The epic stop-motion fantasy Wildwood, directed by Travis Knight, will open the 40th edition of AFI FEST.
The voice cast is led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay, alongside Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant.
The U.S. Premiere will take place on Wednesday, October 21.
In the film, after her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) launches a desperate rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness—an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, Oregon. Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.
As the pair is drawn into a conflict threatening the balance of the forest itself, Prue must discover the strength and belief she never knew she possessed. If she hopes to save her brother and protect Wildwood’s fragile future, she will have to risk everything.
From Oscar®-nominated and BAFTA®-winning LAIKA, Wildwood is a sweeping adventure about love, sacrifice and the magic that reveals itself when we dare to look beyond the familiar.
“AFI is honored to celebrate Wildwood as the Opening Night Film of the 40th Annual AFI FEST,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “At a time when the world needs artistic inspiration more than ever, Wildwood comes to the rescue by inviting audiences to a hand-crafted, endlessly imaginative world that both dazzles and delights.”
“Sixteen years is a long time to carry a story with you. And yet, sometimes that’s what stories ask of the people who tell them. Wildwood was built slowly, painstakingly, by hundreds of extraordinary artists and craftspeople who gave something of themselves to this movie. For so long, this strange and beautiful world belonged only to those of us fortunate enough to wander through it together. To finally emerge blinking into the daylight at AFI FEST is a profound honor,” said Travis Knight. “AFI has a long tradition of championing ambitious and distinctive filmmaking, and the filmmakers with the audacity, imagination, and occasional poor judgment to attempt something genuinely different and sincere. We’re grateful to be among them. For 16 years, we’ve been finding our way through Wildwood. What a privilege it is to finally welcome others inside.”
Wildwood is directed and produced by Travis Knight, written by Chris Butler, based on the novel by Colin Meloy, and features cinematography by Caleb Deschanel (AFI Class of 1969).
The 40th edition of the Institute’s annual film festival will take place October 21–25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood.
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