born, Maestro, has been in the buzz ever since its first-look images were released in May 2022. It premiered at the ongoing Venice International Film Festival, where it received thunderous applause, earning a seven-minute-long standing ovation! The biographical romance drama will be released limitedly in theaters on November 22 and arrive on Netflix on December 20.
Why does this story matter?
Initially, ace director Steven Spielberg had plans to direct a film on American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. He had approached Cooper, but the Limitless actor was more focused on direction instead, reported Variety. Thus, Spielberg got attached to Maestro as a producer, along with filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Carey Mulligan stars as Bernstein's wife, actor, and social activist Felicia Montealegre in the film.
But first, know about legendary composer Bernstein
Bernstein donned several hats, such as a music educator, author, pianist, conductor, and composer. He was considered a "music prodigy" and was a 16-time Grammy Awards winner and recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. He was behind the Broadway musical West Side Story and also composed music for the film On the Waterfront, among others. He passed away in 1990 at 72.
Premiere was attended by Bernstein's children
The film had its world premiere at the Sala Grande Theatre in Venice on Saturday night (local time). The lead actors, Cooper and Mulligan, had to give the event a miss due to the ongoing historic SAG-AFTRA strike, but Bernstein's three children—Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein, and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein were in attendance. They understandably broke down in joyful tears once the screening concluded.
Early reviews can't stop gushing about Cooper
BBC wrote in its review, "[Cooper] has sky-high ambitions, and he has the technical virtuosity and big-hearted sincerity to fulfill those ambitions with flair." Variety opined, "We expect that the movie is going to 'explain' [the lead characters'] relationship. Cooper does something more audacious: He presents it, from every angle, in all its mystery, as a romantic partnership as unique as any other. "
Meanwhile, makeup artist addressed prosthetic nose controversy
The film was recently caught in controversy about the use of a prosthetic nose for Cooper's character and was slammed for propagating Jewish stereotypes. Reacting to this at the festival's press conference, makeup artist Kazu Hiro said, "I wasn't expecting that to happen. I feel sorry that I hurt some people's feelings. My goal...and Bradley's goal was to portray [Bernstein] as authentic as possible."
