Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded “Megalopolis” has snagged a coveted slot at the Toronto International Film Festival amid claims the storied filmmaker kissed female extras on set without their consent.
The Adam Driver-led sci-fi epic will enjoy its North American premiere on Sept. 9 and 10 at the annual Canadian fest, before making its theatrical debut on Sept. 27.
Around the time of its world premiere at Cannes in May, multiple insiders told The Guardian that 85-year-old Coppola had acted inappropriately with scantily clad extras. The “old school” behavior allegedly included him trying to kiss and hug the women, some of whom were topless, or pull them onto his lap.
Coppola reportedly told a room full of cast members that he’d been “trying to get them in the mood” for the nightclub scene they were shooting at the time of the alleged behavior.
Last month, Variety published footage reportedly shot by a crew member that seemingly shows Coppola making the rounds and trying to kiss actresses while filming the scene.
“There was no HR department to keep things in check,” one insider told the outlet, referring to Coppola funding the film himself.
Earlier this month, one of the extras on the set spoke out about her experience, saying Coppola’s unwelcome behavior left her “in shock.”
