Aya DuVernay's Oscar frontrunner Selma is already making its way into theaters across the country, but one select town is getting to see it for free next week and for good reason. Selma, Alabama — obviously the namesake town of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic — will receive free screenings of the movie starting January 9.
The Wrap reports the movie, focused on civil rights protests in 1965 led by King (played by David Oyelowo) in Selma resulting in President Lyndon Johnson (played by Tom Wilkinson) advocating for the Voting Rights Act, will screen for free at the Selma Walton Theater as soon as the movie gets its official wide release.
"The city and people of Selma welcomed the production with open arms this past summer and in celebration of the film’s national release on January 9th, we are incredibly excited and very humbled to be bringing Ava’s finished film to the community,” Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures, Selma's distributor, said.
Nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Picture-Drama, Selma is considered a frontrunner for Best Picture at this year's Oscars alongside Boyhood. In addition to getting more national attention, it has also received some controversy for its portrayal of LBJ.
In addition to Oyelowo and Wilkinson, the movie also stars Tessa Thompson, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Cuba Gooding Jr., Oprah Winfrey, Martin Sheen and more.
Image courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com