Special Screening Of M. Night Shyamalan’s SPLIT Movie To Play At AFI Festival

The American Film Institute has announced that Universal Pictures’ SPLIT — from Academy Award-nominated director/writer/producer M. Night Shyamalan and Academy Award-nominated producer Jason Blum — will play as a Special Screening at AFI FEST 2016 presented by Audi.

Written and directed by Shyamalan, SPLIT is an original thriller that delves into the mysterious recesses of one man’s fractured, gifted mind. Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him — as well as everyone around him — as the walls between his compartments begin to shatter apart.

Following last year’s THE VISIT, Shyamalan reunites with producers Blum and Marc Bienstock and executive producers Ashwin Rajan and Steven Schneider for the film, which also stars Jessica Sula and Haley Lu Richardson.

The Opening Night Gala will be the World Premiere of RULES DON’T APPLY (DIR Warren Beatty) on Thursday, November 10. Isabelle Huppert will be honored with a Tribute on Sunday, November 13, followed by a Centerpiece Gala screening of ELLE (DIR Paul Verhoeven), JACKIE (DIR Pablo Larraín) will screen as a Centerpiece Gala on Monday, November 14, and LA LA LAND (DIR Damien Chazelle) will screen as a Centerpiece Gala on Tuesday, November 15. Annette Bening will be honored with a Tribute on Wednesday, November 16, followed by a Centerpiece Gala screening of 20TH CENTURY WOMEN (DIR Mike Mills).

The Special Closing Night Gala Presentation of CBS Films and Lionsgate’s PATRIOTS DAY will take place on November 17, 2016, at the TCL Chinese Theatre.  The movie is directed by Peter Berg and stars Academy Award^® nominee Mark Wahlberg.

“PATRIOTS DAY is a moving tribute to the strength of the human spirit, the heroes of Boston and our nation’s capacity to unify in the wake of the unimaginable,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, AFI FEST. “Peter Berg brings together a riveting ensemble cast whose emotional performances beautifully humanize and personalize the people whose lives have been forever changed. We are honored to screen this film as the Special Closing Night Gala Presentation of AFI FEST.”

An account of the Boston Marathon bombing, PATRIOTS DAY is the powerful story of a community’s courage in the face of terror.  In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (Academy Award^® winner J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan), this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.

In addition, the American Independents, Cinema’s Legacy, Midnight, New Auteurs, Shorts, World Cinema and World Cinema Masters in Conversation sections have also been announced. More information about these sections is available here.

In celebration of the 30th edition of the festival, a trio of diverse female trailblazers are featured in both the festival’s 2016 key art and programming lineup. AFI FEST will spotlight Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award®; Ida Lupino, a pioneering director, writer, producer and actress who became the first woman to direct a film noir; and Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American actress to rise to international prominence.

AFI FEST takes place November 10–17, 2016.

Free tickets to AFI FEST will be available on AFI.com beginning November 1. For the full slate of previously announced titles screening at the festival, visit the Film Guide, now online here.