AFI FEST 2023 Announces Full Festival Lineup
- Details
- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Monday, 02 October 2023 08:40
- Written by A&E Contributing Editor
The American Film Institute (AFI) announced the lineup for this year's AFI FEST, taking place in Los Angeles from October 25 to October 29. AFI FEST 6-Ticket bundles and individual tickets will be available starting October 3.
Highlights include the World Premiere of ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE directed by Academy Award® nominee Rob Reiner, ALL OF US STRANGERS directed by Andrew Haigh, AMERICAN FICTION directed by Cord Jefferson, THE BIKERIDERS directed by Jeff Nichols, THE END WE START FROM directed by Mahalia Belo, FINGERNAILS directed by Christos Nikou, the World Premiere of FREUD'S LAST SESSION directed by Matthew Brown, MEMORY directed by Michel Franco, QUIZ LADY directed by Academy Award® winner Jessica Yu, and SOCIETY OF THE SNOW directed by J.A. Bayona, which will all screen in the Special Screenings section. Passes are now available at FEST.AFI.com.
AFI FEST Announces World Premiere of Maxine's Baby: The Tyler Perry Story Selected as Centerpiece Screening
This year's AFI FEST program is set to feature an expanded selection of features and shorts compared to last year, offering 141 titles for the public to enjoy across five days. The program includes 3 Red Carpet Premieres, 10 Special Screenings, 15 Luminaries, 12 Discovery, 16 World Cinema, 13 Documentary, 42 Short Film Competition, and 30 films in the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Networks.
Of the official selections, 44% are directed by women, 37% are directed by BIPOC filmmakers and 18% by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers. There are 4 World Premieres, 3 North American Premieres and 4 U.S. Premieres. This year's program represents 49 countries and includes 18 Best International Feature Oscar® submissions, including ABOUT DRY GRASSES (Turkey), THE CAPTAIN (Italy), DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (Romania), FALLEN LEAVES (Finland), FOUR DAUGHTERS (Tunisia), INSHALLAH A BOY (Jordan), THE PEASANTS (Poland), PERFECT DAYS (Japan), PICTURES OF GHOSTS (Brazil), THE PROMISED LAND (Denmark), THE SETTLERS (Chile), SHAYDA (Australia), SLOW (Lithuania), SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD (Estonia), SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (Spain), THE TASTE OF THINGS (France), THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE (Germany) and TÓTEM (Mexico).
"Everyone on the AFI FEST team is proud to share this year's selection of outstanding films from around the world with the audiences of Los Angeles," said Todd Hitchcock, Director of AFI FEST. "Cinema is truly a global language, and the diversity of screen artistry represented here will widen the horizons for all moviegoers."
Bradley Cooper’s "Maestro" to Close AFI FEST 2023
The program will also feature a panel celebrating the greatest film books of all time moderated by The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg. Some 300 of the world's most noted filmmakers, film executives, authors and cultural tastemakers have cast ballots to determine a list of the 100 greatest books about film, which The Hollywood Reporter will reveal in a special issue on October 11. AFI FEST will gather many of them on October 28 for an historic, engaging discussion.
AFI FEST 2023 will take place exclusively in person in Los Angeles from October 25 to October 29. AFI members receive discounts on tickets and other exclusive benefits. To become an AFI member, visit AFI.com/join/.
Top Sponsors for AFI FEST 2023 include Apple Original Films, Canva, AMC Networks and Participant.
As previously announced, the World Premiere of LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND, written and directed by Sam Esmail (AFI Class of 2004), will open AFI FEST on October 25. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, the highly anticipated apocalyptic thriller stars Academy Award® winner Julia Roberts, Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali, Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and Kevin Bacon.
AFI Fest 2023 Announces World Premiere of Sam Esmail’s "Leave The World Behind" To Open Festival
Bradley Cooper's MAESTRO will close AFI FEST 2023 on October 29. MAESTRO is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). A love letter to life and art, MAESTRO at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love. The film reunites Cooper with Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) and is co-written by Cooper and Oscar® winner Josh Singer (SPOTLIGHT). Producing alongside Cooper and AFI Life Achievement Award recipients Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg are Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger.
The World Premiere of MAXINE'S BABY: THE TYLER PERRY STORY will screen as the Centerpiece film. Directed by Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz, the film grants the audience unfettered access to the inner world of Tyler Perry, whose story has never fully been told, as he becomes a father and a media mogul with a mission to pave his own road to the top. The film is a profound lesson on remembering where you came from to know where you want to go. Bekele produced the film under her Bekele Films banner alongside Jasmine K. White and Asante White.
