come here. I remember coming here and seeing films from Iran and from places that we don’t spend much time in. We have a movie this year that I’m executive producing called ‘Furies’ that’s from Lebanon, from Beirut. So you get to see places in the world that we haven’t seen and that a lot of people don’t get to see. It’s important to be able to continue to tell stories and remind people that we’re not so different, really.
18
Given the scorching Summer we’ve had now, and the wildfires also affecting your adopted home, has that given you a greater sense of urgency about climate change? Well, we’re at a moment in time where most of the powers that be have decided that climate change is a hoax and science is not real. That won’t last forever. There will be other people in power, and they will care about it. The people around the little village that our home is near, Brignole and Cotignac, they really suffered a lot. A lot of friends lost their homes. We’re going to be working on some things to help some people out there once we figure out how to do it. I’ve been meeting with the Mayor. But look, we were in Como this summer, and there were fires in Como. It’s been an extraordinarily dry and hot summer, and it’s dangerous. The thing that always makes me laugh about this argument of climate change is: let’s say that everybody who says climate change is bullsh-t is right. Let’s just say that. The worst thing that could happen by cleaning up the environment is that you create millions more new green jobs. You make the air better to breathe. There’s no argument against it.
You mentioned before ‘Good Night and Good Luck’, what do you think about the state of journalism today? The state of journalism is in question. Obviously, the richest people in the world right now are owning the Washington Post and Twitter and most of the places we get our information, and that is a concern. But there’s still a lot of room for good journalism. And I’m a son of a journalist. My wife is a daughter of a journalist. And we have nothing but admiration and support for journalism. In fact, one of the major parts of our Foundation [Clooney Foundation for Justice] is getting journalists out of jail who have stood up against regimes. It was that way in the 1700s. It is that way now. It’s a concern for a moment. But I do believe that information will find its way out. And I think that’s the important part.
What is it about the art of film and the industry of film that you still love and matters to you? I think storytelling in general is something that we can’t live without. You know, we as a society need to see the world through other people’s eyes. Otherwise, we don’t learn anything about one another and then suddenly we find ourselves in cocoons, and we start to demonise one another. And I think it’s much more important that we’re able to tell stories so that I can
LIVE24-SEVEN.COM
What is the funniest, sweetest moment that you can share with us of this long love story that you had with the Venice film festival? Well, I will say I have had a love story with Venice for about 30 years and, in fact, was married here. And so I would say that my greatest moment here was obviously my wedding because I would get in a lot of trouble if I don’t say that. No, we had such a beautiful time here. And this is not just a romantic city; it’s a hopeful city. And this festival is that way. You know, film festivals like this, why they’re important is because they can take a film like ‘Good Night and Good Luck’ that we shot for $6 million, and you can launch it in a way that leads all the way to a Broadway play last year. You know, it’s that type of thing that can help tell stories.
Tell us how you are you planning to celebrate this award? I’m going to drink. [laughs] I don’t know. We’re going to go out to dinner. This is a town where you take the boat underneath some little tiny arches, and suddenly you’re in the middle of a restaurant that has four tables, and the guy who runs it comes out and sits with you. It’s just a really optimistic, beautiful place. And we’re going to go find a fun place to have dinner, my wife and I. She’s going to be wearing a very nice dress, so we’ll have to be careful where we go.
And Venice will be celebrating with you also. Since you have been here so many times for professional and personal reasons, can we say you are in love with Venice? Yes, I am in love with Venice. You can absolutely say that. I mean, honestly, anybody who comes to Venice and isn’t in love with Venice, there’s something wrong with them. I mean, it’s just a beautiful place in the world, and it’s a very hopeful place.
Thank You.
INTERVIEW GEORGE CLOONEY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124
