Ben Affleck directorial ‘Air’ to close the SXSW Film & TV Festival this year

Mumbai : The upcoming Ben Affleck directorial ‘Air’ which stars Matt Damon as the maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro will be the closing film at the ongoing edition of the SXSW Film & TV Festival.

After this, the film will be released in cinemas on April 5. ‘Air’ presents the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionised the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand.

Claudette Godfrey, VP of Film & TV, SXSW, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to close out the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival with AIR. Ben Affleck has crafted an exceptional film filled with outstanding performances that capture the emotional ride behind the creation of this legendary brand.

We know it will be a true one-of-a-kind experience for our SXSW crowda. The film’s story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.

In the film, Ben Affleck essays the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight with Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Julius Tennon as James Jordan, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Matthew Maher as Peter Moore.