Cate Blanchett thriller to open Sydney Film Festival

Cate Blanchett’s new thriller Hanna will open the Sydney Film Festival next month with the Academy Award winner gracing the red carpet, organisers said yesterday.

Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement), Hanna will bookend the festival with the closing night film, Mike Mills’s Beginners, starring Ewan McGregor.

“Of course we’re very excited to be opening with Hanna, the new film by Joe Wright, and to have Sydney Film Festival’s patron Cate Blanchett on the red carpet for our opening night event,” said festival director Clare Stewart.

The June 8-19 festival will also feature a tribute programme to jailed Iranian directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof.

Mr Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from making films for 20 years last December for “propaganda” against the state.

Mr Rasoulof, who was making a movie with Mr Panahi before his arrest, was also jailed for six years on similar charges.

Ms Stewart said their punishment had defined the last 12 months for film lovers.