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Steven Spielberg says West Side Story is his 'conversation with the youth' in a rare chat with Shoojit Sircar
Steven Spielberg has opened up on giving a strong message to the youth with the help of his upcoming movie West Side Story. In a conversation with Shoojit Sircar for 20th Century Studios India, the director talked about the movie and his take of the Broadway musical.
Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler will grace our screens as Tony and Maria in Steven Spielberg's movie adaptation of West Side Story. As the film's key storyline revolves around an iconic love story and important friendships, director Spielberg has opened up on various aspects of the movie, and his motive as a filmmaker. In a conversation with Shoojit Sircar for 20th Century Studios India, the director has revealed what his end goal has been with the new re-imagined version of the musical.
When Sircar asked Spielberg about his take on bringing a change with West Side Story, he also lauded the Jurassic Park director for keeping the central theme as close as possible to the youth. "It's a conversation of Mr Spielberg with the youth directly," Sircar claimed. While agreeing to Sircar, Spielberg said, "It is. It's a direct dialogue with young people all over the world today. We intended that to be a conversation with them. I also feel that it's this generation that's going to determine the fate of all of us. And it's how they're influenced, or what influences them and if they can start a conversation with people who're different than they are," the director added.
During the conversation, the two directors touched upon the subject of racism and xenophobia, as Sircar lauded Spielberg for making a "conscious effort" in working with a diverse cast. "It was very important to me that this film represent the Latinx community. There's not a single Puerto Rican character that is not played by a Latinx performing artist," Spielberg said. Later, he also added, "If xenophobia someday can be in a rearview mirror and not in our present-day vernacular...I think all of that can be accomplished by several new generations of young people who really care about each other. If empathy continues to die then everything dies along with it. I feel the secret ingredient in all of this is trying to find or rediscover empathy."
West Side Story is releasing on December 10. Are you excited about the movie? Tell Pinkvilla in the comments below.
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