Lin-Manuel Miranda’s highly anticipated movie “Tick, Tick…Boom!” will make its world premiere as the opening night screening of AFI Fest 2021.
The 35th edition of AFI Fest runs from Nov. 10 to Nov. 14, with the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Julie Andrews set to take place on Nov. 11 at the Dolby Theatre.
This year’s festival will be presented in a hybrid fashion, featuring both in-person screenings and events in Los Angeles, as well as virtual screenings. AFI Fest will require all festival-goers who attend in-person events and/or screenings to be fully vaccinated.
“AFI Fest will remind the world the power of this art form to lift our spirits at a time we need it most,” said AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale. “Opening with the imperative voice of Lin-Manuel Miranda and celebrating the joy that Julie Andrews has provided generations will set our sights on a brighter day — just like in the movies.”
Added Sarah Harris, director of programming at AFI Festivals: “AFI Fest 2021 will captivate our community of film lovers, starting with our opening night film, ‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’ We’re thrilled to elevate the best in global cinema to audiences safely in theaters in Los Angeles and across the nation virtually, celebrating the beauty and power of film.”
“Tick, Tick…Boom!” marks Miranda’s feature directorial debut, as the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner brings the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionized theater as the creator of “Rent,” to the big screen. The film is written by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, and produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for Imagine Entertainment, Julie Oh, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The movie stars Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús, Joshua Henry, Mj Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford and Tariq Trotter (aka Black Thought of The Roots), with Judith Light and Vanessa Hudgens. After its AFI Fest debut, the film will launch in select theaters on Nov. 12, and begin streaming Nov. 19 on Netflix.