July 27 (UPI) — The New York Film Festival has chosen The Power of the Dog as its 2021 centerpiece selection.
Organizers said Tuesday that the drama film will screen Oct. 1 at Alice Tully Hall in New York.
The Power of the Dog is written and directed by Jane Campion and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons.
The film is based on the Thomas Savage novel, which takes place at a Montana cattle ranch in the 1920s. The movie follows Rose (Dunst), a melancholy young widow, and her husband, George (Plemons), as their lives are increasingly complicated by the erratic, potentially violent behavior of George’s brother, Phil (Cumberbatch), whose mistrust of Rose and her misfit son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) leads to tragic consequences.
“Mirroring the unpredictable story turns, Campion crafts a film of unexpected cadences and rhythms, and her daring is matched every step of the way by her extraordinary, fully immersed cast and a mercurial, destabilizing score by Jonny Greenwood,” organizers said.
Campion said she is “very honored” to have The Power of the Dog chosen as the centerpiece selection.
“Public screenings we long took for granted feel exceptional now, so it is going to be a very emotional and joyous experience for me and my team to be there and present the film to such a film-celebrating audience,” she said.
Four of Campion’s previous films, Sweetie (1989), An Angel at My Table (1990), The Piano (1993) and Holy Smoke (1999), have screened at the New York Film Festival.
The 59th New York Film Festival will take place Sept. 24 through Oct. 10.
The Power of the Dog will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September and later premiere on Netflix.