Another Coppola steps behind the camera for the coming-of-age high school tale Palo Alto. Following in the footsteps of her grandfather Francis Ford Coppola and aunt Sofia comes Gia Coppola, daughter of Francis’ son Gian-Carlo (who passed away at age 22). Gia not only makes her feature film directorial debut with Palo Alto but also adapted James Franco’s book of short stories for the screen.
Tribeca Film will release Palo Alto in theaters on May 9, 2014. The cast includes James Franco, Emma Roberts, Zoe Levin, Jack Kilmer, Claudia Levy, Chris Messina, and Val Kilmer.
The Plot:
Shy, sensitive April (Roberts) is the class virgin – a popular soccer player and frequent babysitter for her single-dad coach, Mr. B. (Franco). Teddy (Jack Kilmer) is an introspective artist whose best friend and sidekick Fred is an unpredictable live wire with few filters or boundaries. While April negotiates a dangerous affair with Mr. B., and Teddy performs community service for a DUI – secretly carrying a torch for April, who may or may not share his affection – Fred seduces Emily (Levin), a promiscuous loner who seeks validation through sexual encounters.
One high-school party bleeds into another as April and Teddy finally acknowledge their mutual affection, and Fred’s escalating recklessness spirals into chaos.
