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Ah, fall. When leaves start to drop, pumpkin spice kicks in and Oscar insanity takes hold of otherwise reasonable film fans. As ever, the New York Film Festival—which runs from September 25 through October 12—is the best place to find early front-runners for the upcoming awards season. This year’s lineup looks especially intriguing, so the truth is that you’ll find a winner whether you’re hoping for big buzz or sifting for hidden gems. But if you just want to cut to the chase, here are our picks for the likeliest entries in your eventual Oscar pool.
Paper Tiger
Directed by James Gray
Gray’s opening-night crime flick stars Adam Driver and Miles Teller as brothers who get in over their heads while doing business with the Russian mob in 1986 Queens and Brooklyn. Scarlett Johansson’s here too, stealing her scenes as Teller’s strong-willed wife.
Sept 25 at 6, 6:15, 6:30, 9, 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45pm; Oct 2 at 1:15pm
You Can See Everything
Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim
You’ve watched the trailer 17 times. You’ve scoured reviews out of the Telluride Film Fest for any possible spoilers. And now Fielder and Oppenheim’s documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is finally here. Is the three-hour runtime too much time? Or not nearly enough?
Sept 30 at 8pm
Artificial
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Guadagnino’s take on the men who enthusiastically ushered in artificial intelligence. Costarring Monica Barbaro, Cooper Hoffman and Jason Schwartzman, with a score from Damon Albarn. The real question is: Did Guadagnino use any AI in the making of this movie?
Oct 5 at 5pm, Oct 6 at 2:30pm
The Debut
Directed by Jesse Eisenberg
Might this be the most memorable comedy of the season? Consider the evidence: Julianne Moore is a New Jersey housewife who finds new life in local theater; Paul Giamatti is the pretentious director running the show. Actually running the show is writer-director-costar Eisenberg, who even crafted the central musical’s score and lyrics.
Oct 7 at 8:30pm; Oct 8 at 10am, 3:15pm; Oct 10 at 10:45am
14th
Directed by Ava DuVernay
DuVernay released her essential documentary 13th, about the 13th Amendment and the legacy of slavery, on the eve of Donald Trump’s first term. Now she’s returned with a look at citizenship, due process, and the many ways in which the 14th Amendment is being undermined in coldly systematic fashion.
Oct 9 at 6, 6:30, 8:45pm; Oct 11 at 9:15pm
Behemoth!
Directed by Tony Gilroy
All eyes will be on Pedro Pascal for this world premiere from Michael Clayton director Gilroy. Pascal plays a cellist and former child prodigy reeling from the pressures of overwhelming expectations, deep family trauma and a brutally bitter breakup (Olivia Wilde is his ex).
Oct 2 at 6:15, 6:30, 9:15, 9:30pm; Oct 3 at noon; Oct 6 at 11:45am; Oct 7 at 6pm
A Statement
Directed by Tom McCarthy
McCarthy—who won an Oscar for 2015’s festival fave Spotlight—gathers Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti, John Turturo and Amy Ryan as the true-life group of activists, scientists and policymakers who were charged with addressing the immense and immediate dangers of climate change. In 1980. (Can’t say we weren’t warned.)
Oct 3 at 6:15pm, Oct 4 at 9pm, Oct 6 at 3:45pm, Oct 11 at 1pm
The Man I Love
Directed by Ira Sachs
Sachs (Passages) makes jewel-sized films of great beauty, built around impeccably-crafted performances. This time, it’s Rami Malek who delivers an electrifying star turn, as a New York cabaret artist living with AIDS in the 1980s.
Oct 8 at 6pm, Oct 9 at 3:30pm, Oct 12 at 7pm
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Directed by Noah Segan
John Turturro’s passionate turn as an aging Bronx grifter centers Segan’s intimate tribute to an ever-shifting city. Simultaneously poignant and powerful, it’s built around an old-school indie aesthetic that used to pack festival schedules, and now feels touchingly out of time.
Oct 7 at 6pm, Oct 8 at 12:45pm, Oct 9 at 9:15pm, Oct 10 at 1:15pm
Misty Green
Directed by Chris Rock
Newcomer Rosalind Eleazar plays a struggling L.A. actress who finds herself increasingly reliant on an entirely unreliable network (played by, among others, Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick and Rock himself).
Sept 26 at 9:15pm, Sept 27 at 11:30am, Sept 30 at 2pm, Oct 2 at 4pm
Bucking Fastard
Directed by Werner Herzog
A Herzog movie is always an event, and this one promises to be typically, surreally memorable. Real-life sisters Rooney and Kate Mara play siblings who live entirely in sync: They speak, think, and even love in tandem.
Sept 30 at 3:30pm, Oct 8 at 8:30pm, Oct 10 at 6:15pm, Oct 12 at 9:30pm
Club Kid
Directed by Jordan Firstman
Early word has been ecstatic around this crowd-pleasing debut, about a gay party promoter (writer-director Firstman) whose life is entirely upended when he discovers he’s got a 10-year-old son.
Oct 3 at 9:15pm, Oct 4 at 2:45pm, Oct 5 at 6pm, Oct 7 at 12:30pm
Once Upon a Time in Harlem
Directed by William and David Greaves
One of this year’s most meaningful films was actually made decades ago: In 1972, filmmaker William Greaves gathered the aging stars of the Harlem Renaissance, and asked them to share their memories. Fifty years later, his son David has turned the footage into a breathtakingly beautiful tribute.
Sept 29 at 8:30pm, Sept 30 at 6:15pm, Oct 4 at 1:30pm
Meanwhile, that’s just the start of your options. This year’s lineup also includes highly-anticipated films from—ready?—Pedro Almodóvar (Bitter Christmas), Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (All of a Sudden), Pawel Pawlikowski (Fatherland), Andrew Haigh (A Long Winter), Jonathan Glazer (Joy of Joys), Mike Leigh (Tender Loving Care), Cristian Mungiu (Fjord) and Valeska Grisebach (The Dreamed Adventure), not to mention the world premiere of a concert documentary from Paul Thomas Anderson (Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall).
Tell Me More!
Where is the New York Film Festival?
Primary screenings will take place at Lincoln Center venues: Alice Tully Hall (1941 Broadway), Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center (144 West 65th Street) and the Walter Reade Theater (165 West 65th Street).
What if I can’t get to the Upper West Side?
You’re in luck. This year the NYFF has partnered with venues in every borough: BAM, MoMI, Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island and AMC Bay Plaza Cinema in the Bronx.
How do I get tickets?
Right here.
What will they cost me?
Price depends on event and venue, but most tickets cost around $35, with a discount for members and students. Here are the details.
Any chance I can see something for free?
Yep. There’s a whole series of free public talks with filmmakers like Ava DuVernay, Andrew Haigh and Ira Sachs. There are also multiple trivia events, at which winners can walk away with festival tickets.
Will I see any stars?
You might! Many of the screenings include introductions or post-show Q&As with the director and members of the cast. This info will usually be listed on each film’s screening page, though you can also expect some surprise appearances throughout the festival.
Oh no! My choices are already sold out!
It’s all good. There’s a standby line outside the box office before every screening and some seats always open up, even for the most popular titles. (Needless to say, the earlier you arrive, the better your odds.)
How can I stay updated?
Sign up for the Film at Lincoln Center newsletter for updates and additions to the lineup, including last-minute rush tickets to sold-out screenings.