The world premiere of #MeToo true story “She Said,” directed by Maria Schrader and starring Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, leads the Spotlight section, along with Emmett Till biopic “Till” helmed by Chinonye Chukwu. Luca Guadagnino’s cannibal love story “Bones and All” with Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell is also set to make its New York premiere. “Ranging from illuminating portraits and affecting personal stories to uncomfortable histories that ignite change, the third edition of our NYFF Spotlight section is a curated mix of world premieres, films, by acclaimed auteurs, a selection of must-see documentaries, as well as a one of a kind evening of film and music,” Eugene Hernandez, executive director of the New York Film Festival, said. “Our aim once again with Spotlight is to engage, enlighten, and entertain.”
Spotlight World Premieres additionally include film critic Elvis Mitchell’s “Is That Black Enough for You?!?,” a kaleidoscopic documentary that creates a definitive narrative of the Black revolution in 1970s cinema; “A Cooler Climate,” Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Ivory and Giles Gardner’s deeply personal new documentary that uncovers boxes of film Ivory shot during a life-changing trip to Afghanistan in 1960; and “Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi’s documentary featuring another beloved New York institution, New York Dolls singer-songwriter David Johansen. Other new works range from Marco Bellocchio’s six-part series “Exterior Night” about the kidnapping and eventual murder of Italy’s influential statesman and former prime minister Aldo Moro by the leftist Red Brigades, and Lars von Trier’s “The Kingdom Exodus,” the third season of his Danish horror TV series “The Kingdom,” with all five parts presented on the big screen. Robert Downey, Jr.’s documentary on his father Robert Downey, Sr., directed by Chris Smith and aptly titled “Sr.,” focuses on his legacy after his 2021 death. Similarly, “The Super 8 Years” is a delicate journey into writer and director Annie Ernaux’s family’s memory. Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking,” the screen adaptation of Miriam Toews’s acclaimed novel about a group of women from a remote religious community dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault, also debuts. The Spotlight slate is rounded out by the 50th-anniversary presentation of Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Solaris” with live musical accompaniment by Matthew Nolan and Stephen Shannon. As part of its 60th-anniversary celebration, the New York Film Festival will offer festival screenings in all five boroughs of New York City in partnership with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (Staten Island), BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) (Brooklyn), the Bronx Museum of the Arts (Bronx), Maysles Documentary Center (Harlem), and the Museum of the Moving Image (Queens). Each venue will present a selection of films throughout the festival; a complete list of films and showtimes will be announced later this month.
Previously announced festival Main Slate films include Claire Denis’ “Stars at Noon”; Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave”; Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness”; and Charlotte Wells’s debut feature film, “Aftersun,” a favorite of Cannes Critics’ Week, as well as the Opening Night selection of Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise,” Laura Poitras’s documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” as the Centerpiece, and Elegance Bratton’s narrative debut “The Inspection” closing the festival. James Gray’s “Armageddon Time” will be the NYFF 60th-anniversary screening event, celebrating New York City and the New York Film Festival. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
