April 16, 2018–Critics’ Week, the series for directors’ first and second films, will open with Paul Dano’s eagerly anticipated drama, Wildlife, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan.
Wildlife, which world premiered at Sundance and was warmly received, was written by Dano and Zoe Kazan and is based on a novel by Richard Ford. Set in the 1960s, in the small town of Great Falls in Montana, “Wildlife” is told through the perspective of a 14-year-old boy who sees his mother taking her life in her own hands after his father takes a risky job in the nearby mountains and leaves them to fend for themselves.
Charles Tesson, the sidebar’s artistic director, described “Wildlife” as a “director-driven film in the vein of Jeff Nichols’ films.”
“‘Wildlife’ has a timeless dimension, as well as a social bent because it deals with the struggles of the white working class while also exploring the characters’ emotions with great sensibility,” said Tesson, who had selected Nichols’ second film, “Take Shelter,” which established Nichols as a major filmmaker.
Critics’ Week:
Opening Film:
“Wildlife,” Paul Dano
Closing Film:
“Guy,” Alex Lutz
Competition:
“Chris the Swiss,” Anja Kofmel
“Diamantino,” Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt
“Egy Nap” (“One Day”),” Zsófia Szilágyi
“Fuga” (“Fugue”), Agnieszka Smoczyńska
“Kona Fer Í Stríð” (“Woman at War”), Benedikt Erlingsson
“Sauvage,” Camille Vidal-Naquet
“Sir,” Rohena Gera
Special Screenings:
“Nos Batailles” (“Our Struggles”), Guillaume Senez
“Shéhérazade,” Jean-Bernard Marlin
