FSLC announces the world premiere of Don Cheadle's MILES AHEAD as Closing Night for NYFF53

The Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced that Don Cheadle’s directorial debut Miles Ahead will make its World Premiere as the Closing Night selection of the upcoming 53rd New York Film Festival (September 25 – October 11). Cheadle, who co-wrote the script, stars as the legendary musician opposite Emayatzy Corinealdi and Ewan McGregor.

New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said: “I admire Don’s film because of all the intelligent decisions he’s made about how to deal with Miles, but I was moved—deeply moved—by Miles Ahead for other reasons. Don knows, as an actor, a writer, a director, and a lover of Miles’ music, that intelligent decisions and well-planned strategies only get you so far, that finally it’s your own commitment and attention to every moment and every detail that brings a movie to life. ‘There is no longer much else but ourselves, in the place given us,’ wrote the poet Robert Creeley. ‘To make that present, and actual … is not an embarrassment, but love.’ That’s the core of art. Miles Davis knew it, and Don Cheadle knows it.”

Don Cheadle added: “I am happy that the selection committee saw fit to invite us to the dance. It’s very gratifying that all the hard work that went into the making of this film, from every person on the team, has brought us here. Miles’ music is all-encompassing, forward-leaning, and expansive. He changed the game time after time, and New York is really where it all took off for him. Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center... feels very ‘right place, right time.’ Very exciting.”

Miles Davis was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. And how do you make a movie about him? You get to know the man inside and out and then you reveal him in full, which is exactly what Don Cheadle does as a director, a writer, and an actor with this remarkable portrait of Davis, refracted through his crazy days in the late-70s. Holed up in his Manhattan apartment, wracked with pain from a variety of ailments and fiending for the next check from his record company, dodging sycophants and industry executives, he is haunted by memories of old glories and humiliations and of his years with his great love Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi). Every second of Cheadle’s cinematic mosaic is passionately engaged with its subject: this is, truly, one of the finest films ever made about the life of an artist. With Ewan McGregor as Dave Brill, the “reporter” who cons his way into Miles’ apartment. The film was produced by Don Cheadle, Pamela Hirsch, Lenore Zerman. Along with Daniel Wagner, Robert Barnum, Vince Willburn and Daryl Porter. 

The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Jones, also includes Dennis Lim, FSLC Director of Programming; Marian Masone, FSLC Senior Programming Advisor; Gavin Smith, Editor-in-Chief, Film Comment; and Amy Taubin, Contributing Editor, Film Comment and Sight & Sound.
 
NYFF previously announced Robert Zemeckis’s The Walk as the Opening Night selection and Luminous Intimacy: The Cinema of Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler, the first-ever complete dual retrospective of the experimental filmmakers.
 
Tickets for the 53rd New York Film Festival will go on sale in early September. Becoming a Film Society Member at the Film Buff Level or above provides early ticket access to festival screenings and events ahead of the general public, along with the exclusive member ticket discount! To find out how to become a Film Society member, visit filmlinc.com/membership.

For even more access, VIP Passes and Subscription Packages give buyers one of the earliest opportunities to purchase tickets and secure seats at some of the festival's biggest events including Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Nights. VIP passes also provide access to many exciting events including the invitation-only Opening Night party, “ An Evening With…” Dinner, Filmmaker Brunch, and VIP Lounge. Benefits vary based on the pass or package type purchased. VIP Passes and Subscription Packages are on sale now.  For information about purchasing Subscription Packages and VIP Passes, go to filmlinc.com/NYFF. 

For more information, visit: www.filmlinc.com

FSLC announces STEVE JOBS as centerpiece of the 53rd NYFF

The Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced the selection of Steve Jobs, written by Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Charlie Wilson’s War) and directed by Academy Award® winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours), as the Centerpiece of the upcoming 53rd New York Film Festival (September 25 – October 11), to screen on Saturday, October 3.

Boyle and Sorkin joined forces to create this film about the brilliant man at the epicenter of the digital revolution, working from Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography. Steve Jobs stars Michael Fassbender in the title role, Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, Jeff Daniels as John Sculley, Michael Stuhlbarg as Andy Hertzfeld, and Katherine Waterston as Chrisann Brennan.

New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said: “You hear that a bio of Steve Jobs is being produced, and of course you see multiple possible movies in your head . . . but not this one. Steve Jobs is dramatically concentrated, yet beautifully expansive; it’s extremely sharp; it’s wildly entertaining, and the actors just soar—you can feel their joy as they bite into their material.”

