If you live in New York or Los Angeles (or will be in either city this weekend), set aside a couple of hours to discover and explore the world of Dido Belle Lindsay (as played by star Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and the characters around her, in Fox Searchlight’s period drama Belle, directed by Amma Asante, which opens in theaters in both cities, starting today, May 2, 2014.
If you don’t live in New York or Los Angeles, don’t fret, because the film will expand its reach in successive weeks, opening in other cities around the country, throughout the month, and possibly even into next month, likely depending on how well it performs at the box office.
A list of scheduled playdates can be found at the bottom of this post, so take a look to see if it’s coming to a theater near you, and when.
The period drama about the trials and tribulations of a mixed-race girl, in the 1700s, which made its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, stars Mbatha-Raw, Miranda Richardson, Tom Wilkinson, Sarah Gadon, Sam Claflin, and Matthew Goode.
The story takes place in the 1780s, and is based on a true story – specifically, the true story of Dido Belle, a mixed-race woman raised as an aristocrat in 18th-century England. It follows Belle, adopted into an aristocratic family, who faces class and color prejudices. As she blossoms into a young woman, she develops a relationship with a vicar’s son who is an advocate for slave emancipation.
Tom Felton (from the Harry Potter movies), Sam Reid (playing Belle’s love interest), James Norton and Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey) round out the cast.
Misan Sagay penned the script; Damian Jones produced.
Zeba positively reviewed the film for S&A after seeing it at TIFF last fall. Read her thoughts HERE.
Here’s the list of upcoming upcoming playdates – cities, states and specific theaters – courtesy of Fox Searchlight:
5/2/14
NEW YORK, NY
Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY
The Landmark Sunshine, New York, NY
LOS ANGELES, CA
The Landmark, Los Angeles, CA
Arclight Hollywood, Hollywood, CA
5/9/14
ATLANTA, GA
Tara Cinemas, Atlanta, GA
BOSTON, MA
Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA
Boston Commons, Boston, MA
Kendall Square Cinema, Cambridge, MA
WASHINGTON, DC
Angelika FIlm Center, Fairfax, VA
Bethesda Row Cinema, Bethesda, MD
E-Street Cinema, Washington, DC
NEW YORK, NY
AMC Empire, New York, NY
AMC Kips Bay, New York, NY
Chelsea Cinemas, New York, NY
Cinemas 1, 2 & 3, New York, NY
Bronxville Triplex, Bronxville, NY
Manhasset Tri 3, Manhasset, NY
Clairidge 6, Montclair, NJ
Movies Twin, Redbank, NJ
Kew Garden Cinemas, Kew Gardens, NY
Malverne Cinemas, Malverne, NY
Cinema Arts 3, Huntington, NY
Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, NY
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Ritz 5, Philadelphia, PA
TORONTO, ON
Varisty Theater, Toronto, ON
CHICAGO, IL
River East 21, Chicago, IL
Evanston 18, Evanston, IL
ShowPace Icon, Chicago, IL
Century Centre Cinema 7, Chicago, IL
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX
Magnolia, Dallas, TX
Angelika FIlm Center and Café, Plano, TX
LOS ANGELES, CA
Westpark 8 Art Cinema, Irvine, CA
Arclight, Sherman Oaks, CA
SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Camelview Theater, Scottsdale, AZ
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Albany Twin Art Theater, Albany, CA
Aquarius Twin Art Cinema, Palo Alto, CA
Embarcadero 7, San Fracnsico, CA
Rafael Art Film Center, San Rafael, CA
Kabuki, San Francisco, CA
5/16/14
ATLANTA, GA
Barrett Commons, Kennesaw, GA
Stonecrest, Lithonia, GA
Southlake, Morrow, GA
Merchant’s Walk Stadium, Marietta, GA
North Point Market, Alpharetta, GA
