At Long Last, Terry Gilliam Has Screened “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote”

We are so pleased to report that after almost 30 years, Terry Gilliam was finally able to show The Man Who Killed Don Quixote to an audience. Closing out the famed Cannes Film Festival Saturday night, the gathered audience treated the 77 year old filmmaker to a standing ovation last almost 15 minutes long.  Why you ask? Because he’s finally completed his quest.

We’re not kidding when we say almost 30 years, as this seemingly impossible dream of Gilliam’s began life back in 1989. He originally signed a deal to make the film (then titled Don Quixote) with Phoenix Pictures in 1990, but funding fell through on it until sometime in 1998.  There was also the matter of the ever-rotating cast list, which never quite seemed to firm up.

In 2002, there was a documentary released about the attempted making of Gilliam’s Quixote called Lost In La Mancha, and it seemed like it was the end of the journey for the project.  Probably the best touchstone of how band and development hell can be, Gilliam never lost faith that someday he’d be able to complete and share his vision.

So imagine everyone’s absolute glee when the film began actual real production, and completed said-production.

There have also been no shortage of legalities around the film also, from insurers to former producing partners who filed and won (and then lost) motions to block the completed film from screening this year.  And there was that health scare for Terry just last week- which he cleared up shortly thereafter.

Last night, on the final night of Cannes, the film was shown for the very first time to an audience, and the responses on Twitter of viewers has been extremely positive and supportive.

My little Paris trip has come to an end. Was it all worth it to travel so far for a film? Well, it’s not a film, it’s *the film*. I had been waiting for 18 years and this trip is a kind of homage to Quixote himself and to my beloved @TerryGilliam thank you sir ❤ @quixotemovie pic.twitter.com/CXurRzFp1d

— Raffaella ❄ (@salmakia77) May 20, 2018

Thanks and congrats,Terry.”Soñar el sueño imposible,luchar contra el enemigo imposible,correr donde valientes no se atrevieron,alcanzar la estrella inalcanzable.Ese es mi destino” D.Quijote#themanwhokilleddonquixote #terrygilliam #quixotevive #terrydelamancha #donquijotegilliam pic.twitter.com/8JNM9jKHi0

— Laura Galán (@lauragalanm) May 20, 2018

Brinquebalant, certes, mais extraordinairement touchant pour qui s’intéresse à Terry Gilliam, #LHommeQuiTuaDonQuichotte est un film-exorcisme, le rêve de quelqu’un qui se regarde rêver et se demande où tout cela a bien pu l’amener.
Quixote Vive, et Gilliam est immortel.

— jerome (@jeromeamilou) May 19, 2018

And perhaps the most emotional moment, the standing ovation that followed the end credits:

he fuckin did it!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Z6Q9gGoRkk

— karen han (@karenyhan) May 19, 2018

Photojournalist Valery Hache captured the moment with this incredible black and white photo:

Terry Gilliam pendant la cérémonie de clôture du #FestivalDeCannes #Cannes2018 #AFPphoto pic.twitter.com/laCumlBqrs

— Valery HACHE (@ValeryHache) May 19, 2018

Well done, Mr. Gilliam. I cannot WAIT to see this film.