JAPAN: "Social Network" star Jesse Eisenberg helps kick off Tokyo International Film Festival

Record ID: 463768

  • Title: JAPAN: "Social Network" star Jesse Eisenberg helps kick off Tokyo International Film Festival
  • Date: 24th October 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH ACTRESS AND STAR OF "POTICHE", CATHERINE DENEUVE, SAYING: "Well, I'm excited than a little, I don't know how to say, it's always a question, you know, to know how it's going to be received. For the moment, it's very well received everywhere. We've been showing the film in Italy, in America, but for the moment, I don't know. I hope it would be fine. Yes, it's exciting of course." DENEUVE WALKING JAPANESE ACTRESS ANN AND YOSHINO KIMURA WALKING DOWN THE 'GREEN CARPET' SOUTH KOREAN FILM MAKERS WALKING FILM FESTIVAL GUESTS WALKING IN KIMONOS AND PRESS ON THE SIDE
  • Embargoed: 8th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA57ECFIBU84EVAVYVL1NNFAZK9
  • Story Text: Billed as an exhilarating, visceral tale about the founding of Facebook, "The Social Network" screened at the opening of the Tokyo International Film Festival on Saturday (October 23) as stars and directors from around the world walked down the eco-friendly 'green carpet'.
    "The Social Network" star Jesse Eisenberg greeted his Japanese fans shaking hands and signing autographs.
    Eisenberg, who played Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the film, says the audience reaction to the film was more than he had expected.
    "Oh, it's been really overwhelming and wonderful. You know when we made the movie we all thought it was wonderful and of course you hope the audience feels the same way and this has been the kind of very unique experience that the audience feels the same way about it that the people who made do," he said.
    One of the most talked about films of the year, "The Social Network" passed two crucial hurdles during the opening weekend.
    The first was opening No. 1 at the U.S. box office earlier this month. The other was a smaller but no less telling test: pleasing an early audience of members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who vote for the Academy Awards.
    Eisenberg says the good news keeps coming and he has been enjoying the experience ever since the opening night.
    "You know what, because the movie has such a wonderful response, I get to travel around the world doing things like this. This is of course the biggest one, but it's been a great experience kind of taking the movie around the world and showing it to various audiences," said the 26-year-old actor.
    "The Social Network", directed by David Fincher, is based on author Ben Mezrich's book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal."
    The film tells the rags-to-riches tale of how Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg was transformed from an intelligent, socially awkward Harvard University student to the hottest property in Silicon Valley for creating the online community.
    It intersperses scenes of depositions taken for lawsuits by Zuckerberg's former best friend and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, as well as by Olympic rowing twin brothers and former Harvard students Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.
    In addition to Eisenberg, "TRON: Legacy" stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde worked the crowd as they strut down the green carpet.
    "TRON: Legacy" from Walt Disney Pictures is the long-awaited sequel of the 1982 sci-fi thriller "TRON," using early computer-generated imagery that paved the way for today's 3D movie blockbusters.
    Now the latest film, which comes out in December, is poised to push 3D technology and digital performance capture a step further.
    Hedlund says he cannot wait for the film to open world-wide at the end of this year.
    "It's great I meant, it's great to see the anticipation. I've never seen the film either so my anticipation is pretty much at the same level, but it's great. You know, Tokyo is such a beautiful city and it's great to be here and great to see all these people that have come out. It's much more than I expected," he said.
    Directed by Joseph Kosinski, "TRON: Legacy" finds the son of videogame developer Kevin Flynn being pulled into the digital world that has trapped his father for 20 years.
    Hedlund played Sam Flynn who meets a warrior named Quorra, played by Wilde, as the two take on the journey across the cyber world.
    Co-star Wilde says she is overwhelmed by the fans and is similarly excited to present a sneak preview of the upcoming film.
    "This is my first time in Japan and my first time at the International Film Festival and it's so beautiful," said Wilde.
    "I'm amazed and so honoured because it's huge there's so many people here and everyone's so excited and supportive and we couldn't be happier to be showing 25 minutes of 'Tron: Legacy' in 3D here, for the first time world wide that anybody is seeing this so this is a huge moment for us," she added.
    A mishmash of actors were seen at the festival opening as French screen legend Catherine Deneuve joined the young and up-coming stars on the green carpet.
    Deneuve is in Tokyo to present her latest film "Potiche," a light-hearted drama set in the 1970s that examines the prejudices women faced then and still do today.
    She has teamed up with fellow legend Gerard Depardieu to tackle sexual equality in the rare comedy.
    Deneuve, an Oscar-nominated actress who starred in movies including "Belle de Jour" and "Indochine," says she has a mixture of feelings before her film's premiere in France.
    "Well, I'm excited than a little, I don't know how to say, it's always a question, you know, to know how it's going to be received," said Deneuve.
    "For the moment, it's very well received everywhere. We've been showing the film in Italy, in America, but for the moment, I don't know. I hope it would be fine. Yes, it's exciting of course," she added.
    Deneuve, 66, plays the central character of Suzanne, the submissive housewife of umbrella factory owner Robert Pujol who represents the "potiche," or trophy wife of the title.
    Later, Suzanne enlists the help of Babin (Depardieu), a former lover whose affection for her is immediately reignited.
    Babin wines and dines Suzanne, and at a night club the couple take to the dance floor in a scene reminiscent of "Saturday Night Fever."
    The 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival screens over 270 domestic and international titles, including 15 new competitors selected from over 80 countries and regions.
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