With this week’s announcements for the Toronto and Venice festival lineups, we’re starting to see the impending awards season come into focus.
Room, based on the award-winning novel by Emma Donoghue, will be receiving its Canadian premiere at Toronto (which means its likely to make its initial bow at Telluride just before) and is staking its claim as a major Oscar contender.
It stars Brie Larson, who broke out in Short Term 12 and has since impressed in 21 Jump Street and Trainwreck, as a woman imprisoned in a room with her 5-year-old son. When a risky escape plan is concocted, they are forced to confront the reality of the society they’ve been kept away from.
It’s a film that’s likely to push Larson even further into the spotlight and also contains key roles for William H Macy and Joan Allen, who could be a dark horse for a supporting actress nomination. It’s directed by Lenny Abrahamson, who last impressed with his musical comedy Frank, and made the film in both Canada and his native Ireland.
Donoghue’s novel sold more than 2m copies worldwide and she’s following in the recent footsteps of Gone Girl’s Gillian Flynn by writing the script herself.
- Room hits US cinemas on 16 October with a UK date still to be confirmed
