Gael Garcia Bernal Joins Matthew McConaughey in Drama; Julianne Nicholson Joins August: Osage County: Biz Break

Gael Garcia BernalAlso in Wednesday evening's round-up of news briefs, Toronto winner Silver Linings Playbook makes its U.S. move. Christopher Lloyd, Robert Vaughn, and Jerry Stiller set for a fete. And Focus Features unveils its winners for an African film program.

Friar's Club to Fete Christopher Lloyd, Robert Vaughn, and Jerry Stiller
Christopher Lloyd, Robert Vaughn, and Jerry Stiller will be honored with the "Best Ensemble Cast of Yesterday and Today" award for their new film, Excuse Me for Living October 9th. The comedy written and directed by Ric Klass, centers on a "charming, suicidal druggie must obey his rehab-clinic's demand to lead a seniors men's group or face incarceration and lose the love of his psychiatrist's daughter."

Silver Linings Playbook to Open Film Independent Forum
The film by David O Russell, which won the People's Choice Award at last month's Toronto International Film Festival, will open Film Independent's Forum, taking place October 19 - 21. The event helps indie filmmakers bring their projects to the screen.

Focus Features Names Winners of its Africa First Program
For a fifth consecutive year, five filmmakers have been selected for Focus Features’ Africa First Program. The worldwide film company’s initiative earmarked exclusively for emerging filmmakers of African nationality and residence, will award the filmmakers $10,000 apiece. The winning filmmakers for 2012 are Mr. Vincent Moloi (from South Africa); Mr. Jeremiah Mosese (from Lesotho); Ms. Ekwa Msangi-Omari (from Tanzania); Ms. Samantha Nell (from South Africa); and Mr. William Nicholson (from South Africa).

Around the 'net…

Gael Garcia Bernal Joins Matthew McConaughey in the Dallas Buyer's Club
The drama from Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee (The Young Victoria) initially had Hilary Swank attached, but has since dropped out. In the film Garcia Bernal will play an effeminate member of the club, a fellow AIDS patient who meets Woodroof in the hospital, THR reports.

Julianne Nicholson Joins August: Osage County
Nicholson will play Ivy Weston, one of the sisters to Julia Robert's Barbara in the adaptation of the Oklahoma family clan drama. She will be the middle daughter to Violet, played by Meryl Streep, Deadline reports.