More than a year and a half after his film Minamata debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020, director Andrew Levitas is alleging MGM of ‘burying’ the film amid star Johnny Depp’s legal turmoil.
MGM acquired the film in October 2020 through its newly-relaunched American International Pictures, initially scheduled for release in February 2021.
While a release in the U.K. and Ireland will happen on August 13, there is still no planned North American release, with the director claiming in a letter he sent to MGM and others that he was told the studio is ‘burying’ the film.
Turmoil: More than a year and a half after his film Minamata debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020, director Andrew Levitas (right) is alleging MGM of ‘burying’ the film amid star Johnny Depp’s (left) legal turmoil
Burying: While a release in the U.K. and Ireland will happen on August 13, there is still no planned North American release, with the director claiming in a letter he sent to MGM and others that he was told the studio is ‘burying’ the film
Levitas sent the letter on Monday to MGM along with Minamata’s backers, The Eugene Smith Foundation and the Minamata Foundation, where he claims he was told by someone at MGM that Minamata would not be promoted at all by the studio.
‘MGM had decided to “bury the film,”‘ Levitas says in the letter.
The film was picked up while Depp was battling libel charges, which he ultimately lost, the latest in a string of legal battles with ex Amber Heard.
Letter: Levitas sent the letter on Monday to MGM along with Minamata’s backers, The Eugene Smith Foundation and the Minamata Foundation, where he claims he was told by MGM’s acquisitions head Sam Wollman told him Minamata would not be promoted at all by the studio
Depp had also backed away from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spin-off movies Fantastic Beasts, which happened after Minamata was picked up by MGM.
Levitas is arguing that MGM should reconsider because the film’s subject matter is more important than Depp’s legal troubles.
Depp plays iconic photographer Eugene Smith, who helps expose Japan’s Chisso Corporation, who were responsible for the mercury poisoning of the citizens from Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan in the 1950s.
Backed away: Depp had also backed away from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spin-off movies Fantastic Beasts, which happened after Minamata was picked up by MGM
Photographer: Depp plays iconic photographer Eugene Smith, who helps expose Japan’s Chisso Corporation, who were responsible for the mercury poisoning of the citizens from Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan in the 1950s
The film also stars Minami as Smith’s translator, Bill Nighy as Robert Hayes, Smith’s former Life Magazine editor and Hiroyuki Sanada as a villager who helps Smith expose the corruption of the Chisso Corporation.
When asked about the letter Levitas sent, an MGM spokesperson said it will still be released by AIP, though there is no date set.
‘The film was acquired for release via American International Pictures (AIP), a division of MGM which handles day-and-date releases. Minamata continues to be among future AIP releases and at this time, the film’s U.S. release date is TBA,’ the statement read.
No date: When asked about the letter Levitas sent, an MGM spokesperson said it will still be released by AIP, though there is no date set
Levitas said that he learned this week that, ‘despite an already successful global roll out, MGM had decided to “bury the film” (acquisitions head Mr. Sam Wollman’s words) because MGM was concerned about the possibility that the personal issues of an actor in the film could reflect negatively upon them and that from MGM’s perspective the victims and their families were secondary to this.’
‘In a stark reminder of The Chisso Corporation’s actions in Minamata and far too many other large corporations’ unethical tactics, MGM stated that it would live up to its “legal obligation” and nothing more,’ Levitas added, meaning it would release the film but not promote it in any way.
‘In doing so, MGM is making a conscious decision to hurt these innocents yet again, callously trampling on their lives, their legacy, their dead loved ones, and their bravery,’ Levitas continued.
Personal issues: Levitas said that he learned this week that, ‘despite an already successful global roll out, MGM had decided to “bury the film” (acquisitions head Mr. Sam Wollman’s words) because MGM was concerned about the possibility that the personal issues of an actor in the film could reflect negatively upon them and that from MGM’s perspective the victims and their families were secondary to this’
The director added that while the studio is well within their rights to bury the story, but they also have a, ‘moral obligation to do better than that.
‘At a minimum we implore you to speak directly to Mr. Uemura (the parent of one of the victims) and the other victims and offer them the dignity of understanding first hand why you think an actor’s personal life is more important than their dead children, their siblings, their parents, and all victims of industrial pollution and corporate malfeasance,’ Levitas added.
The director also included some of the images Smith himself took in the 1950s, concluding that, ‘We remain steadfast that MGM will land on the right side of these issues.’
Photos: The director also included some of the images Smith himself took in the 1950s, concluding that, ‘We remain steadfast that MGM will land on the right side of these issues’