A cruise ship worker on shore leave in Buenos Aires visits his estranged older brother, revisiting old family disputes and uncovering new secrets.
Francis Ford Coppola was one of the first successes of the American "film school" generation of directors, mainly due to the first two films in The Godfather saga. Coppola subsequently used his new-found influence and money to fund large-scale projects, often risking his own personal assets to complete them. After the 90's found him struggling monetarily and working as a director-for-hire for the studios, he went on ten-year hiatus from filmmaking, only to emerge with a self-proclaimed creative rebirth in 2007 with his daring self-funded film Youth Without Youth.
Tetro (also made with money earned from Coppola's vineyard) continues in this same maverick mindset, working again with young collaborators from the previous film (Romanian cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. and Argentinean composer Osvaldo Golijov) and featuring Coppola's first original screenplay in over 25 years, considered to be one of his most personal as well. The story of jealousy and tragedy in an artistic family mirrors some of Coppola's own experiences.
Actor/writer/director Vincent Gallo stars in the title role, and is joined by Maribel Verdu (from Y Tu Mama Tambien) and newcomer Alden Ehrenreich. Carmen Maura, a Spanish actress and veteran of many Pedro Almodovar films, has a supporting role.
Tetro was shot on location in Buenos Aires, with additional filming taking place in Spain. In tribute to Italian films of the early 60's, the majority of the film is in widescreen black and white, with selected theatrical/fantasy sequences paying homage to the bold Technicolor works of British filmmakers Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. The film was edited by veteran Walter Murch, a multi-Oscar winner who worked various projects over the years for Coppola, including Apocalypse Now and all three Godfather films.
The feature runs approx two hours.
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