Matt Dillon, one of contemporary US cinema’s most iconic figures, is the honorary guest at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) and spoke extensively about his latest films, Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, and delved briefly into US politics.
The Hollywood star spoke about the Presidential election. “Of course, I voted! Without going into a long discussion about my politics and opinions, I’ll just tell you that I voted for Kamala Harris. This is my choice and I feel comfortable with it, [as] I consider her the best candidate.”
But the main focus of his conference in Thessaloniki was movies. Three films starring Matt Dillon are screened at the 65th TIFF. These are Being Maria (2024), City of Ghosts (2002) and Interfears (2023).
Matt Dillon will be awarded the honorary Golden Alexander of the Festival at the Olympian Cinema, at the screening of the film City of Ghosts which marked his debut as a director and screenwriter.
Replying to a question about Being Maria, his latest film in which he plays Marlon Brando at the time he starred in Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, Matt Dillon said:
“I couldn’t resist [taking] part in this film. Marlon Brando is incredibly influential and has changed the course of cinema many times in his career. I loved the script: the portrayal was fair and honest. Later I kind of regretted it because it was really a very difficult task, given that Marlon Brando was one of the most interesting people of the 20th century. But at the same time, I enjoyed this challenge.”
He added that playing Brando was a risk. “I like to take risks in my career, and this was one of the biggest ones I’ve taken,” he admitted. “I will always look at Brando with a feeling of gratitude because he really had a huge influence on me. Marlon Brando changed the image of the American man—there was no more John Wayne.”
Matt Dillon on Yorgos Lanthimos
Matt Dillon also spoke about his collaboration with Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos in the short film Nimic:
“I love his work, he’s an amazing filmmaker, one of the few truly special cinematic voices in the world. It’s a great opportunity for an actor to work with him. I sometimes had a hard time understanding. I feel like I’m still not sure what the movie is about. But I want to work with him again, [as] he is fantastic, and you are lucky as Greeks to have such a great creator. To be precise, Yorgos Lanthimos may be Greek, but he belongs to all of us.”
With the immense praise of “the best actor of his generation” under his belt, attributed to him by legendary film critic Roger Ebert, Dillon has teamed up with a series of renowned directors in films that left their mark on cinema history.
Among others are Rumble Fish and The Outsiders by Francis Ford Coppola, Drugstore Cowboy by Gus Van Sant, and Crash by Paul Haggis. It was a performance that garnered him a Best Supporting Actor nomination both in the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
Most recently, Matt Dillon starred in the film Haunted Heart by Fernando Trueba, shot in Greece. In 2022, he visited Thessaloniki and Olympion Theater, and he promised to return for one of TIFF’s editions.
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