DETROIT — Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola came home and spoke to a sold-out crowd at the Henry Ford in Dearborn Sunday night, discussing history, humanity and societal ideals while only briefly touching on his storied Hollywood career.

The event was the centerpiece of what Henry Ford president and CEO Patricia E. Mooradian said would be a yearlong celebration of the Detroit-born visionary, a five-time Oscar winner and the director of iconic works such as "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II" and "Apocalypse Now."

The museum has been screening selections from Coppola's filmography on its Giant Screen all month, including "The Godfather" films, "The Conversation," "The Cotton Club" and "The Rain People." Coming months will include a summertime screening of 1986's "Tucker: The Man and His Dream," Coppola's tale about the auto industry, and a Halloween-timed showing of 1992's "Bram Stoker's Dracula," said Wendy Metros, the Henry Ford's director of media and film relations.

Sunday's 90-minute discussion, which drew 800 fans and took place inside the museum's William Clay Ford Plaza of Innovation, was tied to a screening of "Megalopolis," Coppola's surreal, self-funded 2024 sci-fi drama. The movie compares modern times and turmoil to ancient Rome and follows an architect, played by Adam Driver, who has the ability to stop time.

Coppola, who turned 86 earlier this month, joked that he could stop time as he discussed many of the political themes and ideas that informed "Megalopolis." The discussion was loosely moderated by Sam Wasson, author of "The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story," but found Coppola going down many rabbit holes discussing different animal species, self-driving cars, various books he's read, world leaders, the differences between matriarchies and patriarchies and the differing bathroom habits of men and women.

When at one point someone in the crowd called out for him to talk about movies, Coppola replied, "this is the movie!" referring to the themes at play in "Megalopolis."

Coppola was introduced by Mooradian and came out to the instantly recognizable sounds of the "Godfather" theme, and began discussing ancient Rome as both a source of inspiration and a common starting place for storytelling in Hollywood.

"Rome was easy pickings for the early film industry," he said, since its stories were rife with rise-and-fall fables and gladiator tales which audiences could gravitate toward.

He said his idea for "Megalopolis," which he'd been working on in various states for nearly 50 years, was dismissed by many as a "ridiculous" idea — "and it probably was," Coppola said. He said he's in debt $100 million for the movie, and the bill is due in five months. ("Megalopolis," which grossed $14.4 million worldwide during its theatrical release, also plays May 30 and 31 at the Henry Ford.)

Coppola's talk was centered on 10 bullet points, which he had an audience member write down on a whiteboard, a list of unavoidable topics in our lives, including time, money, work, education, art and celebration, and how to use them to our advantage to create a better sense of balance in our lives. "I want to change all the things that rule us and dominate us and make them things we love," he said.

His ideas included having cities change mayors every month so that everyone gets a turn, like jury duty, and the elimination of sports betting. "There's so much I want to tell you, I could be with you for a week!" Coppola said, later adding, "if it was up to me, I'd turn this whole thing into a party, and we'd sing and dance."

Only during a brief question and answer session with the audience, tucked into the end of his discussion, did he talk explicitly about movies, sharing quick stories about working with Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman. He also touched on his Detroit heritage, born to a father who played flute for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and his middle name being a tribute to Ford, a prominent DSO sponsor.

Peter Murad of Milford came to the event with his brother, Tim, and his son, Colin.

"It was a great event, I really enjoyed it," he said. "How often can you see a great director like this in Detroit? A Detroiter coming home."

Jesse Mata of Detroit said the event was "awesome." "I loved it," he said, calling Coppola a "very informative" and "really smart" individual.

Tom Santilli, a film critic from Chesterfield, said he wished for a more focused talk from Coppola and more direction from moderator Wasson.

"It was really great to see Francis Ford Coppola, but it would have been great to hear him talk about his movies, any of them," Santilli said. "And it was most disappointing that (Wasson) seemed to have little to no awareness as to why the crowd had gathered to see Coppola in the first place."

A day earlier, Coppola was honored by the American Film Institute at a ceremony in Los Angeles, where he was given a lifetime achievement award and was toasted by a host of Hollywood luminaries, including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. The event was taped for a TV special that will air later this year.

Earlier in the day on Sunday, Coppola gave a brief introduction before a sold-out screening of "Megalopolis" where he asked the 400 audience members in attendance to ride the film's unorthodox wavelength.

"Please choose my door," he said. "My door is less familiar and it doesn't develop in ways you've been trained to accept. My door's always a new way in, and if you're willing to open and enter a new door, you may end up somewhere you've never been before."

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