Brady Corbet’s critically acclaimed film The Brutalist will be released in Indian cinemas next Friday, just days before the Oscars. The 2024 epic period drama has been a front-runner throughout the awards season, sweeping top honours for both Corbet and leading man Adrien Brody. Ahead of the film’s release, Corbet joined ETimes for an exclusive interview, in which he delved into the creative process and shared insights into his vision, the film’s profound themes, and his collaborative storytelling approach with co-writer Mona Fastvold.
Given the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, The Brutalist has sparked a wide range of audience interpretations, with many drawing parallels between the film’s themes and the current war, political crisis, and the broader meaning of Zionism and Israel. The film, which explores themes of resilience, identity, war, displacement, and immigration, has already ignited discussions about its layered storytelling. When asked about the film’s message and what he hopes audiences take away from it, Corbet reaffirmed his commitment to open-ended artistic interpretation.
“It will be interpreted in a variety of different ways, and that’s something that we really encourage. We don’t sit down and think about writing something that is didactic or has a coded message because, for me, that’s almost equivalent to propaganda,” he explained.
Emphasizing the importance of allowing audiences to interpret art in their own way, he added, “I’m more interested in something more exploratory than that, and I think that I’m feeling my way through the dark along with the audience.”
Corbet revealed that he and his team spent years researching subjects such as architecture and history to inform the film. However, he believes that knowledge must eventually be set aside in order to create something intuitive and heartfelt. “At some point, you have to let go and just start writing on intuition and from your heart,” he shared.
At its core, The Brutalist is “very much a love story,” Corbet added, offering an unexpected romantic dimension to its exploration of personal and social themes. “It’s quite romantic as well. I think we are too close to the story to even tell you what it’s really about.”
For Fastvold, the true reward of filmmaking lies in audience engagement and understanding their perspectives. She expressed, “I think it would be unfair to analyze it for the audience. I’d much rather hear what they’re thinking. That’s the exciting part of this process—finally getting to meet the audience and hearing their interpretations and the stories they connect with ours.”
With a staggering 10 Academy Award nominations—including Best Picture, Best Director for Corbet, Best Actor for Adrien Brody, Best Supporting Actress for Felicity Jones, and Best Supporting Actor for Guy Pearce—The Brutalist has cemented itself as one of the year’s most highly acclaimed films.
Despite his success, Corbet maintains a grounded perspective on the industry. Speaking at a roundtable attended by ETimes, he remarked, “I’m not cynical about life’s core joys. We’re very fortunate to keep doing what we’re doing. But I don’t care about little statues, you know. They’re pretty useless—except for one thing: they allow you to make the next movie.”
“For us, we’re just grateful to have some job security for the next nine to 18 months before everybody forgets. That’s all—it’s a freelance job. And all I want to do is keep doing it on one level or another.”
‘The Brutalist’ unfolds the riveting tale of Laszlo Toth (Adrien), a Hungarian-Jewish architect who, after enduring the horrors of the Holocaust, seeks a fresh start in America. Separated from his wife, Erzsebet (Felicity), who remains stranded in post-war Eastern Europe with their niece, Laszlo faces the daunting task of building a new life alone. His exceptional architectural talent catches the eye of Harrison Lee Van Buren, a powerful industrialist in Pennsylvania, offering him a path to success.
The film will release in India on February 28th, 2025.
