Robert Zemeckis’ ‘Here’ Will Have World Premiere at AFI Festival

Robert Zemeckis’ “Here” will have its world premiere at the 2024 AFI Fest, where it will be the Centerpiece Screening, the American Film Institute announced on Tuesday. The screening will take place on Oct. 25 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

With a screenplay by Eric Roth that’s based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel by the same name, “Here” reunites the stars of “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks and Robin Right, with that film’s director, Zemeckis. As described by AFI, the film is a “tale of love, loss, laughter and life” that follows “multiple families and a special place they inhabit” — the “here” of the movie’s title. The cast also includes Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Dockery. In addition to directing, Zemeckis produced “Here” with Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue and Bill Block.

“Robert Zemeckis is, first and foremost, a master storyteller — and, uniquely, one who has spent a lifetime utilizing the latest technologies to tell the human story,” AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale said. “‘Here’ presents a profoundly powerful emotional experience while also bringing the art of film into the future.”

A Directors Spotlight on Oct. 24 will fête Zemeckis, who will participate in a conversation about his work. Via statement, the filmmaker said, “AFI serves as a valued institution in the important preservation and celebration of motion pictures, and it is an honor to premiere ‘Here’ at AFI FEST. I hope audiences will enjoy the film as much as Tom, Robin, Eric and I loved reuniting to bring this story to the screen.”

As previously announced, Laurent Bouzereau’s “Music by John Williams” will open the AFI Fest with its world premiere on Oct. 23. The festival takes place Oct. 23-27 in Los Angeles.