Santa Barbara International Film The festival celebrated a huge goat for its 40th anniversary: US premiere of Kevin Costners “Horizon: an American Saga – Chapter 2” on Friday, February 7th. The show is five months to the day after it premiered in Venice last September and marked the second part of Costner’s planned four -part Western Epic. After the show, festival director Roger Durling held a question and answers with Costner, costume designer Lisa Lovaas and composer John Debney.
Costner immediately began talking about what initially drew him to want to bring this story to the silver screen, before he emphasizes finally giving women their deserved spotlights in the genre. “We were told if we could get over that Atlantic, there was a place. It was like Eden’s garden, and if you were mean enough and tough enough, you could make it for yours, “Costner said.
“The dream that brought people across the Atlantic was a nightmare for the people who had been here for 15,000 years,” he continued. “This country was questioned all the way across America. It was a bad end for the Indians who were here, but I’m not embarrassed by it, I’m just disturbed that we don’t know anymore about it. And I was always disturbed that we had no more women in our Westerners, because there were no Western ones without women. ”
When Costner began to collaborate the project with Jon Baird, the desire to put women at the forefront became clearer and clearer. “In order for us to think that a woman could not be coordinated right in front of a group of people, I think we are kidding ourselves. It is happening now, around the world. When we started writing, we couldn’t keep women away from it, and they just kept running down themes for all our stories. It was just easier with them in it, ”he said. As he repeatedly emphasized under his answers, women take a much needed humanity to history, one that Costner felt “guilty” to share.
“I think I am obliged to try to find these things because if we are not, we are just Bashing,” he said. “It is the little things in our lives that capture us, that we will never forget, but movies are the same way. They are about details that you in any way never forget. You try to build them. Just keep up with behavior, it’s pretty damn entertaining. ”
Moderator Durling continued to share his praise for how Costner depicted the role of trade and similar violence in the film, something he could not remember that Westerners did so well earlier. “There are sellers during every century. There are liars during every century. There is heroism and there is cowardice during every century,” reflected Costner.
“We should not be surprised that we are not so different from these people. When you see Sienna Miller, the incredible Sienna Miller, finally realized that she had a home, even if it is in dirt, someone built this woman a home, “Costner said. “It was a struggle. It was not a country in Disneyland. It was a struggle, and there was beauty and there was heroism and only the pure act of raising your children was heroic. “
At the end of the second part, Costner seems optimistic for its planned next two chapters in the fairy tale. “I started this in 1988. I couldn’t do it then and it didn’t seem like anyone liked it too much, so I thought” fuck it, I will write four more. “I love Hollywood. I’m a romantic about what we can be and what we are, he said.
Costner, who brought his film to Santa Barbara, was something that worked at least a couple of years in creation, something he thanked Durling. “I would also like to just say to you thanks for honoring a movie and filled this theater,” Costner said. “I want to thank Roger, who said he would help me two years ago and he brought movies from all over the world here. This is where I make my home and you made me feel like a giant tonight. “
