Brian de Palma's "The Black Dahlia" became the first film screened at the 2006 Venice International Film Festival as it opened on Wednesday, August 29.
- Aug 31, 2006
AceShowbiz - A sepia-tinted throwback to 1940s Hollywood, "The Black Dahlia" finally encountered its world premiere as it opened the 63rd Venice International Film Festival yesterday, August 30, 2006. One of the contenders for the Golden Lion, the movie thus became the first U.S film feature to be screened at this year's event, preceding its fellow Hollywood competitors consisting of "The Fountain", "Hollywoodland", and "Bobby."
Stars of the picture also came down to the festival during the opening; among them were Scarlett Johansson, Mia Kirshner, Josh Hartnett, and Aaron Eckhart. Others included director Cameron Crowe who's sitting on the jury and Oliver Stone whose "World Trade Center" is being screened out of competition.
Based on James Ellroy's crime novel of the same title "Dahlia" layers fiction on to the factual murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947 that remains unsolved to this day. Directing matters have been entrusted to Brian de Palma's hands with Josh Friedman adapting the screenplay. Pic is slated to hit U.S theaters on September 15 this year.
