The New York Film Festival opens on Friday with “Later Hunt,” Luca Guadanino’s provocative view of campus politics in the #MeToo era. This is one of several hot button films that are part of this year’s lineup, many of which use examples of national corruption from recent history, as they appear to speak to the current politically tumultuous existence.
“We want to provide portraits of places where film culture is at this point,” says Dennis Lim, artistic director of the festival. “The great films come from all over the place, some from studios, some from India, many from other countries. But they really show that despite the challenges, this is still a thriving art form.”
As evidence that film culture obituaries may be premature, the 63rd edition of the festival includes new works from Top Oatle, such as Kathryn Bigelow (“House of Dynamite”), Noah Banbach (“Jay Kelly”), and Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”). “Anemone.” Ahead of the opening night, Lim spoke about various things about what makes the New York Film Festival unique, how he chose the film for the showcase, and how he chose the Paul Thomas Anderson film he tried.
What is the mission of the New York Film Festival?
It’s always a research festival and we have a premier. But I think the festival’s mission is to summarise the year – to take the temperature of what 2025 was in the cinema.
Are there any themes that emerged from the perspective of the film you are highlighting this year?
Many films have direct or indirect conversations with current political moments. This is not a film at the festival, but yesterday we had a screening of “Fighting after Fight” at Lincoln Center. It is based on a book written in the 1990s in the 1990s, but it appears to have been made at this time in American history. And I think of films that make them look like “The Secret Agent” and “Two Prosecutors,” which are historical films about very specific periods in Brazilian history and Soviet history, both of which capture the texture of life under authoritarianism. That’s what I’m worried about today for a very obvious reason. There is something very basic about the questions that many movies in the lineup ask. What is family? What are the difficulties and complexities of family ties? In films like the Jim Jalmusch film “The Sisters of My Father’s Mother” and the films of Joachim Trier, and there are portraits of these truly interesting artists. I’m thinking of a movie like Kent Jones’ “Late Fame.” This is a beautiful portrait of the writer played by Willem Dafoe and the photographer Peter Fujar, who truly brings this particular moment to life in New York.
The film business is struggling. Box office revenue wasn’t like that before the pandemic and major studios made the film. Did that affect the quality of the submitted film?
The struggle in the film business is well documented, but it’s not new either. Every era of film history faces technological changes, often leading to a reshaping of the economics of the industry. There is a lot of anxiety right now, but there was a lot of anxiety when streaming first began. In terms of its ability to attract films, we are pretty pleased with where it became this year. Almost everything we knew was ready and it has come down our path. And when it comes to film quality, I would say that this was actually one of the most challenging years in terms of decision making. Filmmakers and great artists always find their way. Despite the industry struggling and changing around them, they can be seen making their work.
You mentioned Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Fighting after Fight.” Have you tried to include it in the lineup?
It was extremely difficult to move even before they set a release date, as Paul has a very special idea of wanting to show in multiple formats and 70mm IMAX. So they were unable to return the opening. Failed to move festival date. You know, we open on Fridays and they open in the theater on the same day. He has a history with Paul. We showed some of his films, but I don’t think the festival is part of their plans.
What can you tell us about the world premiere you are hosting?
The closing night will be the world premiere of “What is this?” This is Bradley Cooper’s third feature as director. This is a small change from his other two films. It’s more modest and intimate, and it’s about the couple experiencing separation. They each reconnect with different paths that have not been taken. Filmed in and around the comedy club in downtown Manhattan, it feels like a New York movie. We are premiering “Anemonet,” the highly auspicious debut of Ronan Day Lewis, as filmmakers and Daniel Day Lewis’ return to the screen. It reminds me of why Daniel Day Lewis is just one of the best screen actors ever. The moment he appears on the screen, he orders it. He is a magnetic being. There will also be the premiere of Rebecca Miller’s five-part, almost five-hour film “Mr. Scorsese,” about Martin Scorsese’s life and career. Honestly, this could have been 20 hours. There are all sorts of biographical personal information from Marty and his friends and collaborators. And there is a very personal documentary about Ben Stiller’s parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Miara, exploring being part of the show business family. They lived on Riverside Drive not too far from Lincoln Center, so it’s a true Upper West Side movie.
What is the elevator pitch at the New York Film Festival?
If you can’t attend one film festival a year, I recommend coming to the New York Film Festival just because not focusing on the premiere means actually covering a ton of ground in terms of the best, most interesting and most important films of the year. Obviously there are plenty of great films that are displayed in Cannes and Venice every year, but they are limited to films that premiere at the competition. We use these lineups as well as the Sundance and Berlin lineups. It has utility to be a research festival. It really allows us to really capture the big picture in terms of the minds of the filmmakers and how they have a conversation.
