WYATT EARP Galas

The 1994 AFI International Film Festival is honored to open this year with Warner Bros.’ epic Western, Wyatt Earp, directed by Lawrence Kasdan and starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, and Gene Hackman. This sweeping tale of the transformation of the American West traces the life of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, played by Kevin Costner, from innocent boy to adventuresome youth to hardened lawman. Young Wyatt Earp learns from his father (Gene Hackman) that nothing matters more than family and justice. On his way to becoming the legendary Marshall of Tombstone, he is constantly torn between his desires and his responsibilities to his family, which he holds paramount. His unflinching loyalty to his brothers and their dreams bring him great joy, and ultimately, great tragedy. The large and critically acclaimed cast of Wyatt Earp includes Dennis Quaid as Wyatt’s cohort Doc Holliday and Gene Hackman as Nicholas Earp, Wyatt’s father. The impressive list of supporting players includes Michael Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Jobeth Williams, Mare Winningham, Mark Harmon, and Betty Buckley. In the tradition of classic American filmmaking, producers Lawrence Kasdan, Kevin Costner, and Jim Wilson have created an epic drama of vision and grandeur that promises to be the movie event of the year.