Focus Features opens “Loving” next week Friday, November 4, in the USA, in a limited theatrical release to start. Directed by Jeff Nichols, the critically-acclaimed film, which is on my Oscar 2017 predictions list, tells the real-life story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple living in the state of Virginia in the 1960s, where interracial coupling was illegal. It follows their struggles and the eventual US Supreme Court case that’s named after them – Loving vs Virginia (1967); the landmark civil rights case in which the United States Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, declared Virginia’s anti-miscegenation statute, unconstitutional, overturning existing laws and bringing an official end to all race-based restrictions on marriage in the United States.

Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga star as Richard and Mildred Loving.




The film made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and reviews since then, as the film has traveled the international film festival circuit, have been strong, so I think Focus likely has an awards contender on their hands, which shouldn’t be a surprise at all. The subject matter (based on a real-life landmark event), as well as the talent involved, made it an inevitable contender.

Joining Negga and Edgerton in the cast are Alano Miller, Terri Abney, Nick Kroll, Jon Bass, Marton Csokas, Bill Camp and Michael Shannon.

“I was struck by the simplicity of the Loving’s story, and I hope to make this a painfully beautiful film,” director Nichols said before production began on the film last year.

“Loving” is produced by Big Beach and UK-based Raindog Films (actor Colin Firth’s production company), with the former financing it as well.

The film is inspired by director Nancy Buirski’s 2011 feature documentary on the couple, “The Loving Story,” which is available on various home video formats.

Also Buirski is co-producer.

Focus has released 2 new clips from the upcoming film which you can watch below: