2002 Cannes Film Festival

This film festival’s biggest interest along with George Lucas’ `Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones`, is `Gangs of New York`, which pictured the power struggle between Irish and Italian immigrants at New York’s back street `Five Points` in the 1860s.

Countless number of fans and press reporters gathered at the Festival Palace with great interest for the movie.

The theater was especially packed with directors, stars, and crowds, who came to pay `homage` to the movie’s director Martin Scorsese, as well as main characters Leonardo DiCaprio (28) and Cameron Diaz (30). It almost resembled the opening ceremony with the same kind of heat.

The day’s star Scorsese appeared with DiCaprio and Diaz on his sides.

Born in Queens, New York, Scorsese earned his fame by picturing the minority lives in the city through movies like `Taxi Driver` and `Good Fellas`. Previewed `Gangs of New York` followed the previous works’ code through superstars like DiCaprio.

“The 1860s, which was the background for `Gangs of New York`, was the most violent time in the American history. My personality is also violent and passionate just like New York,” introduced Scorsese, who even produced a TV documentary called `New York at the Movies` this year, concentrating on expressing his hometown through images.

The first gangster movie in 12 years since `Good Fellas`, `Gangs of New York`, plots that in the process of his father’s revenge against Bill (Daniel Day-Lewis), descendant of an Irish immigrant, Amsterdam (DiCaprio), falls in love with his enemy’s mistress Jenny (Diaz). The movie brings out the power struggle that occurred between the Nativists and the Irish immigrants.

DiCaprio and Diaz, who worked with the film master for the first time, did not hide their love for him. “I was just excited about working together with Scorsese,” explained DiCaprio about his violent act in Rome, Italy, where the film was shot.

“I didn’t shoot this movie just to earn a few million dollars,” said Diaz, who flew from Hollywood to New York for the audition.

Scorsese said that the movie has been in his heart and mind since 1970, when he first read a non-fiction about Amsterdam Vallon’s story. His long-waited plan and passion for the movie resulted in a discord with the producer over the movie’s length.

He originally planned to make a 3-hour production, but Miramax persuaded him to cut it down to 2 hours and 44 minutes. The movie will be released at Christmas in the U.S., and at the beginning of next year in Korea.

Sue-Jean Kang sjkang@donga.com