2009 New York Film Festival Begins September 25
47th Annual Festival Sponsored by Film Society of Lincoln Center
The Film Society of Lincoln Center was established in 1969 to bring international films to an American audience and to celebrate the best of domestic cinema. Today over 200,000 movie lovers turn out each year to screen films selected by the society. According to the website, films are shown at the Walter Reade Theater 363 days per year. IndieWire reported in February, that a new $38 million complex will open in two years that will add two smaller theaters and an amphitheater.
In addition to film screenings, the theatre sponsors film lectures, discussions, panels, and special events such as the Korean Film Festival. The Film Society is also responsible for the publication of the respected cinema journal Film Comment. Screening projects by new directors allows the association to accept partial credit for launching the careers of numerous directors including the likes of Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodovar, and Martin Scorsese.
The New York Film Festival screens around twenty-eight feature films and twelve shorts per year. Entries are accepted from all over the world.
Unlike most film festivals, there are no category divisions and no prizes are awarded.
2008 Festival Highlights
The winner of the 2008 Palme d'Or at Cannes, The Class, was unveiled to American audiences during last year's festival. Clint Eastwood premiered his film Changeling starring Angelina Jolie. Mickey Rourke's Best Actor nominated performance as The Wrestler was shown before it was released nationwide. Steven Soderbergh's long anticipated biopic celebrating South American militant Che Guevara.
Special Events for the 2009 Festival
In addition to film screenings, the festival features a special event that is unique to each specific year. The special showcase for 2009 is a retrospective to mark the 60th year of the Peoples Republic of China. The films that will be featured mark the period from 1949-1966 which segway from the end of the Chinese establishment to the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.
All films during the 2009 festival will be screened in the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall.
Festival tickets are available for advance purchase for members of the Film Society. Memberships and individual tickets are available on the official website.
Manhattan Short Film Festival
Film lovers might want to check out a separate event during the first week of the NY Film Festival. A one day festival started around a decade ago when a guy decided to screen short films on a large truck in the village. The festival has grown to screening shorts for one week in various countries. Winners of the festival are decided by audience participation. The NYC event is free and the tentative date for the 2009 festival is September 27. More information is available at Manhattan Short Film Fest.
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