As a seasoned movie critic with over three decades of attending film festivals under my belt, I must say that this year’s New York Film Festival lineup is nothing short of extraordinary! The diverse selection of films and filmmakers from all corners of the globe truly reflects the rich tapestry that cinema has become today.
Similar to numerous fall film festivals, the 2023 edition of New York Film Festival faced an unusual situation – it was held amidst an actors’ strike, and key stars like Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore (“May December”), as well as Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal (“All of Us Strangers”) were absent due to the strike and couldn’t attend to promote their films.
Indeed, Dennis Lim, artistic director at NYFF (New York Film Festival), is thrilled that the traditional cinematic celebration will resume in 2024, operating as it did prior. This year’s event spans from September 27th to October 14th. “We are genuinely pleased not to face the limitations this year,” he shares, adding, “And we have numerous actors set to attend for several of the major films.
He’s talking about movies similar to “The Room Next Door” directed by Pedro Almodóvar, which stars Moore and Tilda Swinton; Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning film “Anora”; Steve McQueen’s historical drama “Blitz,” with Saoirse Ronan in it; Pablo Larraín’s biopic-like movie “Maria” starring Angelina Jolie; and Luca Guadagnino’s romance drama “Queer,” featuring Daniel Craig. This year’s lineup also includes David Cronenberg’s sci-fi thriller “The Shrouds,” Alain Guiraudie’s dark comedy “Misericordia,” Mike Leigh’s everyday life depiction “Hard Truths,” Paul Schrader’s mournful drama “Oh, Canada,” and Brady Corbet’s historical saga “The Brutalist.
As an avid admirer, I’d like to express that Lim’s objective in crafting the film festival roster is quite inspiring. He has assembled a distinguished committee, comprising Florence Almozini from Film at Lincoln Center, Justin Chang of The New Yorker, K. Austin Collins, and Rachel Rosen, all esteemed figures in the cinematic world. Their collective aim seems to encapsulate the essence of cinema over the past year. Moreover, they aspire to showcase a diverse array of films and filmmakers, reflecting various geographical origins, genders, and artistic expressions.
Lim states, “We don’t have a specific thematic focus in mind while selecting our films. Instead, we observe that as the selection progresses, movies seem to engage with each other in interesting ways. This year, it became evident that cinema mirrors society’s state. Consequently, though unintentionally, we are creating a portrait of the world, which, unfortunately, is not very optimistic considering the ongoing wars, conflicts, and general anxieties.
Multiple films set to be screened at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, a common venue for New York Film Festival (NYFF) showings, have previously been shown at fall film festivals before arriving in New York. Lim explains that while premieres aren’t the primary consideration for them, they select movies from Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Sundance festivals. To capture what’s captivating, pertinent, or essential in cinema today, they need to evaluate the entire year’s offerings.
The New York Film Festival (NYFF) will indeed present two world premieres. One is “My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow” by director Julia Loktev, a non-fiction depiction of independent journalists in Putin’s Russia prior to the comprehensive invasion of Ukraine. The other is “Suburban Fury,” a documentary by Robinson Devor about Sara Jane Moore, who made an attempt on President Gerald Ford’s life in 1975. Coincidentally, the film’s relevance has become unintentional due to recent attempts against former president Donald Trump, one at a rally in Pennsylvania this summer and another at a Florida golf course, although these events didn’t contribute to its inclusion in this year’s lineup.
Lim finds it intriguing to observe how ‘Suburban Fury’ tackles such a complex, challenging topic. We watched the movie prior to the latest attempt on Trump’s life, which has been dominating headlines lately. The viewing was in spring or early summer, and even then, the film seemed to align with the current Zeitgeist, given that political violence is a significant concern.
The historical drama “Nickle Boys,” directed by RaMell Ross, based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about two Black teenagers in a brutal reform school during the Jim Crow era in Florida, will kick off the festival this Friday. This is a prestigious opening slot that has previously been held by films like Todd Haynes’ “May December,” Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” Steve McQueen’s “Lovers Rock,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite.
According to Lim, the chosen film for the opening night establishes the overall mood. Out of numerous options, this one particularly impressed us. Filmmaker RaMell Ross focuses on reshaping our perception of the world and pushing the boundaries of cinematic visual storytelling.
At film festivals, you’ll frequently find me perched in the balcony of Alice Tully Hall – a venue seating around a thousand movie enthusiasts. This strategic position offers an excellent vantage to gauge the audience’s response and reaffirm the shared, immersive nature of cinema as a communal experience.
Last year, there were several instances that caught my attention, one of which was ‘Zone of Interest.’ In those moments, I could tangibly sense the audience’s deep engagement with the movie. It’s not something you can see or hear, but it’s definitely a palpable feeling,” he explains. “For us, the selection process is complete, but the real magic happens when we’re together with the audience and filmmakers in the actual screening rooms.
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2024-09-27 16:47