Plan B Co-Founder Dede Gardner Stands Firm in Los Angeles Amid Political Turmoil
Dede Gardner, co-founder of Plan B Entertainment and Los Angeles native, remains defiant against the Trump administration's policies and their potential impact on the city.
In a masterclass moderated by Variety's Elsa Keslassy, Gardner shared her initial impulse to relocate to Europe, particularly after Plan B's partnership with Mediawan. However, she emphasized her conviction to continue telling important stories in Los Angeles despite the political climate.
"There are days when you think this isn't sustainable. What's going to happen?" Gardner admitted. "But then there are other days where I feel strongly that I should stay here, be on the front line, and be near the change."
Gardner draws inspiration from Mike Davis's book "City of Quartz," which posits that events in Los Angeles often foreshadow national trends. "Everything that happens in LA happens 20 years before it happens in the United States," she explained. "So, you can't run. You have to stay and push for stories that counteracts the erasure of history."
Regarding the platforming of underrepresented talent, Gardner emphasized the responsibility of filmmakers with resources. "If someone gives you money to play with, you better play well," she said.
Plan B's upcoming project, "Nickel Boys," based on a novel by Colson Whitehead, required a filmmaker who could capture the book's narrative nuances. "We needed a filmmaker who's going to protect this move," Gardner explained. "The storytelling and filmmaking had to meet halfway."
"Mickey 17," another Plan B project, also underwent significant changes under the direction of Bong Joon Ho. "We had an instinct that Bong would respond to the book's themes," Gardner said. "He changed it a lot, but the underbelly and the main keel is there."