Now here’s a winning combo. Three of the world’s greatest storytellers—Steven Spielberg, the Walt Disney Company, and Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda) are behind the new movie, The BFG, based on Dahl’s classic children’s story of the same name.
The creative team involved some of Spielberg’s longtime collaborators, including five-time Oscar winner John Williams, who composed his 24th score for the director. The screenplay was written by the late Melissa Mathison, who penned E.T.
There’s a stellar cast, too, heavy on renowned British actors—Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, Wolf Hall), Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3. The Town) Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), and Rafe Spall (Life of Pi, The Big Short), along with New Zealander Jemaine Clement (Men in Black 3), and newcomer Ruby Barnhill.
The BFG tells the story of a girl from London , Sophie (played by Barnhill), and a Big Friendly Giant (aka BFG, depicted by Rylance), who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. Like the real world, nothing is easy: Sophie soon attracts the unwanted attention of the other giants, like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement), forcing her and the BFG to high tail it to London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of a pending Giant crisis. But it’s a hard sell, convincing Her Majesty (no pushover, she!) and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that these over-sized creatures do indeed exist. As you might expect from a Spielberg movie there’s lots of dazzling visuals depicting both Giant Country and London after World War II.
Those who came out for the screening included: Jemima Kirke, Paul Haggis, Natalie Morales, Al Roker, Deborra-Lee Jackman, Dean Winters, Nico Tortorella (Younger), Sunrise Coigney Ruffalo, Shiloh Fernandez, Nikki Michelle James (BrainDead), Zabryna Guevara (Gotham), Eve Plumb, Hal Rubenstein, Julie Henderson, Alexandra Agoston, Nichole Galicia, Luke Janklow, Sandra Brant, June Ambrose, Le Call, Samantha Boardman Rosen, Jessica Joffe, Luke Parker-Bowles, Drew Nieporent, Vanessa von Bismarck, Pat Cleveland, Imogen Lloyd Webber, Genevieve Bahrenburg, Daniel Benedict, Louisa Warwick, Elisa Johnson, Kara Young, Sophie Sumner, and Cinema Society Founder Andrew Saffir. Many guests brought their children or young nieces and nephews.
