Venice may have Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” with Zendaya and Josh O’Connor to open the annual soiree on the Liido, but the New York Film Festival is going to kick off with some Cannes gold. Today, the Film Society of Lincoln Center revealed that Todd Haynes’ “May December,” which premiered on la Croisette, will open the 61st edition of the New York Film Festival. Stars Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman and Charles Melton are expected to attend, assuming SAG doesn’t go on strike later this week.
READ MORE: Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore on their “You Got This” “May December” moment [Cannes]
In a statement, Haynes remarked, “We are all so proud and moved to have been invited to open the New York Film Festival with the North American premiere of ‘May December.’ It is a festival that plays a role in my work and life like no other in the world since it enshrines the cultural life of this city, which is both my creative home as a filmmaker and, as ever, the eternal site of artistic possibility.”
Dennis Lim, Artistic Director of the New York Film Festival added, “‘May December’ is a tour de force of writing, acting, and directing: a film built on moment-to-moment surprise, as thought-provoking as it is purely pleasurable,” said Dennis Lim, Artistic Director, New York Film Festival. “It cements Todd Haynes’s place as one of American cinema’s most brilliant mischief-makers and as an all-time great director of actors. Todd has been a consistent presence at the New York Film Festival for almost his entire career, and we are very excited to open this edition with one of his most dazzling achievements.”
The release gave a lengthy description of “May December’ noting it centers on, “Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), a popular television star, has arrived in a tight-knit island community in Savannah. Here, she will be doing intimate research for a new part, ingratiating herself into the lives of Gracie (Julianne Moore), whom she’ll be playing on-screen, and her much younger husband, Joe (Charles Melton), to better understand the psychology and circumstances that more than 20 years ago made them notorious tabloid figures. As Elizabeth attempts to get closer to the family, the uncomfortable facts of their scandal unfurl, causing difficult, long-dormant emotions to resurface. From the sensational premise of first-time screenwriter Samy Burch’s brilliantly subtle script, director Todd Haynes (‘Safe,’ Carol’) has constructed an American tale of astonishing richness and depth, which touches the pressure and pleasure points of a culture obsessed equally with celebrity and trauma. It’s a feat of storytelling and pinpoint-precise tone that is shrewd in its wicked embrace of melodrama while also genuinely moving in its humane treatment of tricky subject matter.”
Portman, Moore, and Burch are all Oscar contenders, although, despite critical acclaim, the movie was surprisingly snubbed across the board by this year’s Cannes jury.
“May December” is the fourth Netflix release to open NYFF following Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise” (2022), Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” (2019), and Ava Duvernay’s documentary “13th.” It was no surprise “May December” would join that list as all of Haynes’ recent films including “The Velvet Underground” (2021), “Wonderstruck” (2017), and “Carol” (2015), have screened at NYFF.
“May December” will be released in theaters on November 17 before hitting Netflix’s global streaming service on December 1.
Limited quantities of Festival Pases are on sale now. NYFF61 single tickets will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, September 19 at noon ET, with pre-sale access for FLC Members and Pass holders prior to this date.
The 2023 New York Film Festival will run from September 29 to October 15.