Actors Hall of Fame Foundation to Host Inagural Shakespeare Film Festival
The Actors Hall of Fame Foundation will host the inaugural Shakespeare Film Festival on April 24-27, 2017, in Hollywood, it announced on Wednesday.
Approximately 400 films based on the plays of William Shakespeare have been made and released around the world. Over the course of three days, the festival will feature some of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare’s work.
“There hasn’t ever been a Shakespeare film festival,” said Rusty Citron, CEO and founder of the Actors Hall of Fame Foundation. “There are a lot of Shakespeare festivals in general, but this is the first one that is totally dedicated to Shakespeare in film.”
Shakespeare has an annual commercial value of over $1 billion, with over 5,000 individual stage productions each year. Given Shakespeare’s worldwide popularity, particularly with students, the festival will also recognize new and alternative adaptations of the classics.
“The challenge of Shakespeare is keeping it relevant,” said Citron. “Part of the festival is to honor emerging actors and filmmakers who are coming up with new and interesting ways of interpreting Shakespeare 450 years later.”
Additional information regarding screening locations and participants will be announced in Jan. 2017.
Related stories
Kenneth Branagh to Act as Patron for Shakespeare Anniversary Project
Kenneth Branagh's Production of 'Winter's Tale' Tops U.K. Movie Box Office
'Game of Thrones' Actor Iain Glen Joins Psychological Thriller 'Beautiful Devils'
Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
