Fall is fast approaching, and with it comes one of the most anticipated events of the year - the 59th New York Film Festival (NYFF59). Running from Sept. 24 to Oct. 10, NYFF59 screenings will soon take over Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, showcasing works from revered filmmakers, as well as fresh new talent from around the world. Here’s everything you need to know about NYFF59, including screenings, the fest’s most anticipated films, and ticket information.
“CINEMA IS A MIRROR BY WHICH WE OFTEN SEE OURSELVES.” - Alejandro González Iñárritu
Even though the New York Film Festival has the distinction of being a non-competitive event, there are specific designations paid to the most significant premieres. Annually, around 30 films are selected for the festival’s Main Slate. Expect to see these films peppering the critics’ “Best Of” lists at year’s end. In addition to their already prominent standing, three Main Slate films are chosen as festival mainstays. This year’s picks include:
- Opening Night - The Tragedy of Macbeth (dir. Joel Coen). Coen’s retelling of Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in an inventive visualization of a sorrowful world undone by blind greed and thoughtless ambition. Friday, Sept. 24, 6 and 9 p.m.
- Centerpiece - The Power of the Dog (dir. Jane Campion). Kirsten Dunst stars in the psychologically rich variation on the American western as a young widow on a Montana cattle ranch, tormented by her new husband’s brother, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Friday, Oct. 1, 6 and 9 p.m.
- Closing Night - Parallel Mothers (dir. Pedro Almodóvar). The Spanish film tells the story of two women, a generation apart, who find themselves inextricably linked by their brief time together in a maternity ward, bound by a secret with ties to a deep trauma in Spanish history. Friday, Oct. 8, 6 and 9 p.m.
“A MOVIE IS MADE FOR AN AUDIENCE AND A FILM IS MADE FOR BOTH THE AUDIENCE AND THE FILMMAKERS.” - David Fincher
The Main Slate film selections may romance and win us over in the press, but there are others that deserve just as much acclaim. NYFF59’s Currents (contemporary cinema and shorts with an emphasis on new and innovative forms and voices), Spotlight (the season’s most anticipated and significant films), and Revivals (remastered, restored, and preserved works) round out the festival, promising something for every movie buff and devoted cinephile.
Never being limited to just movie screenings, the festival also entertains with a wide variety of glamorous events and lively, interactive panel discussions with actors, directors, and filmmakers. This year, NYFF59 pays tribute to the centenary of late film programmer and festival co-founder Amos Vogel. The cineaste forever changed NYC film culture with his uncompromising dedication to the medium’s radical possibilities.
“WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME IF I WENT TO FILM SCHOOL I TELL THEM, ‘NO, I WENT TO FILMS’.” - Quentin Tarantino
Tickets for NYFF59 go on sale to the general public on Sept. 7. Venues include the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Elinor Bunin Munoe Film Center, and the Francesca Beale, Howard Gilman, and Walter Reade theaters.
Is the New York Film Festival marked on your calendar? The Manhattan Club is just a short walk away from Lincoln Center, making us the perfect destination for your silver screen stopover. Choose from our best rates and special offers when you book direct.
