Sofia Coppola is having a helluva week. The writer-director’s next film, “The Beguiled,” was just announced as part of Canne’s 2017 lineup, and now comes word that the Oscar winner will be honored at this year’s Provincetown Film Festival (PIFF), where she’ll be named Filmmaker on the Edge.
“Now in its 19th year, the festival has a long history of honoring filmmakers whose extraordinary achievement, innovation, and vision pushes the boundaries of their craft,” an press release from PIFF details. Producer Christine Vachon (“Carol,” “Boys Don’t Cry”) is among those who have previously received the Filmmaker on the Edge honor.
Set during the Civil War, “The Beguiled” centers on a Confederate girls’ boarding school that is thrown into chaos after taking in an injured Union soldier to convalesce. The star-studded cast includes Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and Colin Farrell.
Coppola won an Oscar in 2004 for penning the script for the Tokyo-set love story “Lost in Translation,” which she also helmed. “The Bling Ring,” “Somewhere,” and “The Virgin Suicides” are among her other credits.
PIFF also announced that Chloë Sevigny (“Love & Friendship,” “Big Love”) will be recognized with the Excellence in Acting Award. Previous honorees include Tilda Swinton, Patricia Clarkson, and Cynthia Nixon.
“During one of the most galvanizing moments for women in recent political history, we are thrilled to honor two women who have already altered the lens through which we see women in Hollywood,” commented Christine Walker, Executive Director of PIFF and CEO of the Provincetown Film Society. “Sofia Coppola is the deft auteur whose imprimatur is unapologetically feminine. Chlöe Sevigny is the fearless iconoclast whose work is remarkable simply because she inhabits it.”
“Mr. Roosevelt” will open the fest. Written, directed, and starring Noël Wells (“Master of None”), the comedy centers on a struggling comedian (Wells) “who returns to her college town of Austin, Texas, after a loved one falls ill and must come to terms with her past while staying with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend,” PIFF writes. “Mr. Roosevelt” made its world premiere at SXSW, where it won the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, which recognizes a movie with Texas content.
“We are thrilled to present Noël Wells’ directorial debut for our Opening Night, as it embodies the spirit of our festival, showcasing a smart woman both in front and behind the camera, and is filled with fresh writing and a striking sense of humor,” said Lisa Viola, PIFF’s Artistic Director.
PIFF runs from June 14-18.
