In 1963, the New York Film Festival opened with Luis Bunuel’s The Exterminating Angel. Sixty-two years later the NYFF has long been considered one of the most prestigious film festivals in the United States. And for NYC’s most devoted cinema-goers, the festival is often the first chance to see favorites from Cannes and Venice—and sometimes catch a world premiere or two. 

This year, the 62nd NYFF will open on September 27th with Ramell Ross’ Nickel Boys, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead. Closing the festival on October 14th is Blitz, the highly anticipated historical drama written and directed by Steve McQueen. And, unsurprisingly, the coveted centerpiece spot goes to Pedro Almodovar’s The Room Next Door starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. 

With so many films to sift through, we thought we’d narrow down a few of our must-sees along with some tips to help you wine and dine your way through all those screenings. And because festival talks and additional screenings are often added last minute, be sure to check the NYFF website for updates.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NYFF | New York Film Festival (@thenyff)

How & Where to Festival  

NYFF’s programming is broken into five sections: Main Slate, Spotlight, Currents, Revivals and Talks. Depending on the section (and the night) ticket costs range between $15 to $130. However, if you plan to see more than a few movies, investing in a pass might be worth your while. Pass options vary wildly starting with the Express Pass at $150 up to the VIP Pass at $15k. Though, yes, there are plenty of options in between!

And though NYFF’s home base starts with Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, David Geffen Hall, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center and Walter Reade, additional screenings will be hosted across all five boroughs. The theaters participating this year include BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), The Bronx Museum, MoMI (The Museum of the Moving Image) and Staten Island’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. 

Must See Films & Talks

Anora

September 28, 29 & October 8 at Alice Tully Hall

The winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, Sean Baker’s Anora follows a sex worker from Brooklyn whose fairytale romance with the son of a Russian oligarch takes a turn when news of their Vegas wedding reaches his parents. This screwball comedy will screen alongside a Q&A with Sean Baker and Mikey Madison on September 28th. 

Queer

October 6 & 8 at Alice Tully Hall

Based on the novel by William S. Burroughs, Luca Guadagnino’s Queer is a historical romance set in 1940s Mexico City. Starring Daniel Craig as a man who, after fleeing a drug bust in New Orleans, finds himself wandering through the city’s nightlife only to become infatuated with a young discharged American Navy serviceman. The US Premiere will be held along with a Q&A with Luca Guadagnino, Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey on October 6th’s 6pm screening. 

The Brutalist

September 28, October 11 and 12 at Alice Tully Hall & Walter Reade Theatre

This three-and-a-half-hour epic from director Brady Corbet follows Adrien Brody as a Hungarian-Jewish architect and WWII survivor as he attempts to reconstruct his life in America. Presented on 70mm, The Brutalist will have its US Premiere alongside a Q&A with Brady Corbet, Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Stacy Martin on September 28th. 

Hard Truths

October 5, 6, 10 & 11 at Alice Tully Hall, Walter Reade Theatre & MoMI 

In his first film since 2018, Mike Leigh returns to NYFF with Hard Truths, a tragicomic study of family starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste (whose performance in Leigh’s Secrets & Lies graced NYFF’s screens back in its 34th year).  Another US Premiere, a Q&A with Mike Leigh and Marianne Jean-Baptiste will be held on both October 5th and October 6th. 

Oh, Canada

October 5, 6 and 9 at Alice Tully Hall & Walter Reade Theater

Paul Schrader’s cinematic take on the Russell Banks novel, Foregone, stars Richard Gere as a successful documentarian who agrees to give a revealing final interview to a protege after a terminal cancer diagnosis. This emotionally raw drama will have its US Premiere alongside a Q&A with Paul Schrader, Uma Thurman and Michael Imperioli on October 5th, as well as a solo Q&A with Schrader on Oct 6th. 

Megalopolis 

September 23 at AMC Lincoln Square IMAX

Set to open in theaters on September 27th, Francis Ford Coppola’s sci-fi epic Megalopolis will screen on September 23rd along with a special pre-screening panel discussion featuring Spike Lee, Robert De Niro and Coppola himself. Forty years in the making, Megalopolis is well-known as Coppola’s longtime passion project. The event will also be live-streamed to 66 participating Imax theaters in cities across the US. 

Where to Eat & Drink

Tatiana

10 Lincoln Plaza

Though the location couldn’t be more convenient for NYFF goers, you may find it hard to get a reservation at David Geffen Hall’s Tatiana. Kwame Onwuachi, a James Beard Award winner and Top Chef star, opened Tatiana in 2022. Ever since, this Lincoln Center restaurant serving Afro-Caribbean-inspired cuisine has consistently shown up on the city’s “Best-Of” lists. 

Old John’s 

148 W 67th Street; (212) 874-2700

Just a few blocks from Lincoln Center, you’ll find a recently revamped seventy-year-old diner first opened in 1951. With preserved elements like the original ceiling and mosaic tile floor, Old John’s is an institution that actually manages to preserve the nostalgia all while offering an upgrade. And, hey, if you want classic New York, it’s also a great place for an egg cream. 

Cafe Fiorello 

One Lincoln Plaza; (212) 595-5330

A NYC standby serving classic Italian fare, Cafe Fiorello has been around for fifty years. And being that it’s right across the street from Lincoln Center, it’s also an ideal place for theatergoers. And if you’re a theatergoer who likes a negroni, you’re in luck: Cafe Fiorello makes some of the best. 

WORDS Hillary Sproul 

FEATURED IMAGE Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer,’ Starring Daniel Craig. Photo by Yannis Drakoulidis