Salma Hayek as ‘Beatriz’ / Photographer credit: Lacey Terrell
– click to watch the U.S. trailer for Beatriz at Dinner –
Picturehouse Central, 18 April 2017 — Sundance Institute and Picturehouse announced today that the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: London will open with the European premiere of Beatriz at Dinner.
The film world premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, USA, and will be introduced to London audiences by director Miguel Arteta, screenwriter Mike White, and lead actress Salma Hayek on Thursday 1 June at Picturehouse Central.
Beatriz at Dinner reunites director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Mike White (School of Rock, Nacho Libre), who worked together on earlier Sundance Film Festival hits The Good Girl and Chuck & Buck. The film stars Salma Hayek (Frida, Tale of Tales) as the eponymous ‘Beatriz’ alongside John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Chloë Sevigny and Jay Duplass.
Beatriz, an immigrant from a poor town in Mexico, has drawn on her innate kindness to build a career as a health practitioner in Southern California. Don Strutt is a real estate developer whose cutthroat tactics have made him a self-made, self-satisfied billionaire. When these two polar opposites meet at a dinner party, their worlds collide and neither will ever be the same.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, comments, “We look forward to launching our fifth festival in London with Beatriz at Dinner, a masterful dramedy of errors from director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Mike White and starring Salma Hayek. This was a standout at our Utah Festival in January and is a wonderful example of the continued innovation and creativity of our independent filmmakers that we’ll showcase in London again this year.”
Miguel Arteta, Director of Beatriz at Dinner, adds, “I’m thrilled that Beatriz At Dinner will open the Sundance Film Festival: London. Amidst the comedy, drama and brilliant performances in the film, Mike White’s script weaves some timely and potent political commentary and we’re especially excited to premiere the film to UK audiences at such a politically polarized time in world history. I cannot wait to see how audiences outside the United States will react.”
The full programme for the Sundance Film Festival: London will be announced soon. The festival will feature the international and UK premieres of films from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. In addition to the festival in London, Sundance Institute will host a festival in Hong Kong in September.
Tickets for the Opening Night film and all other films and events will go on sale on Tuesday 2 May via picturehouses.com/sundance. Festival passes are available now (see below) and priority booking for Picturehouse Members and Passholders opens on 25 April.
More information will be available at picturehouses.com/sundance and sundance.org/london. Join the conversation on social media with #sundancelondon.
The Sundance Film Festival: London is supported by new Presenting Partner, Swedish Glace, and welcomes back long-standing sponsors: SundanceTV Global as a Lead Partner, and the State of Utah as a Supporting Partner. We welcome Dropbox as a new partner, helping power the 2017 festival and hosting the Dropbox Members’ Bar.
All Sundance London Press enquiries:
Claire Gascoyne: Claire@clairegascoyne.com / +44 (0)7771 735 117
Elizabeth Taylor: Elizabeth.taylor@premiercomms.com / +44 (0)20 7292 8396
Marine Monnier: Marine.monnier@premiercomms.com / +44 (0)20 7292 6431
**Press accreditation is now open – please email sundancelondon@premiercomms.com if you would like to request accreditation**
Notes to Editors
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Picturehouse Cinemas
Formed in 1989 to challenge the multiplex model, Picturehouse Cinemas own and operate 23 cinemas and programme a further 40 venues across the UK.
Picturehouse Central opened in June 2015 after extensive redevelopment of the former Cineworld in the Trocadero centre. With a brand new entrance on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Great Windmill Street, Picturehouse’s new West End flagship has seven screens with more than 1,000 seats, a ground-floor café, a first-floor restaurant and a double-height Members’ bar on the second and third floors that includes a roof terrace with stunning views over London.
With Dolby Atmos sound, 35mm, 70mm and 4k projection, Picturehouse Central is the best place to watch a huge variety of films, ranging from quality blockbusters to independent, classic, foreign-language and art-house films.
Sundance Film Festival: London ticket packages
VIP Pass:
The ultimate festival experience grants full access to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: London. Pass holders have the chance to see all the films, attend every event and an invitation to every party plus much more.
Price: £500
Benefits include:
- A ticket to every film*
- VIP pass – no queuing, VIP ticket holders can walk straight in
- Access to all parties and social events
- Access to all events, panel discussions and shorts film programmes
- Picturehouse Central Membership (worth £75, valid until 1 June 2018)
- Access to the Picturehouse Central Dropbox Members’ Bar and Roof Terrace
- 10% off food and drink
- Goodie bag
*All VIP tickets must be collected in advance. Tickets will be available at Picturehouse Central ticket collection desk. Please note, any uncollected tickets will be put back on sale 2 hours before film start.
Festival Pass:
Want to ensure you see the best of the festival and be the envy of film aficionados everywhere? The Festival Pass is the choice for you.
Price: £150
Benefits include:
- Ten festival ticket credits* plus additional Member discounts on all other festival tickets
- Access to priority booking online using your Pass number
- Access to the Picturehouse Central Dropbox Members’ Bar Roof Terrace during the festival
- 10% off food and drink
*Credits will be applied to your pass and can be used to book tickets online, over the phone or at Picturehouse Central from Festival Pass Priority Booking period
Registration is open for Festival and VIP Passes:
Phone – call the Box Office on 0871 9025755 (calls cost 13p per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge).
Email – register your interest via email to sundancefilmfestlondon@picturehouses.co.uk with ‘Sundance Pass’ or ‘VIP Pass’ in subject line. Be sure to include a contact number so we can call you.
