Did Johnny Depp’s fall from Grace prompt MGM to ‘bury’ ‘Minamata?’ – Deadline

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EXCLUSIVE: Director Andrew Levitas sent letter of complaint to MGM and others protesting what he claims was a decision to ‘bury’ the film Minamata because of the personal baggage of his star, Johnny Depp. The film lays bare the outrageous neglect that the Chisso Corporation has shown in the Japanese coastal city where residents have been ravaged by mercury poisoning from chemicals dumped into the waters by a factory, which has spread to the population. local by ingestion of fish. It was exhibited in the 1950s.

In the film, Depp plays Eugene Smith, a famous photojournalist who has disconnected from the world but takes on one last assignment from his Life magazine editor (Bill Nighy). He is accompanied by a Japanese translator (Minami) and cheered on by a local villager (Hiroyuki Sanada) as he helps expose decades of gross negligence on the part of the Chisso Corporation. Minamata also stars Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Tadanobu Asano and Akiko Iwase.

The film was acquired last fall, shortly after MGM relaunched American International Pictures, the former B-movie factory that was hatched in the 1950s by Samuel Arkoff, and after the film debuted at the Berlinale that year. The plan was for a day and date theatrical / VOD release for the film in February, a date that came and went. The deal came as Depp traded beards with his ex-wife Amber Heard and defended himself on charges of physical and verbal abuse, in a defamation case against the British tabloid the Sun, which Depp lost. After the deal was done, Depp announced that Warner Bros. asked him to step down as Grindelwald in the Harry potter spin-off the Fantastic beasts franchise. Mads Mikkelsen was chosen to replace him last November.

Levitas writes that he was briefed by Director of Acquisitions Sam Wollman, who bought Minamata, that he would not be promoted and that “MGM had decided to ‘bury the film’ (in the words of the head of acquisitions, Mr. Sam Wollman).” Levitas sent the letter not only to MGM, but also to the film’s funders, the Eugene Smith Foundation and the Minamata Foundation. The filmmaker urged MGM to reconsider and believes the studio is not paying enough attention to the importance of the topic, which has exposed corporate mischief and indifference and commemorated the generational and devastating damage inflicted on residents in due to the poisoning depicted in the film.

An MGM spokesperson said to Deadline’s question about the letter: “The film has been acquired for release through American International Pictures (AIP), a division of MGM which handles day and date releases. Minamata continues to be a part of future AIP releases and at this time, the film’s US release date is to be determined.

Deadline obtained a copy of Levitas’ letter, sent on Monday morning, along with photos of the suffering and deformities resulting from the mercury poisoning. It’s here.

July 26, 2021

To the MGM Minamata team:

About a year ago, MGM bought the North American rights to the film Minamata after viewing it at the Berlinale. MGM intended to shed light on the suffering of thousands of victims of one of the most heinous industrial pollution incidents the world has ever seen. By re-exposing their pain in sharing their history, this long marginalized community hoped for only one thing – to bring history out of the shadows so that other innocent people would never be grieved as they did… and it seemed at that point, with MGM partnership, a wish of several decades was finally coming true.

Now imagine the devastation when they learned last week that despite an already successful global rollout, MGM had decided to “bury the film” (in the words of Director of Acquisitions, Mr. Sam Wollman) because MGM was concerned. by the possibility that an actor’s personal issues in the film could negatively impact them and that, from MGM’s perspective, the victims and their families were secondary.

In a stark reminder of the actions of The Chisso Corporation in Minamata and the unethical tactics of far too many other large corporations, MGM said it would live up to its “legal obligation” and nothing more. In doing so, MGM makes a conscious decision to once again hurt these innocent people, mercilessly trampling on their lives, heritage, deceased loved ones and bravery.

We sat down with Tomoko Uemura’s father in Minamata as he spoke in a deeply pained voice. Pain no one should ever feel. The pain of a lost child, a child who suffered every day of his life. A child who was one of many born horribly deformed because a large faceless corporation failed to live up to its moral obligation to humanity, decency and righteousness. He spoke with unimaginable wisdom, grace and dignity… Yes, you have the legal right to bury their story as so many have done before, but you have the moral obligation to do better than that and at a minimum we implore you to speak directly to Mr. Uemura and the other victims and offer them the dignity of understanding firsthand why you think an actor’s personal life is more important than that of their deceased children, siblings , his parents and all the victims of industrial pollution and commercial embezzlement.

We hope you take a moment to reflect on the impact of the decisions of large companies like MGM on others and that you recognize your opportunity to make a substantial difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer unfathomably. All over the world people are being victimized by companies that don’t value them or see them as real, and you have the power to help just by living up to your moral commitment to support this film.

As the great freedom fighter Teruo Kawamoto said, this is the fight for all of humanity. And everyone involved in this story and this fight more broadly implores MGM to be the solution, to usher in a turning point in so many lives, and to reconsider its decision to actively obstruct the distribution and promotion of Minamata.

I enclose a selection of images of Eugene Smith from 50 years ago that stung the consciousness of the world, as well as a link to one of the victims – Shinobu Sakamoto – speaking about his experience https: // www .youtube.com / watch? v = nN8c98aFQJ4 in the hope that Mr. Wollman and MGM will remember their humanity, their responsibilities and the scarcity of the opportunity they hold in their hands.

We remain confident that MGM will land on the right side of these issues and, as such, the filmmakers, victims, their families, various NGOs and GOs, and more, all eagerly await the opportunity to work together.

Truly,

Andrew Levitas

Director

Prof. Andrew Levitas
NYU Gallatin

Ironwork photos

Here are the photos, taken by Smith 50 years ago, which Levitas attached to his letter: