An Oscar-ready release date. An International Premiere slated for the Toronto International Film Festival. Pretty nice work for first-time director Jon Stewart, right? Today, the first images from his debut, “Rosewater,“ have arrived, and it indicates that the film is no comedy.
Based on the memoir “Then They Came For Me,” the movie tells the true story of Iranian/Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, played by Gael García Bernal, who was arrested during the 2009 Iranian election protests, spent 118 days in jail and was forced to confess to a number of crimes. “It may not be what people expect from me; it’s not a comedy,” Stewart told EW. “I hope people view it for what it is—a love letter to expression and the importance of it. It’s everything.”
“Rosewater” opens on November 7th.