The American Film Institute has announced that that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red-Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest presented by Canva.
The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Marias Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the World Premieres of Music of John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red-Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre.
The full festival lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema – together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world's most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as La Callas negotiates the blurred boundaries between her public image and private self. The film also stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The film will debut on Netflix in the fall.
“This year’s Special Screenings section includes some of the most-talked-about films from around the world, exquisitely crafted gems, and inspirational crowd-pleasers,” said Todd Hitchcock, director of AFI Fest and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. “We’re thrilled to bring these memorable and impactful films to AFI Fest audiences in the heart of Los Angeles.”
The American Film Institute AFI.com