Malick film shot in Bartlesville set to premiere at Venice Film Festival

Writer-director Terrence Malick’s film “To the Wonder,” shot primarily in Oklahoma, will make its world premiere at next month’s Venice Film Festival.

The lineup for Venice’s Aug. 29-Sept. 8 event, announced Thursday by festival director Alberto Barbera, includes the romantic drama starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Javier

Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams in "To the Wonder."

Bardem, which will be playing as an in-competition title aiming to win the Golden Lion, the top honor at the world’s oldest film festival.

“To the Wonder” was shot in the fall of 2010 around the Bartlesville and Pawhuska areas and briefly in Tulsa. The film took advantage of the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program, administered by the Oklahoma Film & Music Office.

Terrence Malick

The famously reclusive Malick spent several years of his youth in Bartlesville, where his father still resides.

Malick is among 17 directors vying for the prize, including Brian De Palma for the sexy thriller “Passion,” which also features McAdams in its cast. De Palma’s last feature film, “Redacted,” won Venice’s award for best direction in 2007.

Malick’s film was announced in February 2010 and was orginally set to star Christian Bale, who dropped out before filming began and was replaced by Affleck.

 The cast of “To the Wonder” also includes Jessica Chastain, Olga Kurylenko, Amanda Peet, Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen and Rachel Weisz.

- Gene Triplett, The Associated Press and the Oklahoma Film & Music Office contributed to this report.