Vita & Virginia

Last updated

Vita & Virginia
Vita and Virginia poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Chanya Button
Written by
Based onVita & Virginia
by Eileen Atkins
Produced by
  • Evangelo Kioussis
  • Katie Holly
  • Shashank Shambharkar
Starring
CinematographyCarlos De Carvalho
Edited byMark Trend
Music by Isobel Waller-Bridge
Production
companies
Distributed by Thunderbird Releasing
Release dates
  • 11 September 2018 (2018-09-11)(TIFF)
  • 5 July 2019 (2019-07-05)(United Kingdom and Ireland)
Running time
110 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
LanguageEnglish
Box office$789,095 [1]

Vita & Virginia is a 2018 biographical romantic drama film directed by Chanya Button. The screenplay, written by Button and Eileen Atkins, is adapted from the 1992 play Vita & Virginia by Atkins. [2] The film stars Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki, and Isabella Rossellini. Set in the 1920s, Vita & Virginia tells the story of the love affair between Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf.

Contents

The film had its world premiere as a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2018. [3] [4] It was released in the United Kingdom on 5 July 2019, and in the United States on 23 August 2019.

Plot

Set in the 1920s, the writers Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf move in different London circles. When they meet, Vita decides Virginia will be her next conquest. They have an affair against the background of each of their open marriages. [5]

Cast

Production

On 30 June 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that British director Chanya Button [lower-alpha 1] was to direct Vita and Virginia from a script by Eileen Atkins, [7] with Evangelo Kioussis of Mirror Productions and Katie Holly of Bl!nder Films as producers. [7] [8] [9] [10] [ excessive citations ] The screenplay is based on Atkins' stage play Vita & Virginia. [6] Gemma Arterton, who also became an executive producer of the film, had received the first draft from Atkins years before and showed it to Button; and Button subsequently co-wrote the final script with Atkins. [6]

Elizabeth Debicki in 2012.jpg
Elizabeth Debicki in 2012
George Charles Beresford - Virginia Woolf in 1902 - Restoration.jpg
Virginia Woolf in 1902

On 8 February 2017, it was announced that Eva Green and Gemma Arterton had been cast in the film. [11] [12] [lower-alpha 2] In May 2017, it was reported that Green had left the project due to scheduling conflicts. [13] Green was replaced by Andrea Riseborough. [14] Elizabeth Debicki was eventually cast in the role of Woolf in August 2017, with Isabella Rossellini also joining the production. [13] [15] [16]

Financing was procured from the Irish Film Board, Piccadilly Pictures, Sampsonic Media, and Lipsync Productions; with Protagonist Pictures handling international sales. [6] Principal photography began in September 2017 in Dublin, Ireland. [17] [6]

In August 2017, Thunderbird Releasing acquired the distribution rights for the United Kingdom. [16] [18] Distribution rights for Germany were acquired by NFP, Australia and New Zealand by Transmission Films, Czech Republic and Slovakia by CinemArt, Greece by Seven Films, Hong Kong by EDKO, Israel by Forum Film, Poland by M2 Films, Portugal by Lusumundo, and in the former Yugoslavia by MCF. [13]

The first film still was released by Protagonist Pictures on 1 November 2017. [19] [20]

Release

The world premiere was held at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2018. [21] [4] [22] It was selected as the opening night film of the 2019 Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco and the 2019 BFI Flare in London. [23] [24]

Vita and Virginia was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 5 July 2019 by Thunderbird Releasing. [25] [26] It was released in the United States on 23 August 2019 by IFC Films. [27]

Home media

The film was released on video on demand (VOD) in the US on 30 August 2019. [27]

Reception

Critical reception

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 41% approval rating based on 92 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Vita & Virginia takes a well-acted and initially intriguing look at the relationship between its real-life protagonists, but is undone by unsatisfying storytelling." [28] According to Metacritic, which sampled the opinions of 18 critics and calculated a score of 43 out of 100, the film received "mixed or average reviews". [29]

Accolades

Elizabeth Debicki's portrayal of Virginia Woolf was recognised with a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 22nd British Independent Film Awards. [30] [31] The film was also nominated for Best Makeup & Hair at the 16th Irish Film & Television Awards. [32]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sacha Polak had come on board as director in 2014 but withdrew from the project soon after. [6]
  2. ↑ Romola Garai was originally cast in the role of Virginia Woolf. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Woolf</span> English modernist writer (1882–1941)

Adeline Virginia Woolf was an English writer. She is considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vita Sackville-West</span> English writer and gardener (1892–1962)

Victoria Mary, Lady Nicolson, CH, usually known as Vita Sackville-West, was an English author and garden designer.

