Asif Kapadia on Why He Focused on Documentaries After Harvey Weinstein ‘Killed’ ‘The Warrior’

variety.com:

Addie Morfoot Contributor On Monday, Oscar-winning documentarian Asif Kapadia told a roomful of CPH:DOX Conference attendees that he might have never directed a nonfiction film had it not been for Harvey Weinstein “killing” his first narrative feature film, “The Warrior.” “The Warrior,” starring the late Irrfan Khan (“Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Lunchbox”), is about a mercenary directed by an evil warlord to wreak havoc on a rural village in Rajasthan by forcing the poor inhabitants to pay taxes.

In 2003, the film won two BAFTAs for outstanding debut and outstanding British Film. But according to Kapadia, the film garnered no attention outside of England due to Weinstein, who bought worldwide rights – excluding the U.K. – in 2001. “I was flown out to New York to meet Weinstein, and everyone was saying how great it was that the film had sold to Miramax,” Kapadia said. “I remember saying why I did not feel good about (the deal).” At the meeting, Kapadia described a roomful of initially friendly executives who quickly became silent and could not look the director in the eye after Weinstein entered the conference room. “Weinstein pushed this pile of scripts towards me and said, ‘Pick a movie (because) your next film has to be with me, or I don’t release “The Warrior.”’ And not only that, he says, ‘Your next three movies have to be with me.’” Not wanting to be locked into a contract, Kapadia refused the offer, and Weinstein “killed the film.” “Even now ‘The Warrior’ cannot be shown around the world,” the helmer told moderator Thom Powers. “Even Irrfan Khan tried to get that film shown.

Now nobody even knows who owns it. I can look at the experience now and go: ‘That was a big opportunity for (my drama career), and it died