Angelina Jolie’s ‘By the Sea’ to Open AFI Fest (Trailer)
AFI FEST 2015 will kick off with the Opening Night Gala premiere of “By The Sea,” starring writer/director Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, on November 5 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. This is the film’s world premiere, which means we won’t see it at any of the other fall fests this year. (Trailer below.)
Universal Pictures opens intense marital two-hander “By the Sea” on November 13. AFI often lands studio pictures just ahead of their release. Last year late entries “American Sniper” and “Selma” both went on to Best Picture Oscar nominations. (Check the Gurus ‘O Gold to see what they think of its awards potential.)
“By the Sea” follows an American writer named Roland (Pitt) and his wife, Vanessa (Jolie Pitt), who arrive in a tranquil and picturesque seaside resort in 1970s France, their marriage in apparent crisis. As they spend time with fellow travelers, including young newlyweds Lea (Laurent) and François (Poupaud), and village locals Michel (Arestrup) and Patrice (Bohringer), the couple begins to come to terms with unresolved issues in their own lives. In its style, and its treatment of themes of the human experience, “By the Sea” is inspired by European cinema and theater of the 1960s and 1970s.
READ MORE: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Collaboration ‘By the Sea’ Set for November Release
The film features an international supporting cast: Mélanie Laurent, Melvil Poupaud, Niels Arestrup and Richard Bohringer. Pitt also produced. Chris Brigham (“Inception”), Holly Goline (“Unbroken”) and Michael Vieira (“Unbroken”) are executive producers. The film was shot by Christian Berger in Malta with a mostly European cast and crew.
The 29th edition of AFI FEST runs November 5 through 12, 2015.
