SAVANNAH Film Festival 2016 continues its tradition of bringing up-and-coming talent and Hollywood favorites to Broughton Street’s red carpet. Catch these stars on the silver screen and in engaging Q&A sessions throughout the week.
Mahershala Ali
Why he’s here: Ali’s taking home the Discovery Award and stars in Moonlight, a story of self-discovery that takes place in Miami.
Where you’ve seen him: If you spent your Hurricane Matthew evacuation tearing through Netflix and Marvel’s hot new series Luke Cage, you’ll know Ali as villain Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes. He also starred as Remy Danton in Netflix’s House of Cards, former Chief of Staff for President Frank Underwood. Hunger Games fans will remember him as District 13 soldier Boggs; he also had roles in HBO’s Treme, Alphas, and The 4400, and films like Kicks, The Free State of Jones, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and more.
What’s next: Ali will star in Theodore Melfi’s Hidden Figures with Kevin Costner, Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer, and Taraji P. Henson.
Special appearances: After the screening of Moonlight, stick around for a Q&A sesh with Ali.
Sam Claflin
Why he’s here: Claflin has earned the Spotlight Award. He stars as a recently-paralyzed man who forms an unlikely bond with his caretaker in Me Before You.
Where you’ve seen him: Englishman Claflin has graced the silver screen as Finnick in The Hunger Games, Philip in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and William in Snow White and the Huntsman.
What’s next: Check out Claflin alongside Rachel Weisz in My Cousin Rachel, a revenge flick based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel of the same name, coming in 2017. You can also see him in Their Finest with Bill Nighy and Gemma Arterton.
Special appearances: Claflin will gab with Me Before You director Thea Sharrock and producer Alison Owen in a Q&A following the film’s screening.
Molly Shannon
Why she’s here: Shannon stars in Other People, a film about a comedy writer who returns home to California to care for his dying mother. She’ll take home the Spotlight Award.
Where you’ve seen her: Shannon is an unforgettable fan favorite from Saturday Night Live, playing characters like schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher, kickin’, stretchin’ and kickin’ 50-year-old Sally O’Malley, and Joyologist Helen Madden. The prolific actress has starred in such films as Wet Hot American Summer, Miles, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and many, many more, and has appeared in all manner of television shows, including Seinfeld, 30 Rock, and Sex and the City.
What’s next: Look for Shannon in We Don’t Belong Here, a film about a mother, a disappearing son, and one family’s dysfunctionality. The film also stars Catherine Keener and the late Anton Yelchin.
Special appearances: Shannon will participate in a Q&A following Other People.
Miles Teller
Why he’s here: Teller will receive the Vanguard Award. He stars in Bleed for This, which tells the story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza.
Where you’ve seen him: Teller may be most recognizable for his role as Peter in the Divergent series or as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four. He starred in coming-of-age chronicle The Spectacular Now, a role that earned him the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He was in teen party flick Project X, 2014 bromantic comedy That Awkward Moment, 2011’s Footloose remake, and John Cameron Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole.
What’s next: Teller recently starred in War Dogs with Jonah Hill and will star in Thank You for Your Service, a Spielberg-produced film about how PTSD affects American servicemen and women, and Granite Mountain, a drama based on a true story about a crew of men battling a wildfire in Arizona.
Special appearances: Teller will chat with Bleed for This director Ben Younger and Vinny Pazienza himself in a Q&A following the film’s screening.
