‘Amelie’ director ‘disgusted’ by plans for Broadway musical

PARIS (AFP) ― The director of “Amelie” has said he is “disgusted” by plans to turn the hit French movie into a Broadway musical, but sold the rights anyway to support a charity.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet said he hated Broadway with a passion and had a horror of musicals, but had finally decided to sell and use the proceeds to fund medical treatment for children.

“I hate Broadway. I think it is the very incarnation of tackiness,” said the acclaimed French director in a radio interview.

“For a long time I resisted, I turned down every offer. But 10 years later, there’s a bit of a crisis. I support an organization called Mecenat Chirurgie Cardiac (Heart Surgery Patronage). It costs 10,000 euros ($13,500) to save a child, I have already helped to save a good dozen children, and then I thought this could be an opportunity to save more,” he said.

Jeunet said this made him suppress his qualms about the project, despite a “profound disgust” for musical comedy.

“I can tell you that I will not go to see it, I don’t even want to hear about it, I won’t listen to what they do, but if it brings in some money, well maybe I can save a few lives, and that’s the only reason I accepted,” he added.

“Amelie” was nominated for five Oscars including best foreign movie when it was released in 2001, and took $152 million at the box office.

It will be adapted for Broadway by the American composer Dan Messe.