“Late Night’s” traveling across the pond. Nisha Ganatra’s comedy about a late-night host (Emma Thompson) who hires her first female staff writer (Mindy Kaling) made its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January, becoming one of the buzziest titles out of Park City, Utah. The pic — penned by Kaling and inspired by her own experiences — has now been chosen to open Sundance Film Festival: London 2019, marking its European premiere. A press release confirmed the news.
When we asked Ganatra what she’d like audiences to think about after watching “Late Night,” she said, “I want them to be thinking about what the world would be like if women supported each other and helped each other when they are in a position of power. I want women to think about how to hold the door open behind you rather than slam it shut with some false sense of ‘making it’ being a zero-sum game,” she emphasized. “I want people to think about how easy it is to actually make your work environment inclusive — to not have endless meetings and committees on diversity but to just hire women and people of color. It’s that simple. Just do it quickly instead of talking about doing it forever and a day.”
Sundance: London will screen 12 features from Park City, plus an additional surprise feature. Of the dozen titles announced, six are women-directed. Besides “Late Night,” other features in the program include “The Nightingale,” Jennifer Kent’s revenge drama centering on an Irish convict, and “The Farewell,” Lulu Wang’s comedy about a family who decides not to tell their grandmother about her terminal diagnosis.
“Society relies on storytellers. The choices they make, and the risks they take, define our collective experience. The slate at this year’s Sundance Film Festival: London is full of storytellers who offer challenges, questions and entertainment,” commented Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute. “In telling their stories, they make difficult decisions in the pursuit of truth and art; culture reaps the reward.”
The fest will run from May 30-June 2. You can find more information and buy tickets here.
