John Turturro at the Masterclass: Forget Masterpieces, It’s Hard to Make a Decent Film

During the discussion at the Festival Center (Bosnian Cultural Center), the esteemed filmmaker reflected on key moments in his career, the motivation that led him to acting, and the importance of mental health care.

"Ever since I can remember, I loved watching movies. I often watched old films from the 1930s and 1940s with my parents and completely fell in love with them. First with American cinema, and later with films from around the world. Actors like James Cagney, Bette Davis, Burt Lancaster, and Marlon Brando were my whole world. We didn’t travel much, so films allowed me to at least emotionally travel the globe," Turturro said during the conversation moderated by Alissa Simon.

Born into a family of Italian immigrants, John Turturro grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York. Although they often watched movies together, as a child, he never imagined that he could be in front of the camera.

"I didn’t even know that profession existed. It wasn’t until my mother took me to the theater as a teenager that I realized. In the theater, I could almost touch the actors, feel that they were people, not just images on the screen. That’s when I fell in love with acting, in high school," said Turturro, who studied acting at SUNY New Paltz and the Yale School of Drama.

The Honorary Heart of Sarajevo, awarded to him for his exceptional contribution to the film industry and outstanding acting, screenwriting, and directing talent, will be presented to the American filmmaker tonight, August 21, at the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema. On this occasion, the film Barton Fink by the Coen brothers, in which Turturro delivered a critically acclaimed performance in the title role, will be screened.

"When they offered me the film, I first thought it was called Burp and Think," Turturro said with a smile. He also emphasized that he is grateful to the Coen brothers for writing roles for him, helping him escape the stereotypical roles of criminals, villains, and lunatics that he had been getting in Hollywood until then.

During the masterclass, a series of clips from his films were shown, but the biggest applause was reserved for the iconic bowling scene from The Big Lebowski, in which Turturro plays Jesus Quintana.

"I just wanted to entertain my friends. So, on set, I was goofing around, completely overacting, like you would do when you go bowling with friends. I didn’t know the Coen brothers would use that, add the Gypsy Kings' music, and turn it into an unforgettable scene," Turturro admitted, who later reprised the role of Jesus in The Jesus Rolls—a film he also wrote and directed.

In addition to his impressive acting career, Turturro has directed a number of respected films. His directorial debut, Mac, won the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993. Other films he directed and/or wrote include Illuminata, Romance & Cigarettes, Passione, Fading Gigolo, and The Jesus Rolls.

"When I direct, I like everyone on set to feel relaxed. That’s why I prepare a lot, sometimes we even do silly improvisations, all to make everyone feel as comfortable as they would in their bedroom when no one is watching," the American filmmaker revealed about his directorial approach.

During the conversation, he also reflected on his roles in Hollywood blockbusters, which differ greatly from the auteur films that made him famous.

"I usually compare myself to a plumber, but high-budget films are—my electrician’s job," the actor joked, noting that he accepted the role in the Transformers film series at the urging of his children—and he has no regrets.

In recent years, like many actors, Turturro has increasingly appeared in television series. He won an Emmy Award for his guest appearance in Monk and received Golden Globe and SAG nominations for his role in HBO’s The Night Of. He will also be seen in the second season of Apple’s series Severance, and it was during the discussion about this series that the topic of mental illness and its portrayal in film came up.

"I was the legal guardian of my older brother. Ralph was extremely smart and talented but suffered from schizophrenia. I know how difficult and lonely it can be for those who are ill, but also for the people who are with them on that arduous journey," Turturro said, emphasizing that we should have more stories like this. "My brother is no longer with us, but he used to say that I get a lot of material from him. And he wasn’t wrong."

In response to a question about his influences, the filmmaker stated that he always returns to Beckett and Chekhov but also admires many other playwrights and directors.

"It’s hard to make a decent film. Forget about making a masterpiece or even just a great film; that happens rarely. So, when you see something good, you have to appreciate the work and the people behind it," Turturro said at the masterclass held at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival.