‘Swan Song,’ ‘Bruised’ to world premiere at AFI FEST 2021

Today, AFI FEST announced that this year’s fest will include the World Premieres of Academy Award winner Benjamin Cleary’s feature directorial debut Swan Song (not to be confused by the film of the same title released this summer) from Apple Original Films and Academy Award winner Halle Berry’s directorial debut Bruised from Netflix. Both World Premieres will screen at the film festival in-person at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre on Friday, November 12, and Saturday, November 13, respectively.

“Now more than ever it is important to lift up and shine a light on new voices and new stories that inspire empathy,” said Sarah Harris, Director of Programming at AFI Festivals. “Halle Berry and Benjamin Cleary are vital artists whose visions we are proud to celebrate at AFI FEST.”

Swan Song is set in the near future and told through the eyes of Cameron (two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (eight-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close) to shield his family from grief. As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he learns more about life and love than he ever imagined. Academy Award nominee Naomie Harris, BAFTA winner Awkwafina and Adam Beach also star in the ensemble cast. The film is helmed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Benjamin Cleary (Stutterer), from an original screenplay written by Cleary and produced by Anonymous Content and Concordia Studio. Producers are Adam Shulman (Defending Jacob) and Jacob Perlin (The Amazing Johnathan Documentary) on behalf of Anonymous Content; Jonathan King (Stillwater, Dark Waters) on behalf of Concordia Studio; Rebecca Bourke (Wave); Mahershala Ali and Mimi Valdés (Hidden Figures) through Know Wonder.

In Bruised, Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) is a mixed martial arts fighter who leaves the sport in disgrace.  Down on her luck and simmering with rage and regret years after her fight, she’s coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager and boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto) and grabs the attention of a fight league promoter (Shamier Anderson) who promises Jackie a life back in the octagon. But the road to redemption becomes unexpectedly personal when Manny (Danny Boyd, Jr.), the son she gave up as an infant, shows up at her doorstep. The film marks the directorial debut of Academy Award winner Halle Berry and also stars Adriane Lenox, Sheila Atim, Valentina Shevchenko and Stephen McKinley Henderson in a triumphant story of a fighter who reclaims her power, in and out of the ring, when everyone has counted her out. The film is helmed by Berry from an original screenplay written by Michelle Rosenfarb, and produced by Thunder Road Pictures, Entertainment 360 and Romulus Entertainment.

The films join the previously announced titles which include Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tick, tick…BOOM! and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s King Richard starring Will Smith. AFI FEST 2021 film festival takes place from November 10–14 in Los Angeles.

This year’s hybrid festival will feature both in-person screenings and events, as well as virtual screenings, showcasing transformative stories from groundbreaking artists. With health and safety being top priority, AFI FEST 2021 film festival will require all festival-goers who attend in-person events and/or screenings to be fully vaccinated. Tickets and passes will be available soon on FEST.AFI.com. AFI Members receive exclusive discounts and benefits to the festival.