Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Everest, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this week
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Everest, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this week
Oscar season has officially kicked off. The Venice Film Festival, which opened with Kiwi survival story Everest started this week and marks the first in a series of festivals that heralds in the Oscar season.
Many of the films that are hoping to vie for Best Picture will make their debuts at Venice, Toronto, Telluride and a scattering of other festivals.
But with so many coming out in New Zealand months after their American debuts, here's a quick guide to the big movies debuting at the festivals and when you can expect to see them here.
Plot: The true story of the 1996 Everest disaster in which Kiwi Rob Hall and seven others died when they were caught in a blizzard. Cast: Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Kiera Knightley, Emily Watson Festival: Venice Screening in NZ from: September 17
The Martian
Plot: When a storm strikes Earth's first colony on Mars, the astronauts have to evacuate, leaving behind colleague Mark Watney whom they believe dead. When Watney wakes up alone, he must try and make contact with Earth before he runs out of food. Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig Festival: Toronto Screening in NZ from: October 1
Black Mass
Plot: The true story of James 'Whitey' Bulger, a notorious gangster who worked alongside the FBI to bring down his rivals in order to expand his empire. Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon Festival: Venice Screening in NZ from: October 15
Beasts of No Nation
Plot: Set in an African civil war, the film follows a threatening commander who trains child soldiers to fight on his side. Cast: Idris Elba Festival: Venice Screening in NZ from: October 16 (Premieres globally on Netflix)
The Walk
Plot: The true story of Philippe Petit, the first person to walk on a tightrope between the two World Trade Centre buildings in 1974. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley Festival: New York Screening in NZ from: 22nd October
Plot: Designer and accused murderer Myrtle Dunnage returns to her rural Australian hometown to find answers and exact her revenge. Cast: Kate Winslet, Luke Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving Festival: Toronto Screening in NZ from: October 29.
The Program
Plot: The true story of journalist David Walsh who exposed Lance Armstrong's lies and drug taking. Cast: Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, Lee Pace Festival: Toronto Screening in NZ from: November 26.
Freeheld
Plot: When Laurel Hester, a Lesbian police officer in New Jersey, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she fights to have her pension passed over to her life partner. Cast: Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carrell, Michael Shannon Festival: Toronto Screening in NZ from: December 3
Suffragette
Plot: A working class English mother becomes involved in the suffragette movement, but risks losing her family as a result. Cast: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Meryl Streep Festival: Telluride Screening in NZ from: December 24
Trumbo
Plot: Set in the 1940s and 50s, Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo finds himself blacklisted for refusing to testify about anti-Communist behaviour, but fights to get his work published anonymously. Cast: Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, John Goodman, Dean O'Gorman Festival: Toronto Screening in NZ from: December 26
Spotlight
Plot: The true story of the Boston Globe's special investigation team Spotlight that exposed the shocking history of child sex abuse in the Catholic church. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci Festival: Venice Screening in NZ from: January 14
Steve Jobs
Plot: Set across three different launch events, the film documents the struggles Steve Jobs went through trying to get Apple off the ground. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen Festival: Telluride Screening in NZ from: January 14
The Danish Girl
Plot: The story of Lili Elbe, a transgender woman who was one of the first to have gender reassignment story. Tells of how she came to realise who she is and the impact on her marriage. Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw, Amber Heard Festival: Venice Screening in NZ from: January 28.
By the numbers
Based on a true story: Ten Based on a book/documentary: Nine Starring last year's Oscar winners: Two (The Danish Girl and Freeheld) New Zealand connections: Two (Everest has New Zealand cast and characters; Dean O'Gorman features as American Kirk Douglas in Trumbo)
