Simon Stone's portrait of Ian Charleson, who performed Hamlet at the National Theatre while dying of AIDS, arrives at Telluride with a November release from Focus Features.

Andrew Scott plays Ian Charleson, a Scottish actor who in 1989 prepared to give the performance of his life at London's National Theatre while battling AIDS. Simon Stone's Elsinore made its world premiere today at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival, positioned as one of the fall season's most significant awards contenders.

The film follows Charleson's determination to perform Hamlet despite his illness. Olivia Colman co-stars as the doctor who treated him through his illness. The ensemble also includes Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Monica Dolan, Juliet Stevenson, Joe Locke, Adeel Akhtar, Matthew Beard, David Dawson as filmmaker Derek Jarman, Kadiff Kirwan, Dickie Beau, and Peter Mullan. Scott produces alongside Stone.

Focus Features acquired North American and Latin American rights and has set a limited theatrical release for November 20, with plans to expand over Thanksgiving and throughout December. Elsinore will next travel to London, where it opens the 70th BFI London Film Festival.

The 53rd Telluride Film Festival runs September 4 through 7. Also premiering this weekend: Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut and Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care, both generating early Oscar conversation. Fall's awards race has its opening move.