EXCLUSIVE: Jim Jarmusch, The Dead Don’t Die: “Fuck The Politicians!”

The director and the cast of the horror-comedy Dead Don’t Die stepped out on the sunny roof of the photocall area of the Palais Des Festivals on the 15th May 2019. The busy photo call followed by the press conference where most of the main cast – excluding the elusive Adam Driver -, producer, DOP, and costume designer of the film were present to answer the questions of the journalists.

Tilda Swinton © Joe Alvarez

Following Thierry Fremaux’s opening press conference, where he mentioned The Dead Don’t Die and explicitly called it anti-Trump, there was a great deal of speculation in the media and even the film critics were sure to include their conclusions and comparisons with Thierry’s opinions.

Selena Gomez © Joe Alvarez

So, it’s not surprising then that the first question at the press conference coming from the host was whether the film is actually political. The silver-haired film director Jim Jarmusch who was sitting throughout the photo call and the press conference in his sunglasses – admitted that the zombies themselves are a ‘laden metaphor’. So much so, that reading the film reviews in the morning following last night’s world premiere, Jim was surprised to read meanings and interpretations he didn’t even look into or thought through. “So, zombies are a very complex metaphor,” the director added.

The film inspired by George Romero

Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, Jamie Jarmusch The Dead Don’t Die photocall Cannes – Cannes © Joe Alvarez

Jarmusch admitted during the press conference that the film is inspired by the great George Romero. “I look up at him and in fact, there are many references in this film to his work”.

The Director of Dead Don’t Die about politics

Ever since that press conference where Thierry Fremaux – the director of the Cannes Film Festival – has put his personal spin on to the film, there was a great deal of speculation about it. So we made sure to ask him whether it truly was an anti-Trump film.

Coming from the horse’s mouth, Jamie told us “it is not anti-Trump. It’s anti-political.” As if that alone wasn’t clear enough, he added to the camera, “Fuck the politicians!” Thus, clearing all and any doubts in the language that anyone should be able to understand.

Bill Murray © Joe Alvarez

We couldn’t agree more, of course, as we wrote time and time again that filmmaking – and film awards for that matter – have become too politicised. It seems like in our day and age, everything has to do with advocacy, virtue signalling and ‘activism’ as opposed to character-developing and storytelling.