Jesse Eisenberg Picks Up Indie Star Award at American Film Festival, Talks ‘A Real Pain’: ‘I Wanted to Make an American Indie Film, but in Poland’

variety.com:

Marta Balaga Jesse Eisenberg picked up the Indie Star Award at Poland’s American Film Festival and met with the local audience to talk about sophomore directorial effort “A Real Pain.” “Two years ago, I was finishing the script.

You start the very embarrassing process of begging producers to give you money to make it. When they asked me how I’d describe the movie, I told them the same thing: ‘I want to make an American indie film, but in Poland,’” he said. “I grew up doing American independent films and loving American independent films, but I didn’t want to make another version of this intimate American ‘buddy movie.’ What I was trying to tell these financiers was that there hasn’t been a movie like this, about these two guys exploring their past, but set against the backdrop of this amazing, beautiful country.

I cannot think of a better audience and a better film festival to play this movie.” In “A Real Pain,” starring Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes, two cousins head to Poland to explore their family’s roots and celebrate their late grandmother.

According to festival director Urszula Śniegowska, Eisenberg’s “talent and dedication have made an indelible mark on the film industry and his work continues to resonate and inspire across generations.” She added: “His career has been one of range, depth and fearless exploration of characters.