John Travolta to Open the 44th Torino Film Festival
John Travolta will open the 44th Torino Film Festival with the international premiere of "November 1963," a drama about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, directed by Roland Joffé, Variety reports. The festival runs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2 in Turin, Italy.
Travolta is one of several honourees. Pamela Anderson, Isabelle Huppert and the director Josh Safdie are also due to receive awards. Luc Besson, Fanny Ardant, Margarethe von Trotta, Stephen Frears, Mike Newell, Maria de Medeiros, Andy Garcia and Mira Sorvino will also be paid tribute, according to the same report.
The festival will present 12 career achievement awards, each shaped like the Stella della Mole. The name refers to the Mole Antonelliana, the tower that is Turin's best-known landmark. Travolta and the other honourees will collect their trophies on opening night at the Teatro Regio, the city's historic opera house.
The festival has also named a group of special guests. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Abel Ferrara, Asia Argento, Albert Serra and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi are all set to attend. Giulio Base, the festival's artistic director, leads the programme.
The line-up is large. Adnkronos reports that the 44th edition will show 120 films.
For film fans, the festival is a chance to see a mix of Hollywood names and European directors in one city over nine days. Awards events like this one often bring actors and directors to the city for panels and screenings, so the schedule will likely fill quickly. Those who want to plan a visit can check the festival's official site for the full programme and ticket details.
