“Rosewater,” Jon Stewart’s fact-based political drama about the Iranian Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, will open in select theaters Nov. 7, a prime fall release date that signifies awards aspirations.

The film is based on Bahari’s bestselling memoir “Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival” (co-written with Aimee Molloy), which chronicles his 118 days spent in an Iranian jail. The Tehran-born, London-based BBC journalist traveled to the country to cover the 2009 presidential elections but was arrested, imprisoned and tortured.

Gael Garcia Bernal stars in the film as Bahari, who appeared on Stewart’s “The Daily Show” both before and after his ordeal. Stewart also covered the story as it was in progress.

Last summer, Stewart took a three-month hiatus from his hosting duties to make the film, which represents his screenwriting and directorial debut.


He’s also a producer on “Rosewater,” along with Scott Rudin and Gigi Pritzker. OddLot Entertainment financed the film, and Open Road is distributing.

“Rosewater” will have its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

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