Italy’s Taormina Film Festival will host the world premiere of Australian action thriller “Bear Country” that reunites Russell Crowe with “Unhinged” helmer Derrick Borte, with Crowe expected to make the treck to the storied fest in the Sicilian resort known to U.S. audiences as the location of “The White Lotus” Season 2.
The fest’s chief Tiziana Rocca on Saturday also announced a high-caliber jury panel comprising Holly Hunter, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi, casting director Francine Maisler, breakout director Akinola Davies Jr. (“My Father’s Shadow”), Amazon MGM Studios’ head of global marketing Sue Kroll, and Italian actor/director Pietro Castellitto.
Jane Campion is presiding over the jury and Helen Mirren will receive a lifetime achievement award, as previously announced.
“Bear Country,” in which Crowe portrays Manco Kapak, a veteran club owner whose plans for a peaceful retirement with his girlfriend are derailed when a masked assailant robs his establishment, will bow as a special event in Taormina’s ancient Greek theatre. Besides Crowe, the film stars Luke Evans, Teresa Palmer, Nina Dobrev and Aaron Paul. Most of the key cast are expected to attend. The film is produced by Jeffrey Greenstein and Mark Fasano and distributed in Italy by Gianluca Curti’s Minerva Pictures.
