Hoffman Premieres 'Quartet' at London Film Festival

Dustin Hoffman's directing debut 'Quartet' premieres at the London Film Festival. The Hollywood veteran was joined on the red carpet by the film's stellar cast, including Dame Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Tom Courtenay.

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7 months ago

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Entertainment

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Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay

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London, United Kingdom

Transcript

Dustin Hoffman has spent most of his career in front of the camera. And finally, at the age of 75, the Hollywood veteran has made the leap from acting to directing. "Quartet" - a comedy about a group of retired opera singers living at a care home in the British countryside, received the thumbs up from audiences at the Toronto Film Festival. The positive response so far certainly made for a very happy looking Dustin Hoffman in London on Monday (October 15). SOUNDBITE: Dustin Hoffman, director, saying (English): "This is the most relaxed I've ever been on a red carpet." "It feels like you finally got a chance to hold the paint brush. And that's a wonderful feeling." The-two-time Academy Award winner was joined on the red carpet by his wife and members of the cast, including Dame Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and Tom Courtenay. Hoffman was in high praise of the actors, saying they made his transition to director very easy. SOUNDBITE: Dustin Hoffman, director, saying (English): "It's not hard, it's actually very easy because actors tend to be silent directors in the sense that we give each other acting hints constantly, once -- we wait for the director to go to the bathroom. So it's a natural transition." "Quartet", which will be out in cinemas in January, has already been generating some early award season buzz around some of the performances. As for Hoffman, he is already looking at new directing projects.