Selma Still - H 2014
Atsushi NishijimaParamount’s Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma will screen in its entirety at AFI Fest on Tuesday, sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
The fest was planning to debut just 30 minutes of footage, followed by a conversation with producers Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo at the Egyptian Theatre.
Watch more Martin Luther King Jr. Fights for Freedom in ‘Selma’ Trailer
But Winfrey and DuVernay hinted in a Twitter exchange this weekend that the entire film would screen instead of just 30 minutes’ worth.
Selma, from Paramount Pictures, Pathé and Harpo Films, centers on the three-month period in 1965 when King (Oyelowo) led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights.
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The film also stars Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King. Wendell Pierce, Alessandro Nivola and Andre Holland co-star as well. Paul Webb wrote the screenplay for the movie, which will open in limited release on Christmas Day, expanding on Jan. 9.
Read more Oprah Winfrey Joins MLK Drama ‘Selma’ as Producer (Exclusive)
This year’s AFI Fest has already hosted gala screenings of A Most Violent Year and Inherent Vice with Foxcatcher screening as its closing night gala on Thursday.
Read Winfrey and DuVernay’s tweets about showing the whole film below.
.@AVAETC can’t believe you did the impossible and locked that picture. So it’s Done,DoNe??
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) November 10, 2014
@AVAETC looks like you MADE IT! I know you were trying to get ready for AFI viewing this week. I’ll be there with my SELMA dancin shoes on.
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) November 10, 2014
@AVAETC I always thought that was why you were working 20hr days to show the WHOLE film. Congratulations
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) November 10, 2014
@AVAETC uhhh ok? Is it open to the public cause you kinda just told a lot of people.
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) November 10, 2014