<i>A Room of Ones Own</i> 1929 book by Virginia Woolf

A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf, first published in September 1929. The work is based on two lectures Woolf delivered in October 1928 at Newnham College and Girton College, women's colleges at the University of Cambridge.

Orlando: A Biography is a novel by Virginia Woolf, first published on 11 October 1928. Inspired by the tumultuous family history of the aristocratic poet and novelist Vita Sackville-West, Woolf's lover and close friend, it is arguably one of her most popular novels; Orlando is a history of English literature in satiric form. The book describes the adventures of a poet who changes sex from man to woman and lives for centuries, meeting the key figures of English literary history. Considered a feminist classic, the book has been written about extensively by scholars of women's writing and gender and transgender studies.

<i>Orlando</i> (film) 1992 film by Sally Potter

Orlando is a 1992 British period drama fantasy film loosely based on Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel Orlando: A Biography, starring Tilda Swinton as Orlando, Billy Zane as Marmaduke Bonthrop Shelmerdine, and Quentin Crisp as Queen Elizabeth I. It was written and directed by Sally Potter, who also co-wrote the score with David Motion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Nicolson</span> British politician and writer

Nigel Nicolson was an English writer, publisher and politician.

Zoe Ada Caldwell was an Australian actress. She was a four-time Tony Award winner, winning Best Featured Actress in a Play for Slapstick Tragedy (1966), and Best Actress in a Play for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968), Medea (1982), and Master Class (1996). Her film appearances include The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Birth (2004), and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).

Louise A. DeSalvo was an American writer, editor, professor, and lecturer who lived in New Jersey. Much of her work focused on Italian-American culture, though she was also a renowned Virginia Woolf scholar.

Sean Francis Bobbitt, B.S.C. is an American-born British cinematographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma Arterton</span> British actress (born 1986)

Gemma Christina Arterton is an English actress and producer. After her stage debut in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre (2007), Arterton made her feature film debut in the comedy St Trinian's (2007). She portrayed Bond Girl Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008), a performance which won her an Empire Award for Best Newcomer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Partridge</span> British soldier and pacifist

Reginald Sherring Partridge,, generally known as Ralph Partridge, a member of the Bloomsbury Group, worked for Leonard Woolf and Virginia Woolf, married first Dora Carrington and then Frances Marshall, and was the unrequited love of Lytton Strachey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Debicki</span> Australian actress (born 1990)

Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress. After studying drama at the Victorian College of the Arts, she made her film debut with a brief role in the Australian comedy A Few Best Men (2011). Debicki's role in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby (2013) won her the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. She played Ayesha in the Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and gained critical attention for her performance in Steve McQueen's heist thriller Widows (2018). The following year, she received the Cannes Film Festival's Trophée Chopard. She then co-starred in Christopher Nolan's science fiction thriller Tenet (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Arterton</span> British actor and singer

Hannah Jane Arterton is an English actress. She attended Gravesend Grammar School for Girls and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2011. She has most notably appeared in the television series The Five (2016) and Safe (2018), and in the film Walking on Sunshine (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacha Polak</span> Dutch film director

Sacha Polak is a Dutch film director.

Elizabeth Karlsen is a British film producer. She co-founded Number 9 Films in 2002 with production partner and husband Stephen Woolley.

Rory Keenan is an Irish actor. On film and television he has starred in Somewhere Boy, The Duchess, Birdsong, Versailles, War & Peace, The Guard and Peaky Blinders.

Sarah Gristwood is an English journalist and author. She was born in Kent, grew up in Dover and educated at St Anne's College, Oxford.

<i>Perfect 10</i> (film) 2019 film directed by Eva Riley

Perfect 10 is a 2019 British feature film, written and directed by Eva Riley. It stars teenage gymnast and actress Frankie Box as Leigh, whose life and training is disrupted by changes in her family life. The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 3 October 2019, and was released in the UK on the 7 August 2020.

