Rare is the artist who drops into the culture, fully formed and utterly self-created. There were influences, nature and nurture, that shaped them.
That's what the new film "Leonie" is about. Leonie Gilmour wasn't a great artist. She took up with a writer and edited him into near-greatness. He then scurried back to Japan and married somebody else.
But the child from that union became sculptor and landscape architect Isamo Noguchi, one of the major figures in 20th century art.
"Leonie," starring Emily Mortimer as Noguchi's mom, must qualify as the oddest "woman ahead of her time" bio-drama in living memory. Here was an early 20th century alumnus of Bryn Mawr and the Sorbonne who never had much of a career herself, but whose influence came from a child she had outside of a conventional marriage and outside the racial boundaries of her day.
In 1901, she responds to an "editor needed" ad.
That's what the new film "Leonie" is about. Leonie Gilmour wasn't a great artist. She took up with a writer and edited him into near-greatness. He then scurried back to Japan and married somebody else.
But the child from that union became sculptor and landscape architect Isamo Noguchi, one of the major figures in 20th century art.
"Leonie," starring Emily Mortimer as Noguchi's mom, must qualify as the oddest "woman ahead of her time" bio-drama in living memory. Here was an early 20th century alumnus of Bryn Mawr and the Sorbonne who never had much of a career herself, but whose influence came from a child she had outside of a conventional marriage and outside the racial boundaries of her day.
In 1901, she responds to an "editor needed" ad.
- 3/15/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Monterey Media has acquired all U.S. rights to “Leonie,” from director Hisako Matsui. The company plans a winter theatrical release. Emily Mortimer, Christina Hendricks and Shidô Nakamura star in the real-life-based story of journalist-educator Leonie Gilmour and Japanese poet Yone Noguchi, who fall in love and bear a son who becomes famous artist and architect Isamu Noguchi. The film began a festival run in 2010. Read More: Monterey Media To Release "I Kissed a Vampire" iTunes Web Series Theatrically Matsui, who adapted the screenplay with David Wiener from Masayo Duus’ biography, produced the movie with Ashok Amritraj, Masao Nagai, Yuuki Itoh, Patrick Aiello, Joyce Jun, Shuichi Fukatsu and Manu Gargi. ICM Partners, which reps Mortimer, negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Monterey recently released “Road to Nowhere” and “Take Me Home.” “Bringing Up Bobby” comes out later...
- 9/4/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
Monterey Media has acquired U.S. rights to the independent film "Leonie," from director Hisako Matsui. Emily Mortimer stars in the film with Christina Hendricks and Shidô Nakamura. Mortimer plays the American journalist, educator and editor Leonie Gilmour, who falls in love with the famous Japanese poet Yone Noguchi (Shidô Nakamura) and gives birth to a son, the artist and architect Isamu Noguchi. The film is based on a true story. Matsui was inspired to make the project after reading Masayo Duus' "The Life of Isamu Noguchi." Matsui also co-wrote the script and served...
- 8/31/2012
- by Liza Foreman
- The Wrap
Hisako Matsui (Yukie and Oriume) brought her latest film Leonie to Japan Cuts last Friday for its U.S. premiere. Leonie is a biopic on Leonie Gimour (Emily Mortimer) an American journalist who falls in love with Japanese poet Yone Noguchi, and gives birth to their son, Isamu Noguchi, who grows up to become the world famous architect and sculptor. Our correspondent The Lady Miz Diva sat down with Matsui to discuss the long journey of bringing Leonie's life to the big screen. This interview is being crossed-published at Diva's website The Diva Review. The Lady Miz Diva: How do you feel to be screening your film before the New York Japan Cuts audience? Hisako Matsui: For Isamu and Leonie, this is sort of their hometown, so...
- 7/31/2012
- Screen Anarchy
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