RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Luca Guadagnino’s “After The Hunt” will open the 27th edition of the Rio International Film Fest, Latin America’s largest fest. The film, starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield will be screened on Oct. 2 in the fest’s opening ceremony in Rio’s downtown Cinelândia (Cinemaland) Square landmark theater Odeon.
Rio Film Fest unspools over Oct. 2-12 period and will feature about 260 films, 124 from Brazil and the remaining from dozens of countries around the world. It is the chance of cariocas, as Rio residents are called, to attend the Brazilian premieres of the highlights of this year’s world production in 25 screens in theaters, plus four outdoor sites, spread among the 6.7 million-inhabitants of Rio.
“After The Hunt” had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and has also opened the New York Film Festival. The psychological thriller is centered on a university professor (Julia Roberts) who has to deal with a sex harassment case, a common issue in Brazil’s educational system.
“Luca Guadagnino is one of the most complete contemporary directors today, with a vision that understands the world beyond the superficial. That’s what cinema is: going beyond. I am extremely happy and honored that the Rio Film Festival, once again, welcomes his talent and his vision of the world,” said Ilda Santiago, Rio’s Executive Director, Programming & Int’l Projects.
Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” will close the festival’s extensive programming on Oct. 11. The screening will be in the Odeon theater, also the home of the festival’s awards ceremony on the following day. “Hamnet” recently won Toronto’s highly coveted People’s Choice Award, bolstering its Oscars chances.
French star Juliette Binoche will attend the Rio Film Festival to present “In-I in Motion,” her first film as director. The film charts the creative process behind a performance co-created by Binoche and acclaimed British choreographer and dancer Akram Khan in 2007.
Another festival highlight is acclaimed Italian helmer Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia,” which opened this year’s Venice Film Festival. In the plot, a fictional president of Italy faces moral and ethical dilemmas.
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Acknowledged Danish-Norwegian helmer Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” another program highlight, is a strong contender for the Oscars. The drama is Norway’s candidate for the International Feature Film Category and is cited as a contender for the best picture, best actress (Renate Reinsve) and best actor (Stellan Skarsgård).
Kristen Stewart‘s feature directorial debut, “The Chronology of Water,” is yet another standout. Based on the 2011 bestselling memoir of Lidia Yuknavitch, the film sees Imogen Poots portray the author in her journey as an aspiring Olympic swimmer who escapes an abusive home, confronts addiction, the loss of a child and sexual abuse, ultimately finding her voice through writing and art and becoming a renowned teacher and author.
Other Rio Film Festival highlights include veteran French helmer François Ozon’s “The Stranger,” based on Albert Camus’ 1942 classic novel; Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a docudrama film that follows the killing of the titular five-year-old Palestinian girl who lived in the Gaza Strip; Hong Sang-soo’s “What Does the Nature Say to You,” a Korean drama with a minimalist narrative that explores themes of love, art and family.
Agniezka Holland’s “Franz” is a biographical drama starring Idan Weiss as Franz Kafka and Poland’s submission for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film. Renowned director Werner Herzog’s latest, “Ghost Elephants,” is a doc that follows Steve Boyes, a South African naturalist, in his search for what he believes to be an undiscovered species of African elephant on the highland plateau of Angola.
Claire Denis’ “The Fence” is an English-language French adaptation of Bernard-Marie Koltès’s play “Black Battles with Dogs,” which explores colonialism’s grip on a West African community.
Joining the programme are other major titles such as Edward Berger’s “The Ballad of a Small Player,” Lynne Ramsey’s “Die, My Love,” Sergei Loznitsa’s “Two Prosecutors,” Rebecca Zlotowski’s “Vie Privée,” Nadav Lapid’s “Yes,” Nia DaCosta’s “Hedda,” Teresa Villaverde’s “Justa,” Julia Ducornau’s “Alpha,” Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind,” Lázló Nemes’ “Orphan,” Michel Franco’s “Dreams,” and Naomi Kawase’s “Yakushima’s Illusion.”
