A Letter to Elia

2010 1h 0m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 23

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Martin Scorsese reflects on the profound influence of director Elia Kazan, tracing his artistic journey from the Group Theatre to Hollywood success and the controversies of the blacklist era. Co-directed with Kent Jones, the film combines interviews and clips from Kazan’s classics—On the Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire, and America, America—to portray him as a deeply personal filmmaker within an often impersonal industry.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Elia Kazan
Self (archive footage)
Martin Scorsese
Self - Narrator
Elias Koteas
Elia Kazan (Voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Martin Scorsese
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 60-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 16 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Martin Scorsese, shot by Mark Raker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Rachel Reichman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Elia Kazan and Martin Scorsese and Elias Koteas carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0808245 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 23 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Martin Scorsese directs. Mark Raker behind the camera. Rachel Reichman cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 60-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 16 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Martin Scorsese, shot by Mark Raker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Rachel Reichman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Elia Kazan and Martin Scorsese and Elias Koteas carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0808245 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 23 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.