AFI FEST 2019 Presented by Audi, November 14 - 21, Announces Full Festival Lineup

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the films that will play in the New Auteurs, Cinema's Legacy, Midnight, Shorts and AFI Conservatory Showcase sections at AFI FEST 2019 presented by Audi, completing the festival's program.

The complete AFI FEST program includes 142 titles (80 features, 1 episodic, 40 shorts, 21 AFI Conservatory Showcase Shorts) of which 51% are directed by women.

This year's program represents 52 countries, and includes 8 official International Feature Film Oscar® submissions as well as 4 World Premieres. The total film breakdown by section is: Galas (6), Alan J. Pakula Tribute (4), Special Screenings (8), New Auteurs (24), World Cinema (16), Midnight (2), Cinema's Legacy (5), Documentary Films & Encore Screenings (16), Short Films (40) and AFI Conservatory Showcase (21).  


World Premiere of The Apple Feature Film The Banker To Close AFI Fest 2019 Presented By Audi

Highlighting emerging directors, New Auteurs is the festival's platform for internationally diverse new filmmakers to showcase their latest films. This year, the section is comprised of 24 films, with 17 helmed by female filmmakers. The section includes two official International Feature Film Oscar® submissions screening at this year’s festival: Morocco’s ADAM (Dir Maryan Touzani) and Russia’s BEANPOLE (Dir Kantemir Balagov).  

In this year’s Cinema's Legacy program, AFI FEST turns the spotlight to the men and women behind the lens. This section is a celebration of motion picture history and a special opportunity to celebrate classic films, and those who created them.


World Premiere of Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell To Bow At AFI Fest 2019 Presented By Audi

The section features three documentaries on renowned filmmakers, FORMAN V FORMAN (DIR Helena Trestikova, Jakub Hejna), HE DREAMS OF GIANTS (DIR Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe) and VARDA BY AGNÈS (DIR Agnès Varda). In addition, TALKING ABOUT TREES (DIR Suhaib Gasmelbari), a documentary on the history of Sudanese cinema, as well as ROMANTIC COMEDY (DIR Elizabeth Sankey), an examination of the popular genre and its effect on the culture at-large, are included in Cinema's Legacy.

The Midnight section features the chilling and provocative genre films JALLIKATTU (DIR Lijo Jose Pellissery) and SAINT MAUD (DIR Rose Glass).


AFI Fest 2019 Presented by Audi Announces Galas, Tribute and Special Screenings

The Shorts section includes 40 films from filmmakers from all over the world, showcasing their distinct international viewpoints. As the only juried section of the festival, the Grand Jury Award winners for Live Action and Animated Short will be eligible for the 2020 Best Live Action Short and Best Animated Short Academy Awards®.

This year’s Shorts section will include screenings of two out-of-competition films from this year’s Meet the Press Film Festival with AFI, FIRE IN PARADISE followed by a conversation with the filmmakers moderated by Chuck Todd, Meet the PressModerator and NBC News Political Director, and MACK WRESTLES. The Shorts jury is comprised of filmmakers Katrelle Kindred, Hannah Peterson and Dvay Rothbart.

New to AFI FEST is the inaugural AFI Conservatory Showcase. This collection of 21 short fiction films from the AFI Conservatory features an array of voices and styles and the five 2019 Student Academy Award® finalists, including all three winners in the Narrative (Domestic) category. 


AFI Fest 2019 Presented by Audi Announces Gala Premiere of The Crown

Individual tickets are now available for purchase exclusively for AFI members and will be made available for the general public on October 30. Passes are now available for all at Fest.AFI.com.

AFI FEST 2019 takes place November 14-21, 2019, at historic theaters in Los Angeles. Screenings, Galas, and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Hollywood Roosevelt and will open with the World Premiere of AFI Conservatory alumna Melina Matsoukas's QUEEN & SLIM. The festival will close with the World Premiere of Apple’s THE BANKER. Additional announcements including Galas, Documentaries, Special Screenings, Tribute, World Cinema, and the inaugural AFI Summit can be found here

Haute Tease

  • Les Loups et la Survie

    La rupture annoncée par Marine Le Pen avec le GUD, outre la mise en évidence d'une tentative de crédibilisation du Rassemblement National, confirme la mue engagée par le parti d'extrême-droite dans la perspective de 2027.  

  • Op-Ed Election 2016: To Our Next President - Here's How To Revitalize American Manufacturing

    Faced with great need America’s Golden Era of Manufacturing rallied during World War II and culminated as it destroyed its enemies chiefly because it out-produced them. Its manufacturing capacity was enormous and efficient. Its workforce was inspired and committed.

     
  • Books: The Blumkin Project, Heritage Two New Titles from Other Press

    The Blumkin Project and Heritage, recently released from Other Press Publishing, each tell the stories of passion journeys as the authors conquer insurmountable circumstances fueled by desire for a better life for themselves and their families.

     
  • Sundance Grand Jury Documentary Prize Winner “Rich Hill” Finds Distribution Home with The Orchard And Independent Lens

    March 17, 2014 – Los Angeles, CA Filmmakers Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palermo announced today that the Emmy Award-winning television series Independent Lens will partner with film and music distribution company The Orchard to distribute their film RICH HILL, winner of the 2014 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary.

     
  • Tar Review – Authentic, Mesmerizing Performances, A Must See

    Tar, from Focus Features, presents a story of power, entitlement, obsession, a belief of invincibility, deception, and the intoxicating thrill of control, set against the backdrop of contemporary social awareness within the international world of classic music.

     
  • The Academy Announces Naming Of The David Geffen Theater

    BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that it has received a $25 million commitment from The David Geffen Foundation for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The gift was made as part of the Academy Museum's $300 million capital campaign and is the  largest commitment received to date. In recognition of this gift, the Academy will name the Museum's premiere-sized theater The David Geffen Theater.

Arts / Culture