Scarlett Johansson Returns from Filming Abroad for ‘Paper Tiger’ NYFF Premiere

Scarlett Johansson recently paused her international shooting schedule to join co-stars Adam Driver and Miles Teller for the New York Film Festival premiere of “Paper Tiger,” which served as the opening night film for the 64th edition of the event.

Arriving fresh off a long-haul flight, the actress admitted she was dealing with significant jet lag. “I’m hallucinating,” Johansson joked during the stage interview, noting the early morning hour. She revealed that she had been in the middle of production on another project, “The Exorcist: Martyrs,” and had not previously seen “Paper Tiger” on the big screen.

Johansson missed the film’s earlier debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May due to those filming commitments. When addressing her absence from the French Riviera event, she humorously asked colleagues not to mention it.

Set against the backdrop of 1986 Brooklyn, the drama centers on brothers Irwin and Gary Pearl, played by Driver and Teller. Their ambitious plan to profit from cleaning up the Gowanus Canal attracts the attention of the Russian mafia. Johansson portrays Linda, the wife of Teller’s character.

Director James Gray welcomed the cast to the red carpet at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. During the post-screening discussion, Driver highlighted the strong bond formed during production. “No work required. There’s a mutual admiration between the four of us,” he said, adding that Gray fostered an environment where everyone felt at ease. Gray echoed the sentiment, describing the set as “nauseatingly lovely” and insisting his praise was genuine.

Gray kept his introductory remarks brief, referencing a lesson from film school that excessive talking before a screening often preceded poor quality films. He also reflected on his parents’ skepticism when he first expressed his desire to become a director.

NYFF artistic director Dennis Lim introduced Gray, calling him one of the great living American filmmakers and praising his commitment to a unique artistic voice. Lim noted the challenges of producing personal films in today’s cinematic landscape, joking about the 24 executive producers credited on the project.

The 64th New York Film Festival, running through October 12, will feature several other world premieres, including Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial” about OpenAI founder Sam Altman, Ava DuVernay’s documentary “14th,” Tony Gilroy’s music drama “Behemoth!” starring Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde, and Takashi Yamazaki’s “Godzilla Minus Zero.”

Lim emphasized that premiere status is not the sole metric for the festival’s selections, stating that timing and context are equally important in creating a meaningful launchpad for cinema.