Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
New York Film Festival Boss on Scoring ‘Artificial’ and ‘Behemoth’ World Premieres and Why Movies Are ‘Unavoidably Political’
The New York Film Festival will open on 25 September with an unusually strong selection of world premieres, including Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial”, Tom McCarthy’s “A Statement” and Tony Gilroy’s “Behemoth”. Artistic director Dennis Lim says the festival’s timing and relationships with filmmakers helped secure the films, reinforcing NYFF’s reputation as an influential launchpad despite not being competitive.
The programme reflects contemporary concerns including artificial intelligence, climate change, constitutional rights and the role of music in cinema, while also making room for lighter films such as “Club Kid” and “The Debut”. Lim argues that all films are inherently political because they reflect and respond to the world, and identifies “Behemoth” as a particularly distinctive passion project after Gilroy’s long absence from feature filmmaking.
In short
- NYFF has secured an unusually ambitious slate of world premieres.
- Many selections engage directly with urgent political and social issues.
- The festival will also feature lighter, more joyful films.
Explained simply
The New York Film Festival is an annual showcase organised by Film at Lincoln Center, a cultural organisation in Manhattan. Its programme brings together new films from established and emerging directors, and its premieres can help draw attention to films before wider release.
Dennis Lim is the festival’s artistic director, responsible for shaping its programme. Directors including Luca Guadagnino, Tom McCarthy and Tony Gilroy are among the filmmakers whose work features; their films address different subjects, from technology and climate to music and personal stories.
The festival does not award prizes, but its selection can influence which films receive attention from critics, distributors and audiences. Lim’s view that films are political refers to how they reflect the societies and concerns around them, even when they are not made as statements about politics.
Art Basketball Culture Elections Entertainment Film Politics Sport