"John Lennon: The last interview" : Steven Soderbergh pays tribute to the ex-Beatles in a moving documentary unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival

For almost an hour and a half, he was among the living again. John Lennon: The Last Interview by Steven Soderbergh has just been presented at the Cannes Film Festival in a special screening. On December 8, 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono received three radio journalists in their New York duplex to promote their latest album Double Fantasy. The journalists are first joined by Yoko, John Lennon was in the middle of a photo session with the famous American photographer Annie Leibovitz. The artist of Japanese origin is serene, joyful.

John arrives, just as peaceful, at the top of his art, who gives himself up completely. He talks about his art, his life as a couple, politics, fatherhood… And even the Beatles. The journalists were instructed not to address this sensitive topic, confides Laurie Kaye, one of the three journalists. It is the artist himself who evokes the subject to bring his truth. For the press and public, the breakup of the biggest British band of all time was down to the influence of Yoko Ono.Â

How to dress for an interview? The director of Sex, lies and video, Palme d’Or 1989, is based on the testimonies of the characters present that day, on archive photos and videos and… on generative artificial intelligence for certain passages. Gadget or necessity? The usefulness of this tool remains to be demonstrated. Steven Soderbergh does not convince on this level. The main thing is elsewhere.

John Lennon: The Last Interviewis a suspended moment which speaks of an entire era, that of utopias and disillusionment, that of battles and artistic excitement. The singer experienced the rallies against the Vietnam War, sexual liberation and the arrival of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher to power.

John Lennon confides that he had two exceptional encounters in his life: Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. Two personal and artistic encounters. By closing the Beatles chapter, he embarked on another path, more in line with his principles. In his raspy and joyful voice, he expresses all his happiness as an artist, husband and father. The artist is satisfied with his new experiences, the man is filled with love. “I am finally myself since meeting Yoko”.

The archives make this voice more alive than ever. Yet a few hours later, she will remain silent forever. Shortly after 10 p.m., he was shot four times in front of his wife.