Good news for fans of female-centric movies, inclusive casts, and the history of space travel: Deadline reports that “Hidden Figures,” the true story of the black women involved in the space race, may be eyeing a limited run that would qualify it for awards season.
The film, according to its official synopsis, tells the “incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson ( Monáe), brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.”
A TIFF press release revealed that exclusive footage from the film will be screened at the festival, followed by a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers.
Though “Hidden Figures” won’t be finished in time to screen in its entirety at TIFF in September, sources tell Deadline that Fox is likely planning a two-city showing in December that would qualify it for the 2016 awards season. The wide release is set for January 13 over Martin Luther King weekend. The film may also screen at AFI Fest in November, which, along with the scenes shown at TIFF, would put it in front of the eyes of tons of industry members and voters.
An awards season qualification would be a monumental for “Hidden Figures.” Having a science-based film starring women, and women of color at that, campaign for and potentially win awards would be not only a huge deal for Hollywood, but for the awards race as well. With three African-American stars, “Hidden Figures” has the potential to help steer #OscarsSoWhite in a more inclusive direction.
