Film at Lincoln Center has made an exciting announcement for the upcoming 61st New York Film Festival, revealing Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” as the Centerpiece selection. The film, distributed by A24, stars Cailee Spaeny in the lead role of Priscilla Beaulieu, who was famously known as Elvis Presley’s wife.
“Priscilla” will have its North American premiere at Alice Tully Hall on October 6, during the festival that runs from September 29 to October 15. The New York Film Festival is set to open with Todd Haynes’ “May December,” featuring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.
The film “Priscilla” delves into the life and love of Priscilla Presley from her perspective, as the romantic partner and wife of the iconic Elvis Presley. The movie will follow her journey, played by Jacob Elordi, from her teenage years as an army brat in West Germany to her surreal experience at Graceland, Elvis’s famous home.
Sofia Coppola, known for her masterful portrayals of women navigating complex lives, directs the film. She expressed her honor to be back at the New York Film Festival and to tell Priscilla Presley’s story, shedding light on the lesser-known side of the great American myth of Elvis. Coppola’s screenplay is based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, “Elvis and Me,” published in 1985.
This is not the first time Sofia Coppola has been featured at the New York Film Festival. Her films “On the Rocks” (2020) and “Marie Antoinette” (2006) were also previous selections.
Festival Artistic Director, Dennis Lim, praised Coppola’s work on “Priscilla,” hailing it as a culminating triumph for the filmmaker. He emphasized her unique ability to illuminate the interior lives of her characters and highlighted the film’s star-making performances and emotional nuance.
Sofia Coppola has an illustrious career, being the second woman to win Best Director at Cannes for “The Beguiled” in 2017. Her other notable works include “The Virgin Suicides” (1999), “Lost in Translation” (which earned her an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2003), “Somewhere” (which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2010), “The Bling Ring” (2013), and “A Very Murray Christmas” (2015). She also served as a producer on “Fairyland” (2023) and directed a production of “La Traviata” at the Rome Opera House alongside Valentino and production designer Nathan Crowley.
The cinematography for “Priscilla” is done by Philippe Le Sourd, and the original music is composed by the band Phoenix. The film is produced by Sofia Coppola, Youree Henley, and Lorenzo Mieli of The Apartment/Fremantle and American Zoetrope. The inclusion of “Priscilla” in the festival lineup has already generated much anticipation and excitement among film enthusiasts.
