‘Sacrifice’ Director Romain Gavras Wasn’t Afraid to Take Gucci’s Money and Still Make Fun of Them

"Romain Gavras' latest film, 'Sacrifice,' has finally arrived on Netflix after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival more than a year ago. The movie, directed by Gavras, stars Anya Taylor-Joy as an environmentally conscious terrorist who hijacks a group of wealthy individuals at a fundraiser. Among the cast are Chris Evans and Vincent Cassel, who play action star and tech mogul characters, respectively.

The film, which is currently streaming, took almost a year to make its way to American viewers due to Gavras' long-held idea.

During an interview, Gavras recounted that he had been carrying the concept of 'Sacrifice' with him for a long time, even walking into award ceremonies with the notion. He explained that he was inspired by an event in London, where he felt the fakeness and virtue signaling of charity events was so extreme that it couldn't be portrayed realistically in a film.

Drawing from his own Greek heritage and memories of his father, Costa-Gavras, Gavras aimed to create a mythical and faith-based group of terrorists, rather than a typical modern-day terrorist group.

This concept evolved into 'Sacrifice,' which features a performative group of extreme believers meeting at a vanity gala. Gavras collaborated with playwright Will Arbery to write the film. He drew inspiration from Greek marble quarries and classic fantasy films, as well as memories of shooting a music video in a 1000-year-old quarry. Gavras wanted to make a big sword-and-sandal movie one day, as "Gladiator" was one of his favorite films.

An unexpected surprise in 'Sacrifice' is the inclusion of luxury brand Gucci as a co-producer. Gavras explained that Gucci had read and liked his script, offering to help cover production costs. He found this meta approach interesting, as Gucci's presence in a film that ridicules the wealthy highlights the absurdity of their actions. Salma Hayek plays a character who is not her typical self, adding another layer to the film's satirical approach.

Gavras, known for his films "The World Is Yours" and "Athena," is aware of Hollywood's tendency to adapt European and South American directors for Marvel movies. However, he chose to make an independent film that he could be proud of, rather than following that path. The cast was keen on working on an unconventional project, which allowed Gavras to create a roller coaster of absurdity, violence, humor, and beauty in 'Sacrifice.'