Belle, directed by Amma Asante
The Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) announced its film line-up for the 19th edition, taking place April 3 to 10, 2014. Opening Night kicks off with Belle, directed by Amma Asante. The film, which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Emily Watson, Tom Felton, Sam Reid and Tom Wilkinson, is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield and his wife, Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Belle falls for an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on change who, with her help, shapes Lord Mansfield’s role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.
Cas & Dylan, directed by Jason Priestley
The fest will close with Cas & Dylan, directed by Jason Priestley, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Tatiana Maslany and Jayne Eastwood. A Canadian comedy/drama, Cas & Dylan is about what happens when a dying doctor, who plans to check out on his own terms, takes a reluctant detour when he inadvertently winds up on the lam with an ‘anything-but-normal’ 22-year old girl. Director Jason Priestley will attend.
PBIFFwill present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Robert Morse, who appears in Rick McKay’s film, Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age at this year’s festival.
The festival will also honor director Rick McKay with the Visionary Award, celebrating his on-going achievement of documenting and preserving the history of the Broadway stage with stories told directly from the legends who were there, while illustrating their tales not only with amazing, rare archival performance footage but also through their home movies and photos as well. McKay returns to Palm Beach after premiering his award-winning documentary Broadway: The Golden Age, which won at PBIFF ten years ago, and this year will have a very special early sneak preview of his new film Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age, due to be released in the Fall of 2014, followed by an audience Q&A and Award presentation.