Highlights of NYFF Live include conversations with Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Young Ahmed), Kelly Reichardt (First Cow), Michael Apted (63 Up), Nadav Lapid (Synonyms), and cinematographer Denis Lenoir (Wasp Network), as well as a deep-dive into the making of NYFF57 selection Uncut Gems. Other NYFF live events include a panel of filmmakers from this year’s Spotlight on Documentary section; a conversation about cinematography with The Irishman DP Rodrigo Prieto joined by cinematographers Ashley Connor (Madeline’s Madeline) and Chris Teague (Obvious Child); discussions with the innovative creative teams behind two NYFF57 Convergence selections, Holy Night and The Raven; and the annual trio of Film Comment talks: State of the Nation, Filmmakers Chat, and Festival Wrap.
In addition, two free events have been added to the NYFF57 lineup: a tribute to the late producer and distributor Ben Barenholtz with Eamonn Bowles, Ethan Coen, and John Turturro, moderated by Annette Insdorf, as well as a screening of Lynne Ramsay’s latest short film, Brigitte, which centers around the life and work of influential portrait photographer Brigitte Lacombe, with both in person for a conversation with NYFF Director Kent Jones
For updates and additional details about panelists and moderators, visit filmlinc.org. NYFF Live is organized by FLC Deputy Director Eugene Hernandez.
Free tickets to NYFF Live events will be distributed at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center box office (144 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam) on a first-come, first-served basis starting one hour prior to the talks. Limit one ticket per person, subject to availability. For those unable to attend, video from these events will be available online at filmlinc.org.
The New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Kent Jones, also includes Dennis Lim, FLC Director of Programming, and Florence Almozini, FLC Associate Director of Programming.
Descriptions, October 3 to 12
In Conversation with Michael Apted
Those of us who have devotedly followed Michael Apted’s one-of-a-kind British film series for the past several decades anticipate with great warmth—and more than a little poignant anxiety—returning every seven years to the lives of Tony; Nicholas; Suzy; Symon and Paul; Jackie, Sue, and Lynn; Andrew and John; Neil and Peter; and Bruce. The series’ ninth installment, 63 Up, has its New York Premiere at NYFF, and its committed, eclectic director, Michael Apted, will discuss it and the series as a whole in this on-stage discussion.
Thursday, October 3, 7 pm
In Conversation with Kelly Reichardt
Kelly Reichardt (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy, Certain Women) once again trains her perceptive and patient eye on the Pacific Northwest, this time evoking an authentically hardscrabble early 19th-century way of life in First Cow, making its New York premiere in NYFF’s Main Slate. Join Reichardt as she discusses this new film, in which she again shows her distinct talent for depicting the peculiar rhythms of daily living and ability to capture the immense, unsettling quietude of rural America.
Friday, October 4, 7 pm
Film Comment: Filmmakers Chat
For the fourth edition of our much-loved event, Film Comment invites NYFF filmmakers into dialogue with one another about the art, craft, and angst of making movies. FC Editor-in-Chief Nicolas Rapold moderates a discussion with four directors: Luise Donschen (Entire Days Together and last year’s Art of the Real feature Casanova Gene); Akosua Adoma Owusu (Pelourinho: They Don’t Really Care About Us); Corneliu Porumboiu (The Whistlers); and Justine Triet (Sibyl).
Saturday, October 5, 7 pm
Making Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems, which recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, is an electrifying crime thriller from acclaimed filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie (Heaven Knows What, Good Time). Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), a charismatic New York City jeweler is always on the lookout for the next big score. When he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime, Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win. The Safdie Brothers (another NYFF Live fraternal duo, following the Dardennes), will be on hand to detail the process of making this New York City film, and will be joined by co-writer and editor Ronald Bronstein, producer Sebastian Bear McClard, composer Daniel Lopatin, and casting director Jen Venditti.
Sunday, October 6, 7 pm
Denis Lenoir in Conversation with Kent Jones
The French cinematographer Denis Lenoir has been shooting since the seventies, and has worked on films from around the world, including the U.S. and UK. His most fruitful collaboration has been with director Olivier Assayas: Lenoir was the DP on his very first feature, Disorder (1986), and he has now shot his latest film, the character-driven spy thriller Wasp Network, starring Pénelope Cruz and Edgar Ramírez. Lenoir will set down with NYFF Director Kent Jones to discuss his work.
Monday, October 7, 4 pm
Writing New York: Hosted by Writers Guild of America, East
Join the Writers Guild of America, East for a celebration of writers who understand that New York City is more than the quintessential urban landscape, more even than a state of mind: it’s a supporting character in the stories these writers tell. New York is also a foil for their other characters—an object of affection, consternation, fear, and inimitable beauty. Panelists include JC Chandor (A Most Violent Year), Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious), Elisabeth Holm (Landline), Steven Zaillian (The Irishman), and Gillian Robespierre (Obvious Child, Landline).
Monday, October 7, 7 pm
Tribute to Ben Barenholtz
An exhibitor, producer, and distributor, Ben Barenholtz was a titan of independent cinema who died earlier this year. Film at Lincoln Center pays tribute to him with a panel of New Yorkers who knew him well. Moderated by Columbia University film professor Annette Insdorf, the talk will include his collaborators Ethan Coen, John Turturro, and film distributor Eamonn Bowles.
Tuesday, October 8, 2 pm
We <3 Agnès
When Agnès Varda died earlier this year at age 90, the world lost one of its most inspirational cinematic radicals. Her final film, the documentary Varda by Agnès, sheds light on her experiences as a director, photographer, and installation artist, bringing personal insight into the method she called “cinécriture” (“cinematic writing”). Join her daughter and frequent collaborator Rosalie Varda and other special guests for an in-depth conversation that will pay tribute to Varda before the film has its New York premiere in NYFF’s Main Slate.
Tuesday, October 8, 7 pm
Film Comment: Festival Wrap
For the festival’s final week, contributing critics and editors gather together for a spirited discussion with Film Comment’s Editor-in-Chief Nicolas Rapold about the movies they’ve seen in the NYFF57 lineup. Panelists include K. Austin Collins of Vanity Fair; programmer and FC contributing editor Nellie Killian; Michael Koresky of Film Comment and Reverse Shot; and Amy Taubin of Film Comment and Artforum.
Wednesday, October 9, 7 pm
Holy Night: Meet the Makers
In Holy Night, creators Casey Stein and Bernard Zeiger blend story and system to create an interactive film that is both haunting and beautiful. Though it’s built from a clever interactive technology that allows viewers to shift freely among points of view, the story of three people struggling through their personal hells of the opioid crisis is never overwhelmed by the technology. Join Stein and Zeiger for an immersive presentation about developing the piece, the power of interactive filmmaking, and the many possible futures of storytelling.
Friday, October 11, 7:30 pm
The Raven: Meet the Makers
Edgar Allan Poe requests your presence for an intimate gathering: his own wake. Premiering as part of NYFF Convergence, this interactive show invites audiences to immerse themselves in the mystery of Poe’s life and death. It’s an experience that blends groundbreaking theater with cutting edge augmented reality technology. This talk, featuring the creative team behind The Raven, will pull back the curtain on this unique piece of theater and explore the creative process that brought together filmmakers, theater practitioners, game designers, and more to reimagine Poe’s world through a modern lense. Featuring Lance Weiler, Ava Lee Scott, Nick Fortungo, and Nick Childs.
Saturday, October 12, 3 pm