The American Film Institute has tapped “Hitchcock” to world preem as the opening-night film for the AFI Fest at the Chinese Theater on Nov. 1.
The selection underlines efforts by the AFI Fest, entering its 27th year, to position itself as a launching pad for awards contenders. The festival announced last week that it had tapped Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” as the closing night film for Nov. 8 at the Chinese; gala screenings in recent years have included “The Artist” and “Black Swan.”
Directed by Sacha Gervasi, film stars Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock, Helen Mirren as his wife, Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel as Vera Miles and James D’Arcy as Anthony Perkins. Screenplay was written by John J. McLaughlin, based on the book “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho” by Stephen Rebello.
Fox Searchlight Pictures announced last week that it would release “Hitchcock” domestically on Nov. 23 with a Friday bow during Thanksgiving weekend, pitting it against Sony Pictures Classics’ limited release “Rust and Bone.”.
