The Sedona International Film Festival will present the Northern Arizona premiere of “Beatriz at Dinner” — starring Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton and Chloë Sevigny — showing Friday through Thursday, Aug. 11 through 17, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
At an elegant dinner party in a swanky hilltop home, conversation between a soft-spoken holistic healer and a hard-nosed businessman explodes into a bitter clash of cultures in “Beatriz at Dinner,” the latest provocative film from director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Mike White.
Exploring the widening gulf between the world’s haves and have-nots with fierce insight and unexpected humor, “Beatriz at Dinner” addresses contemporary controversies, from economic inequality and conservation to the necessity of simple human kindness. Beatriz [Salma Hayek], a self-effacing and spiritual immigrant from Mexico, has spent her adult life caring for the sick while neglecting herself.
When her car breaks down and she is stranded at a client’s luxurious Newport Beach home overnight, her well-meaning employer Kathy [Connie Britton] insists she join them for a dinner party that evening.
At an intimate and sumptuous celebration of her husband’s latest business venture, Beatriz is introduced to Doug Strutt [John Lithgow], a ruthless billionaire real-estate developer. She listens uncomfortably while Doug brags about his aggressive business tactics, but when he boasts about shooting a rhino in Africa, she can no longer hold her tongue. As opposing worldviews collide over a dinner table, Beatriz’s pent up outrage spills out in a way that surprises even herself.
“An elegant, delicious dark comedy.” — Los Angeles Times
“A bracingly relevant satire.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“Salma Hayek gives the performance of her career …. she radiates with grit and grace.” — Rolling Stone
“Beatriz at Dinner” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre Aug. 11 through 17. Showtimes will be 4 and 7 p.m. on Friday and Thursday, Aug. 11 and 17; 4 p.m. on Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 12, 15 and 16; and 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Tickets are $12 or $9 for Film Festival members. Call 282-1177 for tickets and information. Both the theater and film festival office are at 2030 W. State Route 89A in West Sedona. Visit SedonaFilmFestival.org for more information.
