The fourth major film festival of the fall season, following Telluride, Venice, and the Toronto International Film Festival, the New York Film Festival is, in many ways, a greatest-hits collection of all these films and titles from Cannes and even Sundance. But that’s not a pejorative. NYFF is arguably one of the best-curated festivals out there, carefully choosing films so that its line-up looks like an artful body of work.
This year, there are no major world premieres, but that said, the festival does boast the North American premiere of Steven McQueen’s highly anticipated WWII London bombing movie “Blitz” starring Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, and more.
READ MORE: 2024 Fall Film Preview: 50 Movies To Watch
The opening night film is RaMell Ross’ acclaimed “Nickelboys” drama which premiered in Telluride. The centerpiece film is Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. The closing night film is the aforementioned McQueen film.
Other highlights include Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning “Anora,” new films from Pablo Larrain, Jacques Audiard, Brady Corbet, Mike Leigh, and many more. NYFF runs from September 27 through October 14. Here’s our New York Film Festival preview with 15 films to watch.
“Blitz”
Following his excellent anthology film series “Small Axe,” Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen returns with “Blitz,” a tale set during WWII during Germany’s air bombing blitzkrieg raid that demolished much of London, leading to a story of peril and loved ones trying to find each other in the chaos. Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman, Stephen Graham, and The Jam rocker Paul Weller star. – Rodrigo Perez
“Nickel Boys”
Are you ready for another heart-stopping Colson Whitehead adaptation? Barry Jenkins already transformed Whitehead’s “The Underground Railroad” into a Peabody Award-winning series. Now, Oscar-nominated filmmaker RaMell Ross is making his narrative feature debut with this adaptation of Whitehead’s 2019 thriller. Set primarily in the 1960s, it follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), a teenager falsely convicted of auto theft who is sent to the notorious Dozier School For Boys. While battling abusive administrators, he bonds with Turner (Brandon Wilson) as the pair attempt to escape the compound. Partially produced by prestige tastemakers Plan B, the Amazon MGM Studios release also stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Hamish Linklater, Daveed Diggs, and Fred Hechinger. – Greg Ellwood (read our review)
“Anora”
Filmmaker Sean Baker has come a long way, starting with small independent features to winning the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival without changing his modus operandi or employing big screen stars. Baker’s expertise always lies in and around people living on the margins and usually within the sex worker industry in some capacity, and “Anora” fits that bill. Mikey Madison from FX’s “Better Things” stars as a sex worker/exotic dancer and “Anora” and follows her romance with the son of a Russian oligarch. Neon will release the film on October 18. – RP (read our review)
“Emilia Perez”
After a slightly polarizing debut, “Emilia Perez” won over the 2024 Cannes Film Festival jury, where it won the jury prize and Best Actress honor, which was handed out to four of its stars. Those actors, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Zoe Saldaña, have a lot on their plate as they sing and dance through Jacques Audiard’s movie melodrama musical about a lawyer who becomes entangled with a Mexican cartel boss who hires her to assist them in transitioning to a woman. Acquired by Netflix following Cannes, the film appears to be the streamer’s major Oscars player for 2025 and will be hoping to generate favorable buzz among the many AMPAS members in attendance. And if Netflix can get “Maestro” to a Best Picture nomination, they have more than a good shot at pushing “Emila Perez,” which should have significant international support, through as well. ‘Perez’ will debut on Netflix on Nov. 13. – GE (read our review)
“Maria”
The third film in Pablo Larrain’s ongoing exploration of remarkable 20th-century women shifts to legendary opera singer Maria Callas. Larrain reunites with “Spencer” screenwriter Steven Knight as they focus on the final years of Callas’ life in 1970s Paris. The Playlist has heard the movie is heartbreaking, extremely respectful, and reverential to the icon, with a superb performance by Angelina Jolie in the title role. “Maria” is another major acquisition title that is waiting to make a deal following its debut in Venice. – GE (read our review)