Gus Van Sant's 'Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot' has a snowy red carpet premiere at Sundance

Gus Van Sant’s ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ has a snowy red carpet premiere at Sundance

By Colleen Shalby

Jan. 20, 2018 1:55 PM PT

The snow arrived early at Sundance, but, as they say, the show must got on. And so it did.

At the red carpet for “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot,” the dress attire was blizzard casual. In Park City fashion, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Jack Black, Beth Ditto, director Gus Van Sant and composer Danny Elfman arrived with coats and boots in tow.

It was a stark contrast from the breezy 1970s look of the film, which depicts the true-life story of John Callahan (played by Phoenix), a Portland, Ore., man who turns to cartooning in place of alcohol after an accident leaves him paralyzed.

Van Sant knew of fellow Portlander Callahan and thought his story was one that could benefit others.

“Sometimes, I make a film that’s a learning film — something that’s about something that can really benefit somebody.”

FULL COVERAGE: Sundance Film Festival 2018 »

One of Van Sant’s more recent such films, “Milk,” is among several on which he has collaborated with Elfman.

Director Gus Van Sant, actor Jonah Hill, actor Joaquin Phoenix and actor Jack Black photographed in the L.A. Times Studio at Chase Sapphire on Main during the Sundance Film Festival.

Asked why he chose to work on this film, Elfman didn’t miss a beat.

“That guy next to me: Gus Van Sant.”

Elfman knew of Callahan’s cartoons. But wasn’t aware of his backstory.

“The film is really strange and interesting. When he told me about it, I thought he was kidding. I thought it was like a fiction. That can’t be real,” he added, “It was incredible to understand what he actually is like.”

Amazon Studios will release “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” in theaters later this year.