2020 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

For the 58th edition of the New York Film Festival, the event will be seen largely online with plans to utilize drive-ins in Brooklyn, Queens and a makeshift theater at the Bronx Zoo. The 2020 NYFF (with an expanded time which begins on September 17th and runs through October 11th) had hoped to be able to be show some films in a theater with a limited audience. Yet unlike in Venice, where this year's festival had indoor screenings, New York state officials are still insisting on theater restrictions and are keeping them locked down.



The fest opens with the return of Oscar-winning British filmmaker, Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave") and his latest, "Lovers Rock". It is part of his "Small Axe" anthology series of five original films (which includes "Mangrove" and "Red, White and Blue" that will be screened later at the fest in the Main Slate section) that will reach U.S. audiences through Amazon Prime. Set from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, each film tells a different story involving London’s West Indian community and how they deal with rampant racism and discrimination in the country. "Lovers Rock" is a story of young love and music at a blues party in the early 1980's.

This year's Centerpiece Film is "Nomadland" from director, Chloé Zhao. This drama (which just won the top prize of Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival) features Frances McDormand as a recent widow who sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.

The Closing Night Film will be the surreal comedy, "French Exit" from director, Azazel Jacobs. Based on the novel from Patrick deWitt (who also wrote the screenplay), Michelle Pfeiffer stars as a widowed New York socialite who has lost most of her vast fortune. Desperate, she decides to head to a friend's empty Paris apartment by cruise ship with her son, Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) and their cat, Small Frank (voiced by Tracy Letts).

There is a new Spotlight section which is a showcase of sneak previews, gala events and special evenings. Some of the films included will be the world premiere of the latest from Sofia Coppola, "On the Rocks" which reteams the director with her "Lost in Translation" star, Bill Murray; "All In: The Fight for Democracy", a look at voter suppression directed by Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés; "Hopper/Welles", a documentary that features a 1970 conversation between actor, Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles; "American Utopia", a filmed version of David Byrne’s Broadway musical concert directed by Spike Lee; and the film I'm most excited about: Pedro Almodóvar’s "The Human Voice", a thirty-minute short that is the Spanish director's first English-language film and stars the incredible, Tilda Swinton.

And I absolutely love this year's poster for New York 's Fest (see at the top) which was designed by none other than that eccentric filmmaker from Baltimore, John Waters. Even though none of his films were ever screened at this festival (a shocking crime!), the director is still thrilled to have been asked to create the poster which is done in the colorful style of those now-classic ads that promoted upcoming carnivals, rock & roll and R&B concerts in the '50's and '60's. 

For the complete list of films, venues and to purchase virtual tickets, please click below :

2020 NYFF