Mark Cousins journeys with Jeremy Thomas down to the Cannes Film Festival in a travelogue that looks back on the acclaimed producer’s extraordinary career.
The Last Emperor. Bad Timing. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Crash. 13 Assassins. Tale of Tales. Eureka. High-Rise. These are just a small handful of films Jeremy Thomas has produced over the course of 45 years. Mark Cousins (The Story of Film, Women Make Film) accompanies the producer on his annual pilgrimage to the prestigious French film festival, discussing Thomas’ love of cinema, music, cars and controversy along the way. Their conversation is interspersed with clips from many of these films and contributions from two actors who have worked with him: Debra Winger (The Sheltering Sky) and Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive). Thomas talks about his own family’s heritage in British cinema, as a second-generation filmmaker, his entry into the business at such a young age (by his mid-30s he was a Best Picture Oscar winner) and his continued passion for the medium. Cousin’s commentary also highlights Thomas’ profound impact on word cinema, a producer unafraid to court controversy and who delights in transgression.
A delight for cinephiles and a fascinating journey for anyone less familiar with the producer’s work, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas is a love letter to the art of film and the business of movie-making.
