Anne Hathaway in an interview on “Times of Upheaval”

by time news

ZFor the first time, director James Gray is tearing down the wall between his work and himself: In his autobiographical film “Armageddon Time”, which will be released on November 24th, he tells the story of a twelve-year-old who in growing up in the United States in the early 1980s. He watches as his black schoolmate from a troubled neighborhood is punished for a stupid act for which others are responsible. Paul burdens himself with guilt until he heeds his Jewish grandfather’s motto: “Be a Mensch” – and learns that justice is still not served to many. As the mother, Anne Hathaway shines as the moral authority in this bittersweet coming-of-age drama, which was hailed at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The actress, who turns 40 next Friday, puts on an impressive performance as a Yiddish mom.

Anne Hathaway, we live . . .

You’re wearing the perfect espadrilles!

Thank you, now that was unexpected. Why do you think that? Do you have an espadrille problem?

Don’t you know that? You think you’ve found the right espadrilles, the right shape, the right height, and are comfortable – and then you put them on and think: “Fail, total failure. How could I spend money on this?!” That’s why it’s so incredible when you find the right ones. – Alright now!

Good: Aren’t we living in an “Armageddon Time” for a long time when we look at the climate crisis, the Ukraine war or the freedom movement of the Iranian women, who would sacrifice their lives for their longing for self-determination? What scares you in times of upheaval, what gives you hope?

I have to go back a little here: I read this script and something in me reacted very strongly to it. Then I met a filmmaker whose work I have a ton of respect for. So I dived into the matter. Until the premiere in Cannes, “Times of Upheaval” was “just” a film about the moment when a very young person makes the first adult decision of their life. After the demonstration, I realized how strongly it moves and affects me personally. Because from today’s perspective, 40 years later, we see how a seed that was planted then grew, what blossomed from it and what a rich harvest it gives us today.

Behind the boy who dreams of becoming a great artist is director James Gray himself, who gives us a glimpse into his childhood, his Jewish home in suburban New York and the USA before Reagan’s election. Is the film a portrait of hope for you?

Hope is a rare commodity! But one of my hopes for the future is that everything we sow today will one day enrich and advance us. I often say that I have long since left my hope phase and am now more in a belief phase. . . But I firmly believe that despite our crises, people will wake up and do the right thing. I believe that, deep down, we are a species founded on love. But this species doesn’t have the gift of anticipating what’s waiting for us around the next corner. That’s why we have to decide today which seeds we want to plant, which will then be harvested in 40 years.

So your personal hope for our future is a kind of optimistic humanism?

I believe that every decision we make today, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will have consequences. Therefore, we must be rigorous in every thinking and decision-making process. That’s why I’m also thinking about the right espadrilles. . . No, seriously: For me, being an adult means taking on exactly this responsibility.

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