- Title: 'Midnight Special' at Berlin takes takes sci-fi look at parenting
- Date: 12th February 2016
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 12, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF BERLINALE PALAST DISCO BALL DIRECTOR JEFF NICHOLS ARRIVING ON RED CARPET NICHOLS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS CHILD ACTOR JAEDEN LIEBERHER ARRIVING ON RED CARPET, GREETING NICHOLS MEDIA ACTRESS KIRSTEN DUNST POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS ACTORS JOEL EDGERTON AND MICHAEL SHANNON P
- Embargoed: 27th February 2016 21:08
- Keywords: Berlin film festival Midnight Special Jeff Nichols Kirsten Dunst Michael Shannon
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Film
- Reuters ID: LVA001446T4Y5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hollywood star Kirsten Dunst lit up the red carpet at the Berlin Film Festival on Friday as she attended the world premiere of her new sci-fi movie 'Midnight Special'.
She was joined at the event by her co-stars Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton as well as the film's young star - 13-year old Jaeden Lieberher.
Their director Jeff Nichols was there too, his film is in competition for the festival's top prize, the Golden Bear.
Speaking to Reuters on the way in, the director - who is known for dramas such as 2012's coming of age story 'Mud' said his latest project takes him in a slightly new direction: "I feel like it's okay to bounce around genres. As long as they're always routed in something personal'' he said.
'And so for me this movie is no different than 'Shotgun Stories' or 'Take Shelter' or even 'Mud' to a degree because all these films are very personal to me. So the fact that the plot changes and the genre changes, that's kind of irrelevant."
Nichols has a knack for turning his personal life into cinema, and he's done it again in "Midnight Special," a sci-fi-tinged movie about a boy with extraordinary powers inspired by his own son.
Jaeden Lieberher plays the young protaginst who has the powers including be able to detect encrypted government data transmissions.
His father Roy (Shannon) and mother Sarah (Dunst) have to take extraordinary steps to keep him from being captured by the FBI, or by a religious cult who believe he is the Messiah.
Nichols and Shannon regularly collaborate, having worked together on all of Nichols' past three feature films: "You know, I think my writing suits his acting and I think, we complement each other very well.'' Nichols explained.
As for this particular venture, Shannon said it wasn't a very glamorous experience - but he loves the way the movie looks.
The Berlin Film Festival runs until February 21. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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