Director: Matthew Wells Run Time: 93 min. Release Year: 2023
Starring: Alexander Payne, Frank Capra, Jeanine Basinger, Joseph McBride, Tom Rothman
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
About the film:
World Premiere, 2023 Venice International Film Festival.
Through the use of previously unseen archive footage, Frank Capra’s life story and complex relationship with America is explored. We hear in his own words how he fought to escape his Italian American roots and eventually made his way to Hollywood in the early years of the studio system; the film offers a candid portrait of a complicated man whose stories of hope in troubled times continue to speak to audiences today.
“a cogent and moving documentary”
—Glenn Kenny, RogerEbert
Despite his humble beginnings, by the 1930s Frank Capra was perhaps the most successful and influential film director in the world. Today we still use the term Capra-esque to describe his particular kind of storytelling. But more than that, Capra’s films spoke to a public that was wearied by world events. The Great Depression was devastating lives, World War II was around the corner, and Capra’s movies were seen by many as a balm in troubled times. His films brought audiences together and offered a vision of America where ideals win out, decency triumphs and ordinary people have their day.
About the filmmaker:
Matthew Wells is a documentary film director and producer from the United Kingdom. He has directed eight short films, and his work has premiered at Venice and Sundance film festivals, and played theatrically in cinemas around the world. His debut feature film, Frank Capra: Mr. America (2024) premiered at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.
