EILEEN (2023): Sundance Film Festival Movie Positioned for Release During the Height of Awards Season

Neon Set to Release Eileen During Awards Season

A Sundance Film Festival favorite which stars Anne Hathaway, Eileen, is set to be released wide on December 8th by Neon.

Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie are two actresses who could be getting some Oscar recognition if the positioning of the release of their latest film, Eileen, is any indication. A film which did well at this year’s Sundance, Eileen could be this year’s Triangle of Sadness for its studio, Neon, which is putting the film out just in time to be fresh in voters’ memories as they cast their ballots. As many of you remember, Triangle of Sadness, snuck into the Best Picture Academy Award nominees for Best Picture of 2022. This year, it could be Eileen.

Director William Oldroyd’s Eileen scored some very favorable reviews at this past January’s Sundance Film Festival. It will be released in a limited run on December 1st exclusively in NY and LA before playing more widely on the 8th. Set in 1964 in and around a prison, the thrilling film set in Massachusetts revolves around McKenzie’s central character, Eileen, who takes a fascination with the glitzy Rebecca, played by Hathaway. Secrets are revealed which will change both of these characters’ lives forever as the plot progresses.

While Hathaway won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her brave and daring performance in Les Miserables and was nominated for her lead turn in Rachel Getting Married, McKenzie could benefit the most from an Academy Award nomination after giving very respectable turns in three recent pictures: Jojo Rabbit, Old and Last Night in Soho. In the latter film, McKenzie played opposite the wonderful Anya Taylor-Joy in a movie that won acclaim from both audiences and critics. Old was an M. Night Shyamalan suspense movie while Jojo Rabbit got a coveted nomination from the Academy for Best Picture.

Neon has been the force behind films which have earned Oscar nods and won Academy Awards as well. Parasite won the top Best Picture award just a few years back. Neon stunned the movie world when its expertly acted Triangle of Sadness snagged a Best Picture nod earlier this year. While it feels like a long-shot to predict that Eileen will get a Best Picture nomination too, the talents of the two actresses in the picture make it a guessing game as to who, if either of them, will be recognized with a nomination. It all depends what category the actresses are put into which will help determine if one or both of them could go all the way and score a nod.

It should also be noted Neon has released other great films like Pig. While the book-based film, Eileen, isn’t a sure-thing for the Oscars next year, it’s timing is perfect just in case it could be a contender and should these performances become Academy Award-bound, Hathaway or McKenzie will once again be in the spotlight.

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