Todd Haynes’ ‘May December’ To Open New York Film Festival
11.07.2023 - 18:39
/ deadline.com
Todd Hayes’ May December will open the New York Film Festival on September 29, organizers said today.
The film had its world premiere in Cannes and its North American rights were acquired by Netflix for $11 million after an all-night bidding war. New York will host the film’s North American premiere as the kickoff to its 61st edition. Haynes and members of the cast headed by Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore are expected to be in attendance.
While the New York fest has sometimes opened with major world premieres like The Irishman in 2019, its DNA as a “festival of festivals” based in a media-rich city has led it to program plenty of non-premiere openers. The 2022 fest opened with White Noise, which had world-premiered in Venice. Even after an opening night featuring an established festival title, this year’s NYFF is likely feature quite a few world premieres during the course of its 17-day run. The remainder of the slate will be announced over the coming weeks.
In May December, Portman plays TV star Elizabeth, who is researching a new part by ingratiating herself into the lives of Gracie (Moore), whom she’ll be playing onscreen, and her much-younger husband, Joe (Charles Melton). Per the official logline, as Elizabeth attempts to get closer to the family, the uncomfortable facts of their scandal unfurl, causing difficult, long-dormant emotions to resurface.
Penned by first-time screenwriter Samy Burch, the film will be released domestically in theaters on November 17 and then December 1 on Netflix.
“We are all so proud and moved to have been invited to open the New York Film Festival,” Haynes said. “It is a festival that plays a role in my work and life like no other in the world, since it enshrines the cultural life