The long-awaited premiere of Cincinnati-made “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” was a star-studded event Monday night on the famed Cannes red carpet (did you know they change the carpet six times a day during the film festival?). Among the attendees was former Vice President Al Gore, Eva Longoria and acclaimed French actress Catherine Deneuve. And while Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman, who play the husband-and-wife doctors in the Yorgos Lanthimos-directed drama, were brilliant in the movie, there was another star of the film: Greater Cincinnati.
From the shots of the skyline to the riverfront panoramas to the motorcycle ride through downtown, Cincinnati looks spectacular. And it was that look that Lanthimos decided made Cincinnati the perfect setting for this movie. Add to that the casting of dozens of local extras and crew, and you get a movie that truly made Greater Cincinnati sparkle on the international stage.
After the Cannes premiere the black-tie audience gave a standing ovation to the movie’s cast, and an especially loud ‘bravo’ to the young star Sunny Suljic, who plays the couple’sson, Bob. But it was Nicole Kidman who shined on the red carpet and on the screen as the surgeon’s wife. Nicole’s a busy lady during the Film Festival with four properties being screened here (three movies, one TV show).
The film, which went into competition as one of the favorites for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d’Or, did not disappoint the critics. The Hollywood Reporter said that “…the skillfully subdued intensity of the acting and the startling originality of the story will make the film unmissable for anyone who cares about bold filmmaking.” And Variety said that “Farrell and Kidman are astonishingly gifted at playing the subtext of every scene.”
So “Bravo” to Greater Cincinnati, to everyone who had a hand in the making of “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” and to our supporters who make it possible not only to bring world-class cinema to Cincinnati, but who allow Film Cincinnati to be true partners in the production. From site scouting to permits to post-production to the big screen, Film Cincinnati is there to support the films that come to town throughout the creative process. But we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you, Cincinnati, for being the breakout star at Cannes.
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