The AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival — in press releases referred to as "AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi" — has announced that Lions for Lambs (see trailer below) will be its Opening Night Gala screening on Thursday, November 1, 2007, at the ArcLight Hollywood's Cinerama Dome Theatre.
Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and directed by Robert Redford, the film stars Redford, Tom Cruise, and Meryl Streep in a tale of political intrigue involving an idealistic college professor (Redford), a TV journalist (Streep), an ambitious senator-cum-presidential hopeful (Cruise) with a big story to tell, two U.S. soldiers fighting in Afghanistan (Derek Luke and Michael Pena), and the roles they all play in the so-called "war on terror."
Lions for Lambs also happens to be the first production from the new United Artists, the moribund studio that was resurrected last year through a partnership involving Tom Cruise, his longtime collaborator Paula Wagner, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Earlier in 2006, Viacom/Paramount's honcho Sumner Redstone made (ugly) headlines when he, in a calculated move, badmouthed by-then-former Paramount megastar Cruise in the media. Cruise, however, was smart. He kept mum — as he probably should have done in a few previous occasions — and went on to become a mogul on his own right at UA.
Cruise has surely picked his first UA vehicle with care, as Lions for Lambs is the sort of prestige production that a 45-year-old star needs following the sort of negative publicity he received in '06. The AFI FEST 2007 opening night slot is equally prestigious, as a number of AFI FEST gala films — e.g., Walk the Line, Bad Education, Volver — have gone on to receive multiple awards and nominations.
The AFI FEST Opening Night Gala will be held on the same date that Bob Gazzale officially takes over from Jean Picker Firstenberg to become AFI's new President and CEO. According to the AFI press release, Gazzale is the third person to hold that position since U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson announced the institute's creation in 1967.
AFI FEST 2007 will run November 1-11, 2007. Passes go on sale September 5 and individual film and event tickets go on sale to the public on October 12. To order passes and tickets and to get ore information, visit www.AFI.com or call 1.866.AFI.FEST.
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LIONS FOR LAMBS: Excellent questions and comments.One answer suggested:The last scene should have two takes: One that you showed and then immediately following a rerun second: The two soldiers throwing their weapons away with hands up.Suggested reading:The brave Soldier Schweik by Jaroslav Hasek.