‘Reagan would work if it’s like Notebook’ – Bono, Carter feted at We Are Family Foundation Gala

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LOS ANGELES, May 1, (Agencies): “I’m delighted that Ferrell had the good sense to figure out this is a dead loser”, former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich told Variety Saturday night at a party before White House Correspondents Dinner, responding to the news that Will Ferrell had pulled out of a the Black List script “Reagan”.

“I hope the people who want to do the movie just drop it”.

Gingrich was quick oppose Ferrell playing the late president, and tweeted an open letter from Patti Davis, Reagan’s daughter, to his 1.5 million followers on Friday.

“I think the very premise is idiotic and despicable,” Gingrich said. “I like Will Ferrell. I think he is a very funny guy, but I think this would have been an absolute disaster for his career”.

The script, optioned by Ferrell’s production company, centers on the conceit that Reagan had no idea what he was doing during his second term, and in it makes mistakes like thinking Mikhail Gorbachev is Ernest Borgnine.

But, Newt does think a Reagan movie would work, if it were not a comedy, but rather a love story in the vein of “The Notebook”, the 2004 film that touches on the subject of dementia.

Tragedy

“’The Notebook’ deals with the real sense of the human tragedy, and at the same time of the opportunity for loving,” Gingrich said. “I’m almost crying talking to you about it. It is so real. I’ve probably seen it seven times.”

But in Gingrich’s vision the film should be built around Nancy Reagan, who died earlier this year, and her experience caring for her husband.

“Nancy has the really complicated role,” Gingrich said. “She talked to me about this one time. He looks totally normal but he is not there, and she is having to go through the whole process — they are building the library, they are trying to make sure they are preserving his legacy, and she is really at the intersection. Ronnie is not”.

Gingrich even volunteered his consulting services on the script.

“That is the type of movie I’d be honored to be a part of,” Gingrich said. “I think the whole idea of trying to make fun of someone who has dementia is sick. And I have no problem making fun of Ronald Reagan”.

Bono electrified the crowd on Friday night for Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation’s Annual Gala at the Manhattan Center in New York. The U2 frontman, who was awarded the charity’s Humanitarian Award, belted out “Pride (In the Name of Love)”, and “Beautiful Day” at the Hammerstein Ballroom event.

He then finished his set with “Mysterious Ways” before making a grand exit — vaulting off the stage, snaking his way through the crowd like an Irish Pied Piper and exiting through the front doors. In a heartfelt speech, the 55-year-old singer lauded the night’s other big name honoree, former president Jimmy Carter.

“As a teenager I began to hear about this poetic figure who was running for President of the United States,” he said. “ quoted Bob Dylan, who was at that time the actual president of the United States, my United States.”

Bono, an outspoken Christian, praised Carter for his beliefs. He recalled when Carter was asked where his moral compass came from and said, “he didn’t quote an economist or philosopher or a pollster or pundit. The most powerful man in the world humbled himself to submit to a higher power.”

Bono mentioned that U2 bandmate the Edge is a huge Rodgers fan and would have loved to have jammed on stage with the Chic guitarist, but had another gig which he couldn’t step away from. The gig in question was playing in the Sistine Chapel for the Pope.

“I said, ‘I’m doing a gig at the Hammerstein Ballroom and we’re going to turn it into the Cathedral that it has been over the years for rock and roll music and hip hop and dance music and I am with the groove pope (Rodgers),’ to which the Edge had nothing to say,” Bono recited to the delight of the audience.

After Bono’s spirited set, the man of the hour, Rodgers had brought the crowd to its feet as he and Chic performed hits like “Le Freak”, “Dance, Dance, Dance”, “Everybody Dance” and of course “We are Family”.

The evening, which was hosted by Soledad O’Brien, raised over $1 million which included a $100,000 bid for the guitar Rodgers played at this year’s Grammys.

Also:

LOS ANGELES: The Venice Film Festival’s Venice Film Market is rebranding as the Venice Production Bridge, a mart mainly dedicated to original projects and works-in-progress.

Venice’s move into this relatively untapped market segment will build on existing initiatives of the VFM which since its first edition four years ago has been conceived as a light market — a counterpoint to Toronto with which it almost overlaps — featuring initiatives such as the European Gap Financing Market and Final Cut in Venice, geared towards works in advanced stages.

The new push towards unfinished product will also complement the Lido’s Biennale College initiative dedicated to development and production of micro-budget feature films from all over the world, which over the past four years has spawned thirteen feature films many of which have gone on to gain notice and kudos on the international fest circuit. The VFM and Biennale College are innovations made to the Grand Dame of European festivals by current topper Alberto Barbera who is treading new ground when it comes to the fest’s industry aspect, historically considered a sore spot.

Significantly, besides movies, the Venice Production Bridge will be open to web content, TV series, and virtual reality projects in final stages of development and funding.

For its upcoming edition the festival will also build a 450-seat outdoor screening venue in the garden of the Casino, which in recent years has been blighted by a gigantic hole in the ground after construction of new permanent infrastructure was halted.

The new Cinema del Giardino will screen world premieres of non-competiting films and will be open to the public as well as accredited fest attendees.

The fest has also tweaked its awards so that the Grand Jury Prize (aka Silver Lion) will officially become the second most important prize after the Golden Lion.

The 73rd edition of Venice will run Aug 31-Sept 10. The VPB will run Sept 1-5.

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