While Irish filmmaker John Carney’s breakout film Once (the basis for the Tony-award winning musical) never played at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007–oddly, his retro sci-fi follow-up Zonad did–they’re making up for it this year by giving his new movie Begin Again (formerly “Can A Song Save Your Life?”) the closing night slot for this year’s 13th annual film festival. Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Stewll infeld, and Adam Levine from “The Voice” and Maroon 5, it will have its U.S. premiere on Saturday, April 26th at the BMCC Tribeca PAC theater.
In the movie, Knightley and Levine play Greta and her boyfriend who move to New York to pursue their love of music, but when he dumps her for fame and fortune, she turns to a down-on-his-luck record producer (Ruffalo) to help her turn things around and… begin again.
Begin Again will be released by the Weinstein Company on July 4.
You can read the official press release about it closing the Tribeca Film Festival below:
The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, announced today that John Carneys comedy, Begin Again (formerly Can A Song Save Your Life?), starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, and Adam Levine, will close the 13th edition on Saturday, April 26th at BMCC Tribeca PAC.
From writer-director John Carney (Once), Begin Again is a soul-stirring comedy about what happens when lost souls meet and make beautiful music together. Gretta (Keira Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) are college sweethearts and songwriting partners who decamp for New York when he lands a deal with a major label. But the trappings of his new-found fame soon tempt Dave to stray, and a reeling, lovelorn Gretta is left on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a disgraced record-label exec, stumbles upon her performing on an East Village stage and is immediately captivated by her raw talent. From this chance encounter emerges an enchanting portrait of a mutually transformative collaboration, set to the soundtrack of a summer in New York City. The film will be released by The Weinstein Company in July.
We close our festival with Tribeca alum John Carney’s Begin Again. This beautiful music infused New York story encompasses the spirit of Tribeca where music, film and performance play such a key part of this years program, said Jane Rosenthal, CEO and co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. To be able to work with our neighbor and dear friend Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company to bring this film to U.S. audiences for the first time is a bonus for our entire community.
Begin Again is a true New York story about the magical opportunities that can be found under this great citys bright lights. That said, I cant think of a better place to have its U.S. premiere than the Tribeca Film Festival, said John Carney.
The 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 16-27, 2014.
