‘Eternity,’ ‘Song Sung Blue’ and ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Set as Gala Screenings at SCAD Savannah Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)
The SCAD Savannah Film Festival has announced “Eternity,” “Song Sung Blue,” and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” as its opening, centerpiece, and closing night gala presentations for this year’s 28th annual event.
This year’s edition will open Saturday, Oct. 25, with a screening of the A24 drama “Eternity,” directed by David Freyne. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner in a story set in the afterlife, where souls have one week to choose their eternal fate. Teller will receive the Distinguished Performance Award following the screening, presented by his co-star and fellow honoree, Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
The festival’s Centerpiece Gala, set for Thursday, Oct. 30, will feature the highly anticipated Focus Features film “Song Sung Blue,” written and directed by Craig Brewer. Based on a true story, the film stars Academy Award nominees Hugh Jackman (“Les Misérables”) and Kate Hudson (“Almost Famous”) as struggling musicians who reinvent themselves as a Neil Diamond tribute act. Brewer will be honored with the Spotlight Director Award. Known for his music-infused storytelling, Brewer previously directed such hits as “Hustle & Flow” and “Dolemite Is My Name.”
Closing the festival on Saturday, Nov. 1, is Netflix’s third film in the whodunit franchise, “Wake Up Dead Man,” directed by Academy Award nominee Rian Johnson (“Knives Out” and “Glass Onion”). The latest installment in the Benoit Blanc detective series stars Daniel Craig alongside an all-star ensemble cast that includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, and Andrew Scott. Johnson will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award for his contributions to modern cinema. In addition to the Knives Out series, Johnson has crafted a string of acclaimed projects, including “Looper,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” and the hit TV series “Poker Face.”
Other previously announced honorees include Jennifer Lopez for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and Jon M. Chu, the director of “Wicked: For Good.” Variety will also return to host its fourth annual 10 Artisans to Watch event, moderated by Jazz Tangcay, senior artisans editor, along with “Pixels and Pencils,” a spotlight on animated films and their directors, moderated by chief awards editor Clayton Davis.
“This year’s opening, centerpiece, and closing night selections capture the breadth of cinema’s power to entertain, move, and challenge audiences,” said Christina Routhier, SCAD Savannah Film Festival Executive Director. “Together, these films reflect the extraordinary artistry shaping the contemporary landscape while offering SCAD students and the Savannah community an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with the visionary talent behind and in front of the camera.”
Festival passes are now available for purchase, with individual event tickets set to go on sale on Friday, Oct. 3.
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars
This year’s edition will open Saturday, Oct. 25, with a screening of the A24 drama “Eternity,” directed by David Freyne. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner in a story set in the afterlife, where souls have one week to choose their eternal fate. Teller will receive the Distinguished Performance Award following the screening, presented by his co-star and fellow honoree, Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
The festival’s Centerpiece Gala, set for Thursday, Oct. 30, will feature the highly anticipated Focus Features film “Song Sung Blue,” written and directed by Craig Brewer. Based on a true story, the film stars Academy Award nominees Hugh Jackman (“Les Misérables”) and Kate Hudson (“Almost Famous”) as struggling musicians who reinvent themselves as a Neil Diamond tribute act. Brewer will be honored with the Spotlight Director Award. Known for his music-infused storytelling, Brewer previously directed such hits as “Hustle & Flow” and “Dolemite Is My Name.”
Closing the festival on Saturday, Nov. 1, is Netflix’s third film in the whodunit franchise, “Wake Up Dead Man,” directed by Academy Award nominee Rian Johnson (“Knives Out” and “Glass Onion”). The latest installment in the Benoit Blanc detective series stars Daniel Craig alongside an all-star ensemble cast that includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, and Andrew Scott. Johnson will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award for his contributions to modern cinema. In addition to the Knives Out series, Johnson has crafted a string of acclaimed projects, including “Looper,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” and the hit TV series “Poker Face.”
Other previously announced honorees include Jennifer Lopez for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and Jon M. Chu, the director of “Wicked: For Good.” Variety will also return to host its fourth annual 10 Artisans to Watch event, moderated by Jazz Tangcay, senior artisans editor, along with “Pixels and Pencils,” a spotlight on animated films and their directors, moderated by chief awards editor Clayton Davis.
“This year’s opening, centerpiece, and closing night selections capture the breadth of cinema’s power to entertain, move, and challenge audiences,” said Christina Routhier, SCAD Savannah Film Festival Executive Director. “Together, these films reflect the extraordinary artistry shaping the contemporary landscape while offering SCAD students and the Savannah community an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with the visionary talent behind and in front of the camera.”
Festival passes are now available for purchase, with individual event tickets set to go on sale on Friday, Oct. 3.
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars