“We are really looking forward to opening our 22nd edition with Theodore Melfi’s charming St. Vincent starring Bill Murray in a role he was born to play,” expressed Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) Artistic Director David Nugent.
Theodore Melfi’s “St. Vincent” stars Melissa McCarthy as Maggie, a single mother who moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year-old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Constantly working long hours, Maggie depends on their new neighbor Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired sourpuss with a fondness for booze and gambling, to supervise Oliver. Along with Daka (Naomi Watts), a pregnant stripper, Vincent brings Oliver along with him on his daily routine which includes a trip to the racetrack, a strip club, and the local dive bar, leading to an unlikely friendship between the duo.
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Melissa McCarthy, Jaeden Lieberher, and Naomi Watts in “St. Vincent.” (Courtesy Photo) |
Murray and the film have been receiving rave reviews and are nominee favorites leading up to awards season. Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) even went as far as declaring September 5th as “Bill Murray Day,” where TIFF and its attendees honored the actor during a retrospective of his work including screenings of “Ghostbusters” and “Stripes,” and also the world premiere of “St. Vincent.” As he made his way into the Princess of Wales Theatre, Murray was presented with a plastic gold crown and a sash that read “Bill Murray Day,” which the actor gladly wore.
Bill Murray, Ted Melfi and Jaeden Lieberher are expected to attend the “St. Vincent” HIFF premiere on Thursday, October 9, at Guild Hall. “St. Vincent” will also screen at the East Hampton Cinema. The 22nd Annual Hamptons International Film Festival will be held over Columbus Day Weekend, from Thursday October 9, through Monday, October 13.
For tickets or more information about HIFF, visit hamptonsfilmfest.org.