Francis Ford Coppola auctions off several of his prized possessions. After investing $120 million in his latest film Megalopolis, which did not return a profit.
The 86-year-old Oscar-winning director is selling seven watches from his personal collection at Phillips Auctions. On December 6 and 7 in New York City, People confirms.
He also sold the wine business
Coppola is trying to recover some of the money he lost from last year's Megalopolis movie. The film cost more than $120 million and grossed only $14.3 million worldwide.
The director chose to finance the project that excited him with his own money. Instead of working with a studio. In 2021, he even sold most of his wine business, Inglenook, to California-based Delicato Family Wines.
The watch was designed by Coppola in collaboration with the famous watchmaker François-Paul Journe. It is adorned with a black titanium hand, resembling a human hand.
His own plan
At the premiere of the film at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Coppola said that «he has never been interested in money». But also that his three children «don't need a fortune».
Among the watches that will soon go on sale is a unique timepiece designed by Coppola in collaboration with the famous watchmaker François-Paul Journe. The F.P. Journe FFC Prototype is adorned with a black titanium hand that resembles a human hand. Its fingers and thumb extend or contract to indicate different times.
«Talking to Francis in 2012 and hearing his idea of using a human hand to tell time, I was inspired to create a watch that I could never have imagined,» said Journe. «The challenge was immense - exactly the kind of watchmaking project I love.».
Approximately 1 million dollars
«After years of working directly with Francis in the development process, it was a great pleasure to deliver this FFC prototype to him in 2021,» continued Journe. «I am therefore proud to fully support the sale of this watch through Phillips to fund the creation of his artistic masterpieces in film.».
Journe reportedly produced a small number of special editions. based on this design, selling each for about $1 million. So that's the estimate for Coppola's unique watch. Which the «Godfather» director wore to the premiere of the film Megalopolis in Cannes.
The epic fantasy film stars Adam Driver, Natalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Lawrence Fishburn, John Voight, Grace Vanderwal, Sia LaBoff and Dustin Hoffman. As well as Coppola's sister, Talia Shire, and her son, Jason Swartzman.
Failure
«The city of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Dreever), a genius artist seeking to make a leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his rival, Mayor Franklin Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests and partisan warfare,» the official synopsis of the film states.
«Between the two is the socialite Julia Cicero (Natalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter. But whose love for Caesar has divided her loyalties. Forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.».
After the critical and commercial failure of Megalopolis, director Mike Figgis' documentary Megadoc chronicles the evolution of the film. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew.
Source: in.gr
