Serenity Gala Premiere Screening at the 59th Edinburgh Film Festival

Serenity Gala Premiere Screening at the 59th Edinburgh Film Festival

LONDON, July 13/PRNewswire/ -- United International Pictures and Universal Pictures are proud to announce that Serenity has been selected for inclusion in the 59th Edinburgh International Film Festival, and will receive its official Gala Premiere Screening on Monday, August 22nd - to be followed on Tuesday, August 23rd by a 'Reel Life' interview with Writer/Director Joss Whedon.

Shane Danielsen, Artistic Director of the EIFF says: "Whedon is probably more influential in terms of television and SF and fantasy, than anyone since Gene Rodenberry. We're delighted to welcome him to EIFF, not only for the UK Premiere of his debut feature film Serenity, but also to take part in an onstage interview, in which he'll discuss his influences, his career to date and his ambitions. For fans (and lets face it, this is most of us) - it's a must see."

Oscar and Emmy-nominated Joss Whedon - creator of the worldwide television phenomena's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel - makes his feature film directorial debut with the futuristic action-adventure Serenity, based on his cult television series Firefly. Set five-hundred years in the future, the film centres around Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds, a hardened veteran who fought on the losing side of a galactic civil war. Mal now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transporting passengers and cargo on the Firefly-class ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family - squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

When Mal agrees to transport a young doctor, Simon Tam, and his unstable, telepathic sister, River; he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from The Alliance - the coalition dominating the galaxy - who will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl and the secrets she harbours. The crew who once skimmed the outskirts of the galaxy unnoticed suddenly find themselves caught between this unstoppable military force and the Reavers, a deadly legion of cannibals who haunt the edges of space. With peril coming at them from every angle, Mal and his crew are about to discover that the greatest danger of all may be hidden aboard Serenity itself.

Serenity is written and produced by Joss Whedon;; produced by Barry Mendel; and executive produced by Christopher Buchanan, David Lester and Alisa Tager. The cast reprising their roles from the television series include Nathan Fillian (Mal), Gina Torres (Zoe), Adam Baldwin (Jayne), Alan Tudyk (Wash), Jewel Staite (Kaylee), Morena Baccarin (Inara), Summer Glau (River), Sean Maher (Simon) and Ron Glass (Book). The Operative, The Alliance's man, is played by Chiewtel Ehofor.

Serenity will open in the UK & Ireland on October 7th.

Tickets will be on sale from Friday July 15th in person, by phone or post.

Go to: www.edfilmfest.org.uk for online booking. By Phone Booking Line +44(0)131-623-8030.

Source: United International Pictures (UK)

For further information please contact: Debbie Turner, UIP UK Tel: +44(0)20-7-534-5221, email: debbie_turner@uip.co.uk

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