The Mykolaychuk OPEN International Audience Film Festival has announced the opening film of its fourth edition. It will be the fantasy film "The Life of Chuck", based on the novel by Stephen King, starring Tom Hiddleston (Loki in The Avengers, Only Lovers Left Alive) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker in Star Wars). Festivalgoers in Chernivtsi will be the first to see the film in Ukraine. The film will be released in Ukrainian cinemas in July.

According to the plot of the fantasy film, an ordinary man named Chuck Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) suddenly becomes famous throughout the city. All thanks to a greeting that appears everywhere - on banners, radio, on the Internet, on the walls and windows of houses. No one knows who Chuck is, but they say: if he dies, the whole world will die with him.

““The Life of Chuck” is the perfect opening film for this year’s edition of Mykolaychuk OPEN. It will be held under the slogan “A Person at the Center of History,” which echoes the plot of “The Life of Chuck,” where an ordinary person suddenly became a landmark figure for an entire city. The film was warmly received at the Toronto Film Festival, which means only one thing — it is a 100% audience hit,” says Alex Malyshenko, program director of Mykolaychuk OPEN.

The film was directed and written by Mike Flanagan, known for his King adaptations (Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game) and the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher based on the book by Edgar Allan Poe.

“I hope that viewers will find some of the joy that is embedded in this story. I hope that it will help them look at our modern world, at the challenges that each of us faces, and encourage them to sometimes put down their briefcase and allow themselves to dance, whatever that means for you: drawing, talking to family, writing, playing sports - all these different ways that we can give free rein to our hearts. I hope that is what will stay with you. This film has certainly given me a lot of peace, joy, hope and strength, and if I can convey to our viewers even a fraction of what I felt, then that will be worth a lot,” shares the film’s director, Mike Flanagan.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki in The Avengers, Only Lovers Left Alive). The film also stars UNITED24 ambassador and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Mark Hamill.

Other cast members include Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy, X), Matthew Lillard (Scream franchise), David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer, A Night with the Devil), Annalisa Basso (Captain Fantastic), and Jacob Tremblay (Marvel).

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it won the top prize, the Audience Award. Winners of this audience film festival almost always receive a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and in some cases, win it. Among the films that have received the audience award in recent years are Steven Spielberg's The Fables, Peter Farrelly's Green Book, Damien Chazelle's La La Land, etc.

After the Ukrainian premiere at the Mykolaychuk OPEN International Audience Film Festival, the film The Life of Chuck will be released by ADASTRA CINEMA. Watch the film in Ukrainian cinemas from July 17.

You can get to the Ukrainian premiere of The Life of Chuck with season tickets or tickets.

Spectator tickets for the festival are already on sale.

The Mykolaychuk OPEN Audience Film Festival will be held from June 14 to 21 in the city of Chernivtsi with the support of the Chernivtsi City Council and the Ivan Mykolaychuk Cultural and Art Center.

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