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Scarlett Johansson (41) Opens New York Film Festival With Jet-Lagged ‘Paper Tiger’ Premiere

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Scarlett Johansson has spent much of this year balancing multiple productions across continents, a schedule that’s become increasingly common for actors juggling awards-season prestige work with ongoing film commitments. That kind of pace rarely leaves much room for rest, even when a major premiere is on the calendar.

That reality caught up with her this week in a very public way. James Gray’s crime drama ‘Paper Tiger‘ served as the opening night selection for the 64th New York Film Festival on September 25, bringing Johansson back to New York alongside co-stars Adam Driver and Miles Teller for a red carpet appearance and post-screening Q&A at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater.

Johansson arrived fresh off an international flight, having flown in directly from another film shoot overseas, and didn’t hide just how depleted the travel had left her. “I’m hallucinating,” she joked during the on-stage interview, noting that it was around 5 a.m. her time when the conversation took place.

That kind of candor set a relaxed tone for an event otherwise built around serious awards buzz. ‘Paper Tiger’ first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it competed for the Palme d’Or, and has since been positioned by distributor Neon as a major contender heading into the fall awards season.

The film follows two brothers who become entangled in a Russian mob scheme that initially seems too good to be true, set against the backdrop of Queens in 1986. Teller stars as Irwin, an engineer and family man, alongside Johansson as his wife Hester, with Driver rounding out the central cast.

Before the screening began, director James Gray kept his own remarks notably brief, joking about his film school days. “When I was in film school many years ago, students would show their films, and the students that talked the most [before] often made the very worst movies,” he said. “So I am going to speak very briefly.” He went on to reflect on his early ambitions as a filmmaker, recalling how his parents once doubted his career path.

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NYFF artistic director Dennis Lim introduced Gray as one of the great living American filmmakers during the event, underscoring just how significant a get ‘Paper Tiger’ was for the festival’s opening night slot.

Reviews out of the festival have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film earning praise for its performances across the board. Critics have specifically floated Teller for Best Actor consideration, alongside Driver for Best Supporting Actor and Johansson for Best Supporting Actress, with Gray himself in contention for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Johansson was joined on the red carpet by her husband, ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum Colin Jost, adding a personal touch to what was otherwise a packed night of press events and photo calls. The trio’s onstage chemistry during the Q&A also reflected the close bond they reportedly developed while filming together.

‘Paper Tiger’ is scheduled for a limited theatrical release on November 13, followed by a wider nationwide expansion a week later on November 20. Given the strength of its Cannes debut and now its NYFF reception, the film appears well-positioned to remain part of the awards conversation deep into the season.

What are you most excited to see from ‘Paper Tiger’?

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