AFI Fest Selects Disney’s ‘Saving Mr Banks’, Bennett Miller’s ‘Foxcatcher’ For Opening Slots

With Telluride over, Venice wrapping up and Toronto about to begin, it’s never too early for another film festival to make some noise. So here comes the AFI Fest announcing their opening-night film November 7th will be a Disney awards-season biggie: the North American premiere of Saving Mr Banks starring Emma Thompson as Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers and Tom Hanks in a supporting role as Walt Disney. It is said to be warm and funny and a potential Oscar contender, not only for Thompson and Hanks  but also Best Picture. It is also a no-brainer opener for the AFI. It has a movie theme (Disney tries to convince the stubborn author to sell him rights to make Mary Poppins) and also is partially set at the Chinese theatre, where AFI Fest is headquartered. What could be more perfect? Hate to say I TOLDJA! — but I did. AFI announced they will also be showing 1964’s Mary Poppins itself in honor of its 50th anniversary. It’s actually only 49 years but hey, who’s counting? In a move that indicates filmmakers LOVE to have that opening-night slot , AFI also announced Sony Pictures Classics’ new Bennett Miller drama Foxcatcher will be the cleverly titled “Opening Weekend” Gala on November 8, a World Premiere. SPC’s co-president Michael Barker is very high on this one and told me over the weekend in Telluride that the company expects it to be one of their top awards contenders including for star Steve Carell’s transformative performance in which he is virtually unrecognizable. Barker indicated the film will start early press screenings in mid-October. Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum co-star. That Best Actor race promises to be more crowded than ever. The Coen brothers’ Cannes hit, Inside Llewyn Davis which just played Telluride and will also hit the New York Film Festival, was previously announced as the Closing Night film on November 14. Here’s this morning’s full release: (more…)