Lefont Sandy Springs, Atlanta, GA
Atlantic Station Stadium, Atlanta, GA
BOSTON, MA
Liberty Tree Mall, Danvers, MA
Framingham, 16, Framingham, MA
West Newton Cinema, W. Newton, MA
Dedham Community Theater, Dedham, MA
HARTFORD, CT
Palace 17, HARTFORD, CT
Criterion Cinemas, New Haven, CT
Madison Art Cinemas, Madison, CT
Cinemark 18, Manchester, CT
The Egyptian, Hanover, MD
BALTIMORE, MD
White Marsh, Baltimore, MD
Annapolis Harbour, Annapolis, MD
Charles, Baltimore, MD
PITTSBURGH, PA
Waterfront 22, West Homestead, PA
Galleria, Mt. Lebannon, PA
WASHINGTON, DC
Hoffman, Alexadria, VA
Shirlington, Arlington, VA
Georgetown, Washington, DC
AFI Silver Theater, Silver Spring, MD
Cinema Arts 6, Fairfax, VA
DETROIT, MI
Maple Art Theater, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Uptown 8, Birmingham, MI
MIAMI/FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
Aventura, Aventura, FL
Sunset Place, South Miami, FL
Gateway, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Delray Marketplace Stadium, Delray Beach, FL
South Beach 18, Miami Beach, FL
Parisian, West Palm Beach, FL
Shadowood, Boca Raton, FL
NY – CT – NJ – PA
AMC Clifton Commons, Clifton, NJ
AMC Palisades, West Nyack, NY
Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury, NY
Cinema 100, Greenburgh, NY
Plaza, Greenwich, CT
Fine Arts, New City, NY
Cobble Hill 5, Brooklyn, NY
Williasmburg Cinemas, Brooklyn, NY
Chatham, Chatham, NJ
Cranford, Cranford, NJ
Bethel Cinema, Bethel, CT
Brooklyn Heights Cinemas, Brooklyn, NY
Garden Cinema, Norwalk, CT
Montgomery Cinemas, Rocky Hill, NJ
Avon, Stamford, CT
Farmingdale 10, Farmingdale, NY
PHILADELPHIA, PA
AMC Neshaminy, Bensalem, PA
Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill, NJ
Carmike Ritz Center, Voorhees, NJ
Ambler, Ambler, PA
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Bryn Mawr, PA
County Theater, Doylestown, PA
UA King of Prussia 16, King of Prussia, PA
CHARLOTTE, NC
Concord Mills 24, Concord, NC
Ballantyne Village, Charlotte, NC
Manor Theater, Charlotte, NC
CALGARY, AB
Eau Claire, Calgary, AB
EDMONTON, AB
Landmark Cinemas, Edmonton, AB
MONTREAL, QC
Cineplex Odeon, Montreal, QC
VANCOUVER, BC
Fifth Avenue Cinemas, Vancouver, BC
VICTORIA, BC
Odeon, Victoria, BC
CHICAGO, IL
Crestwood, Crestwood, IL
Yorktown, Lombard, IL
Renaissance Palace, Highland Park, IL
Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, IL
Canter Stadium, Warrenville, IL
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Keystone Art 7, Indianapolis, IN
DALLAS/FORTH WORTH, TX
Parks 18, Arlighton, TX
Cedar Hills 14, Cedar Hill, TX
Legacy 24, Plano, TX
HOUSTON, TX
River Oaks, Houston, TX
Studio 30, Houston, TX
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Uptown, Minneapolis, MN
KANSAS CITY, MO
Parkway 14, Kansas City, MO
Glenwood @ Red Bridge, Kansas City, MO
Tivoli Manor Square 3, Kansas City, MO
ST. LOUIS, MO
West Olive, Creve Coeur, MO
Plaza Frontnac, St. Louis, MO
LOS ANGELES, CA
Burbank 16, Burbank, CA
Promenade, Woodland Hills, CA
Hungtington Beach Bella Terra, Huntington Beach, CA
Cinemark 18, Los Angeles, CA
Century River Park, Oxnard, CA
Rancho Niguel, Laguna Niguel, CQ
UA Marketplace, Long Beach, CA
Twin, Westlake Village, CA
Arclight Beach Cities, El Segundo, CA
PALM SPRINGS, CA
Cinemas Palme D’Or, Palm Desert, CA
SAN DIEGO, CA
Hillcrest Art Cinema, San Diego, CA
Village, La Jolla, CA
Arclight, La Jolla, CA
SANTA BARBARA, CA
Paseo Nuevo Cinema, Santa Barbara, CA
DENVER, CO
Esquire Art Twin Theater, Denver, CO
MONTEREY, CA
Osio Plaza, Monterey, CA
Del Mar, Santa Cruz, CA
PORTLAND, OR
Fox Tower, Portland, OR
SACRAMENTO, CA
Olympus, Roseville, CA
Tower, Sacreamento, CA
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Piedomont, Pakland, CA
Summerfield, Santa Rosa, CA
