Posted by Larry Gleeson
THE BANKER, Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie, set as Closing Night Film for 33rd Edition of AFI FEST
The 33rd edition of AFI FEST presented by Audi will close with the World Premiere of Apple’s new film THE BANKER, directed by George Nolfi (THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU) on Thursday, November 21 at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
Director of AFI Festivals, Michael Lumpkin said, “THE BANKER joins a remarkable group of films being released this year that openly confront centuries of racism and injustice in our country, while celebrating the brave individuals whose activism has created real change.”
Based on a true story, THE BANKER stars Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson as two African American entrepreneurs who attempt to circumvent the racial limitations of the 1950s and quietly provide housing loans to the black community in Jim Crow Texas. Jackson and Mackie have reunited for the film after starring in Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise together.
THE BANKER joins recently announced Opening Night film QUEEN & SLIM, directed by AFI alumna Melina Matsoukas (Class of 2005), which also tackles institutionalized racism in America, in the festival lineup.
Based on a true story, THE BANKER centers on revolutionary businessmen Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), who devise an audacious and risky plan to take on the racist establishment of the 1960s by helping other African Americans pursue the American dream. Along with Garret’s wife Eunice (Nia Long), they train a working class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the rich and privileged face of their burgeoning real estate and banking empire — while Garrett and Morris pose as a janitor and a chauffeur. Their success ultimately draws the attention of the federal government, which threatens everything the four have built. The drama is directed by George Nolfi and produced by Joe Viertel. Brad Feinstein produced under his Romulus Entertainment banner, alongside producers Nolfi, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jonathan Baker, David Lewis Smith and Anthony Mackie. The executive producers are Joseph F. Ingrassia, Samuel L. Jackson, Will Greenfield, David Gendron and Ali Jazayeri. THE BANKER is written by Niceole Levy, George Nolfi, David Lewis Smith and Stan Younger from a story by David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger and Brad Caleb Kane.
THE BANKER opens in theaters on December 6, 2019, before it debuts on Apple TV+, a new home for the world’s most creative storytellers in January 2020.
Individual tickets will be available for purchase for AFI members beginning October 29 and for the general public on October 30.
(Source: AFI FEST news release)