<i>My Zoe</i> 2019 film

My Zoe is a 2019 drama film written and directed by Julie Delpy. It stars Delpy, Richard Armitage, Daniel Brühl, Gemma Arterton, Saleh Bakri, Lindsay Duncan and Sophia Ally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanya Button</span> English director and screenwriter

Chanya Joyce Dorothy Button is an English director and screenwriter. After studying at RADA and learning the ropes in the assistant directors' department on the Harry Potter franchise, she directed two feature films, Burn Burn Burn (2015) and Vita & Virginia (2018), the latter of which she also co-wrote. She then moved on to television, directing the 2019 period dramas World on Fire and The Spanish Princess, as well as an episode of Doctor Who, set to air in November 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Vita and Virginia (2019)". The Numbers . Nash Information Services. 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  2. ↑ Atkins, Eileen (1995). Vita & Virginia (PDF). Samuel French, Inc. ISBN   0-573-13012-4.
  3. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (14 August 2018). "Toronto unveils Contemporary World Cinema, more Galas and Special Presentations". Screen Daily . Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 White, Peter (7 September 2018). "'Vita & Virginia': Gemma Arterton and Rupert Penry-Jones Duel In First Clip Of Chanya Button's Period Drama". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  5. ↑ Vita & Virginia – Synopsis. (2019). Protagonist Pictures.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McCarthy, Esther (18 February 2018). "'Vita & Virginia' with Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki: exclusive new image and set report". Screen Daily . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  7. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (30 June 2016). "Story About Virginia Woolf & Vita Sackville-West Love Affair Headed To The Big Screen". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Knox, Kirsty Blake (2 February 2017). "Woolf's love story gets Irish producer's touch". Irish Independent . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  9. ↑ McNeice, Katie (13 February 2017). "Blinder Films to Co-Produce 'Vita & Virginia' starring Eva Green & Gemma Arterton". Irish Film & Television Network . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Final Cast Announced for Irish/UK Creative Co-Production, Vita and Virginia". Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland . 25 August 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Staff (8 February 2017). "Eva Green, Gemma Arterton to Star in Virginia Woolf Movie 'Vita & Virginia'". Variety . Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  12. ↑ Pulver, Andrew (8 February 2017). "Gemma Arterton and Eva Green cast in Virginia Woolf lesbian romance". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 Grater, Tom (23 August 2017). "Elizabeth Debicki replaces Eva Green in lesbian romance 'Vita & Virginia'". Screen Daily . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  14. ↑ The Playlist [@ThePlaylist] (19 May 2017). "Andrea Riseborough Replaces Eva Green In 'Vita & Virginia' With Gemma". Twitter . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  15. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (23 August 2017). "Elizabeth Debicki to Play Virginia Woolf in 'Vita & Virginia'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  16. 1 2 Mitchell, Robert (23 August 2017). "Elizabeth Debicki, Isabella Rossellini Join Virginia Woolf Biopic 'Vita & Virginia'". Variety . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  17. ↑ Evry, Max (1 November 2017). "First Look at Debicki & Arterton in Vita & Virginia". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "Vita & Virginia". Thunderbird Releasing . 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  19. ↑ Horst, Carole (1 November 2017). "AFM First Look: Elizabeth Debicki, Gemma Arterton in 'Vita & Virginia'". Variety . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  20. ↑ Murphy, Niall (1 November 2017). "#IrishFilm: First image from Chanya Button's Vita & Virginia, produced by Blinder Films". Scannain. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  21. ↑ "Vita & Virginia". Toronto International Film Festival . 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  22. ↑ Kiang, Jessica (18 September 2018). "Toronto Film Review: 'Vita & Virginia'". Variety . Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  23. ↑ Dry, Jude (30 April 2019). "Frameline 2019: Judy Garland, Virginia Woolf Movies Head Up San Francisco LGBTQ Film Festival". IndieWire . Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  24. ↑ Mitchell, Robert (8 February 2019). "'Vita & Virginia' to Open BFI Flare LGBTQ Festival". Variety. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  25. ↑ Alexander, Ella (16 April 2019). "Watch: the trailer for Vita & Virginia is here". Harpers Bazaar . Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  26. ↑ "Vita and Virginia". Launching Films. Film Distributors' Association. 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  27. 1 2 "Vita & Virginia". IFC Films . 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  28. ↑ "Vita & Virginia (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  29. ↑ "Vita & Virginia Reviews". Metacritic . Red Ventures . Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  30. ↑ Parfitt, Orlando (2 December 2019). "'For Sama' wins top prize at 2019 BIFAs". Screen International . Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  31. ↑ "Vita & Virginia · BIFA · British Independent Film Awards". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  32. ↑ "Irish Film & Television Academy | Irish Film & Television Awards". ifta.ie. Retrieved 28 January 2023.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.