Takes aim at Donald Trump and the rise of fascism (neo-right politics).

“What’s happening in America, in our republic, in our democracy is exactly how Rome lost their republic thousands of years ago,” The Godfather filmmaker said during a press conference for the movie after it’s Cannes world premiere on Thursday night.

“Our politics have taken us to the point where we might lose a republic, and so it’s not people who have become politicians who are going to be the answer, it’s the artists of America.”

“The role of the artist is to illuminate contemporary life, to shine a light on it, to be the headlight. So, to make art that does not illuminate contemporary life is like making a hamburger that you eat that has no nutrition in it, which is also going on,” continued Coppola.

Coppola was asked how afraid he is of the future, and especially politicians like former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Coppola emphasized, “Men like Donald Trump are not at the moment in charge, but there is a trend happening in the world … there is a trend toward the more neo-right, even fascist division, which is frightening. Anyone who was alive during World War II saw the horrors that took place, and we don’t want a repeat of that. Again, I think it’s the role of artists of films to shine a light on what’s happening in the world.”