Kirk Douglas, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 103, was one of the last great stars of old Hollywood.
He worked in more than 90 movies and directed two films.
He came to shoot under the orders of the most famous directors and was nominated for an Oscar three times.
"To the world he was a legend," said his son, also actor and producer Michael Douglas, the day he died, "but to me he was just dad."
A father from whom he inherited a passion for cinema and who he now remembers for having helped him climb his career.
"Having a father who was a movie star and an actress mother [Diana Douglas], I was able to see their insecurities and distinguish the person who was on the screen from the one who was in real life," he explained at the fourth Annual Festival Meihodo International Youth Audiovisual Media, held on February 19 and where he has been guest of honor.
After a round of questions, the 77-year-old actor has assured that he began to absorb this knowledge from an early age.
"I learned to treat this like a true business professional, and not get caught up in the image that people try to create of you," he added in his speech.
Diana died in July 2015 at the age of 92, and married Kirk in 1943, whom she eventually divorced in 1951. Kirk then married philanthropist and film producer Anne Buydens, who died in April 2021 at the age of 102. When his father died, it was Michael Douglas himself who issued a statement to the press reporting the events.
"It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas has left us today," he began.
"He was an actor from the golden age of cinema, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard to which all of us aspire," he then confessed in the emotional letter.
“To Catherine he was a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great-grandson his loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne a wonderful husband,” she continued.
"Kirk lived a good life, and now leaves behind a legacy in cinema that will last for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to help the public and bring peace to the planet," added the actor, highlighting the work of his father in matters also far from the cinema, since he dedicated part of his energies to the political and social struggle, and supported the American Democratic Party for decades.
In fact, before he died, he allocated 90% of his fortune to charity projects.
"Let me finish with the words that I said to him on his last birthday and that will always be true: Dad, I love you very much and I am very proud to be your son," he concluded,
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Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, one of the longest marriages in Hollywood thanks to Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith and a bouquet of flowers
The rest of the questions made to the interpreter of
Basic Instinct
have focused mainly on the theme around which the festival revolves: the digital revolution.
During the day, Douglas has been in charge of announcing the winners who have received personalized NFTs and cryptocurrencies, awarding a prize of 20,000 dollars (approximately 17,600 euros) to the most outstanding audiovisual work among the participating young filmmakers, out of a total of 100,000 dollars (around 88,200 euros) that was distributed among the winners.
"I have had the good fortune to work in the film business for decades and I am honored and excited to connect with young filmmakers," said the actor.
The festival, which was created in 2018 in Japan and this edition was held in New York, aims to support and promote young international independent film creators.
The three categories this year have been drama, documentary and musical.