ACCORDING TO THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/imitation-game-cake-bookend-italys-752106
‘Imitation Game’ and ‘Cake’ to Bookend Italy’s Capri Hollywood Fest
The Italian fest scores big picks on a small island
The 19th edition of Capri, Hollywood the International Film Festival will open with Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the genius mathematician who helped lead the Allies to victory in WWII. Cumberbatch is considered a top candidate for a best actor nomination for his role.
Capri, Hollywood, held on one of Italy’s most scenic islands over the new year, has become a major stop on the awards circuit, and a favorite for industry players. Three pictures vying for Academy Awards will have choice screening spots at the festival.
Along with Cumberbatch’s bid for best actor, another prime candidate making a stop in Capri is Jennifer Aniston in Daniel Barnz’s Cake. The picture, which features Aniston as a drug-addicted trauma victim, will close out the festival. Early buzz from Toronto has given the actress high hopes for a best actress nomination. “The social and cultural issues raised in the movie will be the subject of our symposiums on cinematic art and human rights,” said festival director Pascal Vicedomini on the tough subject tackled in the film.
And Italy’s own The Human Capital is hoping to score a nomination for best foreign language picture, perhaps repeating the country’s Oscar magic that last year saw Paolo Sorrentino take home the golden statuette for The Great Beauty. The Human Capital will receive the Capri European Film Award at the festival.
Paolo Virzi’s biting drama effortlessly weaves parallel stories, looking at several families from different social backgrounds simultaneously falling from grace. It’s a hard look at the recession of Italy, directed with a flawless rhythm that sets it far and above Italian cinema of today. The film, which premieres stateside Jan. 14, even beat out The Great Beauty for best picture at this year’s David di Donatello awards, Italy’s version of the Oscars.
Indian film director Shekhar Kapur will serve as honorary chair of the festival. Other award recipients include David O. Russell. The 19th edition of Capri, Hollywood runs Dec. 27-Jan. 2.
ACCORDING TO VARIETY
https://variety.com/2014/film/news/the-imitation-game-to-open-capri-hollywood-film-fest-1201363612/
‘The Imitation Game’ To Open Capri-Hollywood Film Fest
ROME – The Italo preem of “The Imitation Game” will open the 19th edition of the Capri-Hollywood film festival dedicated to launching Oscar hopefuls and establishing a creative and business bridgehead between Hollywood and Italy’s film and showbiz communities.
“Imitation Game,” considered a front-runner in the Golden Globes and Oscar races, will launch into Italy on December 27 from the Italo isle off the coast of Naples. The British biopic about prodigal mathematician and WWI codebreaker Alan Turing, toplining Benedict Cumberbatch, will be released theatrically in Italy via local distributor Videa on January 1. The Weinstein Company is distributing the pic worldwide.
“We thank Harvey Weinstein for again choosing our festival as the Italian springboard for an extraordinary film that is in the running for a number of major global awards,” said Pascal Vicedomini the Italo journo who heads the fest and also runs its sister event Ischia Global and the L.A. Italia Italo cinema showcase.
Capri will also fete Italo helmer Paolo Virzi and his economic crisis murder mystery “The Human Capital,” which is Italy’s foreign Oscar candidate this year. “Capital,” which stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, will will receive the Capri European Film Award. It will be released stateside January 14 via Film Movement.
Daniel Barnz-directed dark comedy “Cake,” toplining Jennifer Aniston as an acerbic woman who becomes fascinated with the suicide of another woman in her chronic pain support group, will be this year’s Capri closer. “Cake” will open Stateside for a one-week qualifying run in December via Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon’s Cinelou Releasing, followed by a wide release in January.
Indian film director Shekhar Kapur will chair Capri’s 19th edition which will run December 27, 2014-January 2, 2015.