Just hours before the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival kicks off, excitement is sweeping through festivalgoers with that celebrated actors Juliette Binoche, Ralph Fiennes, and Matt Dillon will be joining this year’s lineup.
Academy Award nominee and acclaimed British theater luminary Ralph Fiennes, together with Oscar-winning French actress Juliette Binoche, will grace the festival to present Uberto Pasolini’s historical drama The Return. This modern retelling of Homer’s Odyssey, featuring Fiennes and Binoche as Odysseus and Penelope, respectively, will have its nationwide premiere as a special screening on Saturday, November 2.
The Return, directed by Uberto Pasolini, with Ralph Fiennes (Odysseus), Juliette Binoche (Penelope), Charlie Plummer (Telemachus), Marwan Kenzari (Antinous), Claudio Santamaria (Eumaeus).
Adding to the festival’s star power, legendary American actor Matt Dillon—known for his fearless portrayals in complex roles and his enduring status as a Hollywood maverick—will attend the screening of Being Maria (2024) by Jessica Palud on Sunday, November 3. The film delves into the life of French actress Maria Schneider, examining her rise to fame and the profound impact of her role alongside Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris (1972).
American actor Matt Dillon.
Dillon is also set to receive the festival’s prestigious honorary “Golden Alexander Award” on November 4, which will be followed by a screening of his directorial debut, City of Ghosts (2002).
Running from Thursday, October 31, to Sunday, November 10, the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival boasts a diverse program featuring 252 films. Of these, 67 films will also be available for online streaming on the festival’s digital platform.
