by Larry Richman
November 19, 2007 6:04 PM
Of all the film festivals in the US, and certainly among those we've attended, none are as prestigious as the Sundance Film Festival. Today the Sundance Institute announced that the Opening Night Film of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival will be the World Premiere of Martin McDonagh's In Bruges.

"In many ways In Bruges is a quintessential Sundance film -- it's brutal, philosophical, funny, and totally original," said Geoffrey Gilmore, Director, Sundance Film Festival. "Martin McDonagh is a masterful storyteller, a tremendously gifted playwright and provocative risk-taker and we are thrilled to showcase his feature-length directorial debut."

Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker and award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh, In Bruges features an international cast including Academy Award-nominee Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson.

In Bruges tells the story of hit men Ray and Ken, (Farrell and Gleeson, respectively) who, after a badly botched job in London, are ordered by their boss, Harry (Fiennes), to cool their heels in the bucolic city of Bruges, Belgium. Very much out of their comfort zones, the men find themselves drawn into increasingly dangerous entanglements with locals, tourists, and a film shoot. When their stay in Bruges takes a turn for the worst, Ray and Ken realize Harry may have plans for them other than a simple vacation.

The entire lineup will be announced here on November 27 and 28. The Sundance Film Festival takes place from January 17-27, 2008.

I just caught this one after seeing it reported by Ebert and Roeper last weekend and then remembered this post. I don't watch many movies but this one I really like. It's funny in places, romantic in others and pure black elsewhere. It's violent without going to pyrotechnical excess which is refreshing.