Dakota Johnson said cinema “feels really grim” in the US right now, in stark contrast to her initial experience at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
“There’s so much I’m learning from being here,” said Johnson. “In the States it feels really grim; and even in the less than 24 hours that I’ve been here [in Saudi Arabia], I have a renewed faith in cinema.”
Johnson was giving the latest In Conversation session at the festival, in which she discussed running her own production company TeaTime Pictures.
She did not directly reference the Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros, news of which was announced shortly before her session.
“The thing I feel about this festival is inspired,” said Johnson. “I feel inspired to operate this way in our own production company in the States; I want to support all these filmmakers.”
Johnson also praised Jomana R. Alrashid, chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation. “Jomana – what a woman,” said the actress. “I’m kind of at a loss for words.”
The 35-minute session ran shorter than most of the other In Conversation events, with Johnson not taking any audience questions at the end.
Having come to worldwide renown for her role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades Of Grey trilogy, Johnson has appeared in films including Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash and Suspiria, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter, Carrie Cracknell’s Jane Austen adaptation Persuasion, and Sony blockbuster Madame Web.
This year she starred in Michael Angelo Covino’s Cannes Premiere title Splitsville, and Celine Song’s romantic drama Materialists with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal.
Her upcoming titles include Michael Showalter’s crime drama Verity with Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett; and Johnson’s own directorial debut A Tree Is Blue, starring Charli XCX, Vanessa Burghardt and fellow Red Sea attendee Jessica Alba.
The Red Sea In Conversation programme continues this afternoon with Ana de Armas.
RSIFF runs until Saturday, December 13.
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