RED CARPET PREMIERES
AFI rolls out the red carpet for the most anticipated films of the festival. Sure to be an exciting celebration of the best in film, the section delivers world-class filmmakers and artisans, and a dose of Hollywood magic that can only be found at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND
In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (MR. ROBOT), Amanda (Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers — G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la) — arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs. The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world. DIR Sam Esmail. SCR Sam Esmail. CAST Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans, Kevin Bacon. USA
MAESTRO
MAESTRO is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). A love letter to life and art, MAESTRO at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love. The film reunites Cooper with Oscar®-nominated cinematographer Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) and is co-written by Cooper and Oscar® winner Josh Singer (SPOTLIGHT). Produced by Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Cooper, Fred Berner and Amy Durning. DIR Bradley Cooper. SCR Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer. CAST Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Josh Hamilton, Scott Ellis, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, Miriam Shor. USA
MAXINE'S BABY: THE TYLER PERRY STORY
MAXINE'S BABY: THE TYLER PERRY STORY, directed by Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz, grants the audience unfettered access to the inner world of Tyler Perry, whose story has never fully been told, as he becomes a father and a media mogul with a mission to pave his own road to the top. The film is a profound lesson on remembering where you came from to know where you want to go. Bekele produced the film under her Bekele Films banner alongside Jasmine K. White and Asante White. DIR Gelila Bekele, Armani Ortiz. SCR Gelila Bekele. USA
AFI Fest Announces 2023 Festival Passes on Sale
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Showcasing the most acclaimed films of the season from an exciting combination of international auteurs and emerging talents, this section features unparalleled and unforgettable stories, characters and performances.
ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE
Lifelong friends, Rob Reiner and Albert Brooks, enjoy an intimate conversation about Brooks' life and career. DIR Rob Reiner. USA
ALL OF US STRANGERS
The latest from director Andrew Haigh (45 YEARS, WEEKEND) is a moving, metaphysical ghost story that explores love, loss and memory. DIR Andrew Haigh. SCR Andrew Haigh. CAST Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, Claire Foy. UK
AMERICAN FICTION
Cord Jefferson's (SUCCESSION, WATCHMEN) hilarious directorial debut stars Jeffrey Wright in a razor smart satire which confronts our culture's obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. DIR Cord Jefferson. SCR Cord Jefferson. CAST Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown. USA
Janet Walker, Screenwriter and Haute-Lifestyle.com Publisher, Featured in Wild Filmmaker Magazine
THE BIKERIDERS
The rise and fall of a Chicago motorcycle gang is given epic treatment in Jeff Nichols' magnificent THE BIKERIDERS, featuring Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer in career-best performances. DIR Jeff Nichols. SCR Jeff Nichols. CAST Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus. USA
THE END WE START FROM
BAFTA award-winning British director Mahalia Belo (THE LONG SONG) makes her feature debut with a tense and unexpected survival thriller starring Jodie Comer, Joel Fry, Mark Strong, Katherine Waterston and Benedict Cumberbatch. DIR Mahalia Belo. SCR Alice Birch. CAST Jodie Comer, Joel Fry, Katherine Waterston, Gina Mckee, Nina Sosanya, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch. UK
FINGERNAILS
Greek director Christos Nikou makes a bold English-language debut with this charming lo-fi sci-fi about the clash between our over-reliance on technology and the primal drive to find true love. DIR Christos Nikou. SCR Christos Nikou, Sam Steiner, Stavros Raptis. CAST Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Luke Wilson, Annie Murphy. USA
FREUD'S LAST SESSION
Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode deliver crafty performances as Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, two great minds whose intellectual sparring demonstrates both men's formidable strengths and emotional vulnerabilities. DIR Matthew Brown. SCR Mark St. Germain. CAST Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode. USA
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MEMORY
Haunted by their past, Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) and Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) have a chance encounter that opens new possibilities for their future in this heart-wrenching melodrama by Mexican provocateur Michel Franco. DIR Michel Franco. SCR Michel Franco. CAST Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Brooke Timber, Merritt Wever, Jessica Harper, Josh Charles. USA, Mexico
QUIZ LADY
In this heartfelt and hilarious comedy, Awkwafina and Sandra Oh star as mismatched sisters who go on a cross-country road trip to appear on the legendary game show CAN'T STOP THE QUIZ. DIR Jessica Yu. SCR Jen D'Angelo. CAST Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Will Ferrell. USA
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (LA SOCIEDAD DE LA NIEVE)
Triumphantly returning to Spanish language cinema, J.A. Bayona brings breathless thrills and emotional gravitas to the tragic, true story of the crashed Uruguayan Flight 571 in this ferocious survival epic. Spain's Oscar® submission for Best International Feature. DIR J.A. Bayona. SCR J.A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques, Nicolás Casariego. CAST Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella, Matías Recalt, Esteban Bigliardi, Diego Vegezzi. Uruguay, Spain
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers.
Janet Walker, Screenwriter and Haute-Lifestyle.com Publisher, Interviewed for Paris Film Awards Magazine
The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked the #1 film school in America. AFI's enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST, AFI DOCS and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST
Now in its 37th year, AFI FEST is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year's edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 25-29, 2023. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films' cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information about AFI FEST is available FEST.AFI.com.
Connect with AFI FEST at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST, Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute, //www.tiktok.com/@americanfilminstitute" target="_blank">TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.