When James Franco announced he was to play a role in the TV series General Hospital, it caused quite a stir. Franco is known as a serious actor, so what was he doing in a soap series? There were rumours that his performance had something to do with an art project.
Not such a crazy theory, as James Franco (who acted in Spider-Man, 127 Hours and Howl) has many talents. He directs, writes, studies and makes (performance) art. Francophrenia demonstrates that there is more to his role as artist/murderer Franco in General Hospital than meets the eye.
The film starts innocently: we follow him during a day's shooting of the soap series. But it soon becomes clear that directors Ian Olds and Franco didn't want to make an ordinary documentary. In voice-over, we hear Franco's thoughts as these become increasingly paranoid and megalomaniacal. Francophrenia is a humorous, experimental psycho-thriller that Franco grandly and stunningly trips up. 'I'm everywhere. I'm the light of this world!'
- Directors
- Ian Olds, James Franco
- Premiere
- World premiere
- Country of production
- USA
- Year
- 2012
- Festival Edition
- IFFR 2012
- Length
- 69'
- Medium
- HDcam
- Language
- English
- Producers
- Vince Jolivette, Miles Levy
- Production Company
- Rabbit Bandini Productions
- Sales
- Rabbit Bandini Productions
- Screenplay
- Paul Felten, Ian Olds
- Cinematography
- Doug Chamberlain
- Editor
- Ian Olds
- Music
- Joe DeNardo, Kevin Doria
- Cast
- Vince Jolivette, James Franco