Damien Chazelle’s First Man is set to launch at the 75th annual Venice International Film Festival, where it will serve as the opening night film on 29 August.
Marking a high-profile awards-season bid, the screening will mark a return for the director, whose Oscar-winning La La Land opened the 2016 festival.
Chazelle declared: “I am humbled by Venice’s invitation and am thrilled to return. It feels especially poignant to share this news so close to the moon landing’s anniversary. I eagerly look forward to bringing the film to the festival.”
Written by Spotlight screenwriter Josh Singer, the film stars Ryan Gosling as astronaut Neil Armstrong, who became the first man to step onto the moon on 20 July 1969, and recounts the preparations for the mission and the trek itself. Claire Foy appears as Armstrong’s wife, Janet, while Corey Stoll and Lukas Haas play fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, respectively.
Venice Film Festival is set to run between 29 August and 8 September.
