Woody Allen’s 'Café Society' to open 2016 Seattle International Film Festival

Woody Allen’s 'Café Society' to open 2016 Seattle International Film Festival

North American premiere of 'Café Society' will screen on May 19. (Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios, used with permission.)

The North American premiere of Woody Allen's latest film will also open this year's Seattle International Film Festival, organizers announced this morning. "Café Society," starring an ensemble cast led by Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Steve Carell, is the featured film of the Opening Night Gala on May 19 at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Featured guests typically attend the Opening Night Gala, but no guests have been unveiled yet.

This North American premiere of the 1930s rom-com comes just days after "Café Society" (watch the trailer) makes its worldwide premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 11. "Café Society" is one of seven films from Amazon Studios announced for the 2016 SIFF lineup. Amazon Studios has made a quick entry into film distribution - the studio's first film "Chi-Raq" was released late last year and Amazon made headlines earlier this year after winning a bidding war for Sundance favorite "Manchester by the Sea."

Other Amazon Studios titles announced for SIFF 2016 include the documentary "Author: The JT LeRoy Story," the acclaimed Jane Austen adapted rom-com "Love & Friendship," the Kate Winslet comedic drama "The Dressmaker" and "Wiener-Dog," the latest from filmmaker Todd Solondz. (Watch a playlist of SIFF 2016 trailers here) Festival showtimes have not been announced for these films.

Tickets for the Opening Night Gala are available at siff.net. The full 25-day festival schedule will be announced May 4 and the festival box office opens May 5. The 42nd Seattle International Film Festival runs May 19 through June 12 at venues in the Seattle area.

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