Megadoc

A raw, fly-on-the-wall documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-long journey in creating his self-financed passion project, Megalopolis. The bold and unrelenting epic returns in Mike Figgis’ portrait of Coppola’s creative process — weaving together archival material, unfiltered cast interviews, and a close-up view of how the legendary filmmaker drew from Roman history, political allegory, and his own singular vision to shape the world of Megalopolis. This isn’t a record of a production on the brink, it’s a personal memoir unfolding in real time.

This began by chance — I heard Francis was finally making his long-dreamed passion project, so I sent a congratulatory note with a cheeky offer to be a “fly on the wall.” He emailed: Did I have a work visa, and could I get to Atlanta fast? So off I went, gear in tow. My colleague Tara Li-An joined as producer, and we quickly set up shop. With no set plan, we started filming Megadoc. I wasn’t interested in a typical behind-the-scenes piece and I realised I had to change my approach so I downsized to a Nikon Z8 rig to stay agile and unobtrusive. Francis gave me full access — including archives — and the cast and crew gradually opened up about his unique methods. As an indie filmmaker, witnessing a large-scale production and a legend like Mr. Coppola at work was a revelation. Tensions and challenges arose, but my only job was to keep batteries charged and cameras rolling. What a privilege to be a witness to such a moment in film history.

PRODUCTION 1:
Red Mullet - Tara Li-An
Unit 22 Waterside 44-48 Wharf Road
N1 7UX London, United Kingdom
E-mail: tara@red-mullet.com

PRODUCTION 2:
American Zoetrope - James Mockoski
916 Kearny St
94133 San Francisco, United States of America
Tel: +1 415 788 7500
E-mail: james_mockoski@ffcnotes.com

WORLD SALES:
Red Mullet - Tara Li-An
Unit 22 Waterside 44-48 Wharf Road
N1 7UX London, United Kingdom
E-mail: tara@red-mullet.com

PRESS OFFICE:
Ali Agalar - Red Mullet
Unit 22 Waterside 44-48 Wharf Road London, N1 7UX United Kingdom
N1 7UX London, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 7765860620
E-mail: assistant@red-mullet.com