Ep. 66: How to Update a Classic Work for 2018

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with acclaimed writer and director Ramin Bahrani. Bahrani, who is best known for his independent dramas 'Man Push Cart', 'Chop Shop' and '99 Homes', has recently released the new film through HBO; an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian classic ‘Fahrenheit 451’, starring Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon. The novel was previously made into a film by François Truffaut in 1966. Bahrani talks about why he wanted to engage with Bradbury in 2018, how he was able to update a 65 year old story for the digital age, and why the genre of science fiction lends itself so well to political commentary. He also talks about his fear of technology, his fascination with directors Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, and why, despite his love of cinema, he elected to take this project straight to television.