Harvey Keitel is passionate about film and other arts as essential forces for bringing people together and enabling change. And if you don’t believe him, believe Aristotle, as he says!
The legendary actor sat down to chat with him Hollywood Reporter on Sunday during the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), whose 60th edition continues in its 80th year until July 11, to discuss, among other things, the state of cinema and the world.
“I feel in today’s turbulent world, when people are against each other for trivial reasons — they’ve never heard the phrase ‘no prejudice’ to allow people to be who they want without objecting to it, without killing each other because of religion or color or politics — that’s where the arts come in,” Kettle said. He then quoted the Greek philosopher Aristotle as saying: “Words alone are not enough to change culture. Aesthetic power is needed, and that is the artist. So film festivals like Karlovy Vary, Cannes, Tribeca Film Festival, etc., where artists can come and show their wares and share their feelings about life with people, can provide the aesthetic power needed to incite change.”
Change is “a tool for growing as a people to heal our biases and start becoming human beings instead,” Kettle continued. “This is especially needed now, because of all the wars and fighting and politics.”
Acting is also a way to learn about oneself and develop as a person, said the star. “The real gift is learning to know yourself through art,” Kittle said. THR. This opens one’s mind “instead of standing rigidly – I’m white, or I’m black, or I’m Christian, or I’m Jewish, or I’m Arab, or so on.” “When I got involved in theater in New York, I met all these people of different beliefs, and that really changed me,” he continued.
Why did Keitel never direct a film? He explained: “When you reach a certain place that you were lucky to reach, acting becomes working with the director and being your own director several times.” “I didn’t have time to become a director, and I didn’t have the education. But I was lucky enough to meet people who did, so my education became theater and film, and those wonderful people I was lucky enough to work with – Scorsese, Tarantino, Jane Campion, Lina Wertmüller, Theo Angelopoulos and many others. Forgive me if I forget you here!”
Kittle’s advice to actors is to put in the hard work, including developing yourself as a person. “Study, read, work at your craft,” he summed up his advice. “It takes work, and growing as a human being takes work.”
What is Kittle working on now? “I’m making a film with my wife, Dafna Kastner-Kittle, who is a filmmaker and writer. [and] Actress. “We’re working on it in Los Angeles, where we live now.” Is there a title yet? Yes, but the Hollywood legend can’t share that yet, he says with a laugh. What’s the movie about? “I can’t tell you what it’s about, because it’s about discovery,” Keitel said. THR. “Using the art of filmmaking to be an aesthetic force for the people around us…to grow and try to eliminate bias and short-sightedness.”
While the couple still has a place in New York, Keitel shares this about life in Los Angeles before he has to have his next meeting: “I enjoy it. I miss New York, of course, the old New York, though. It was different from New York today.” Could it change again? “In fact, there are rumors that New York will go back to the good old days once theater returns,” Keitel said. “New York has changed a lot since the pandemic and what’s happening in the cultural world right now.”
Earlier Sunday, Keitel presented legendary cinematographer Robert Richardson with KVIFF’s Crystal Globe Award.
“Famous American actor Harvey Keitel will appear for the third time at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival,” organizers said when revealing his attendance. “At the 39th edition of the festival in 2004, Keitel received the Crystal Globe Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Eleven years later, he returned to Karlovy Vary to present Paolo Sorrentino’s film. youthsIn which he played one of the main roles. The film received a Bravo Audience Award, which Keitel personally accepted.
On the occasion of Keitel’s recent trip to the festival in the Czech spa town, KVIFF is screening the film I mean the streetsAt the request of the actor.
He’s part of a star-studded lineup of special guests, like Keitel, honored at KVIFF’s double anniversary edition. The big names honored this weekend are Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Jesse Eisenberg, as well as cinematographer Robert Richardson, who received his award from Keitel.
As if the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) needed more star power on the double anniversary of its 60th edition in its 80th year, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Harvey Keitel have been lined up to join the list of celebrities attending this year’s Czech film festival.
