The organizers announced Thursday that Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, starring Frances McDormand, and Denzel Washington, will be shown for the first time at the New York Film Festival. September 24th will mark the 59th anniversary of the festival.
McDormand plays the evil Lady, while Washington portrays the Scottish Lord. Official description of the film stated that it is “a work of stark chiaroscuro, incantatory rage”, which nods to Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare adaptations, as well as Akira Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood”, but that Coen’s tale of sound & fury is his.
This is also the first time Joel Coen (who has been married to McDormand for 34 years) has directed a film by himself without his brother Ethan.
Coen stated that the New York Film Festival was a place where he has been attending films as an audience member for nearly 50 years and showing them as filmmakers. It’s an honor and a great thrill to open the Festival with The Tragedy of. . ?.
Alice Tully Hall will host the premiere. The film will be released theatrically later by A24. It will then launch on Apple TV+.
Dennis Lim, New York Film Festival Director of Programming, said that he was proud to open the festival by showing a film that instantly joins the ranks the great screen Shakespeares. Joel Coen, in collaboration with Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington, has created a compelling and urgent interpretation of a timeless classic. It is a moral thriller that speaks directly about our times.
NYFF will continue through October 10, with outdoor, in-person and virtual screenings.