“I am honored that our film has been selected as the Centrepiece of this year's festival,” said Boyle. “And thrilled and terrified too, unlike the subject of our film, who would have taken the whole thing very much in his stride. Steve Jobs was a thoroughly contradictory and complex character who forged our digital age. He’s the kind of brilliant, flawed character that Shakespeare would have relished writing about, and storytellers of all kinds will be fashioning and re-fashioning the mythology of the digital revolution for generations to come. I hope that festivalgoers enjoy our take.”

Sorkin and Boyle have created a dynamically character-driven portrait of the co-founder of Apple, weaving the multiple threads of their protagonist’s life into three daringly extended backstage scenes, as Jobs prepares to launch the first Macintosh, the NeXT workstation, and the iMac. The film is a dazzlingly executed cross-hatched portrait of Jobs, set against the changing fortunes and circumstances of the home computer industry and the ascendancy of branding, of products, and of oneself.

Steve Jobs is directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin working from Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography of the Apple founder. The producers are Mark Gordon, Guymon Casady, Scott Rudin, Boyle, and Christian Colson.

Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures present—A Scott Rudin/Mark Gordon Company/Entertainment 360/Decibel Films/Cloud Eight Films production of a Danny Boyle film: Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs, starring Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Katherine Waterston.  The music is by Daniel Pemberton, and the costume designer is Suttirat Larlarb.  The film’s editor is Elliot Graham, ACE, and its production designer is Guy Hendrix Dyas. Steve Jobs’ director of photography is Alwin Küchler, BSC, and its executive producer is Bernard Bellew.  The drama’s producers are Mark Gordon, Guymon Casady, Scott Rudin, Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, and it is based on the book by Walter Isaacson.  The film’s screenplay is by Aaron Sorkin, and it is directed by Danny Boyle.  ©2015 Universal Studios. www.stevejobsthefilm.com 
 
The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Jones, also includes Dennis Lim, FSLC Director of Programming; Marian Masone, FSLC Senior Programming Advisor; Gavin Smith, Editor-in-Chief, Film Comment; and Amy Taubin, Contributing Editor, Film Comment and Sight & Sound.
 
NYFF previously announced Robert Zemeckis’s The Walk as Opening Night, Don Cheadle’s Miles Ahead as Closing Night and Luminous Intimacy: The Cinema of Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler, the first-ever complete dual retrospective of the experimental filmmakers.
 
Tickets for the 53rd New York Film Festival will go on sale in early September. Becoming a Film Society Member at the Film Buff Level or above provides early ticket access to festival screenings and events ahead of the general public, along with the exclusive member ticket discount! Join by August 7 to receive these NYFF benefits. Learn more at filmlinc.com/membership.

For even more access, VIP Passes and Subscription Packages give buyers one of the earliest opportunities to purchase tickets and secure seats at some of the festival's biggest events including Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Nights. VIP passes also provide access to many exciting events including the invitation-only Opening Night party, “ An Evening With…” Dinner, Filmmaker Brunch, and VIP Lounge. Benefits vary based on the pass or package type purchased. VIP Passes and Subscription Packages are on sale now.

For information about purchasing Subscription Packages and VIP Passes, go to filmlinc.com/NYFF.

For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com

FSLC, FILM COMMENT & INDIEWIRE announce call for entires for 4th NYFF Critics Academy

The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Film Comment magazine, and Indiewire has announced a call for entries for the 2015 New York Film Festival Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring New York–based film critics that takes place during the festival (September 25 – October 11). 

The Critics Academy—the initiative by the Film Society, Film Comment, and Indiewire to assist aspiring film critics with the process of kickstarting their careers—was first launched at the 2012 Locarno Film Festival, and a local version was then produced that fall during the 2012 New York Film Festival. Later this month, the finalists will be announced for the next Locarno Critics Academy, whose participants will cover the 68th edition of the festival from August 5-15.

The fourth edition of the New York–based Critics Academy is scheduled to coincide with the upcoming NYFF, and will begin accepting applications today. Details for applicants can be found below.

For this year’s NYFF, six participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a wide variety of international cinema while dealing with the practical challenges of covering a festival at the epicenter of New York’s film culture. The participants will cover the festival with reviews of films in the selection, articles on sidebar events, in-depth reflections on the various program sections, or interviews with the festival’s guests.

The 2015 NYFF Critics Academy will begin several days prior to the start of the festival with roundtable discussions continuing over the course of the following   five days (participants will also have the option of attending press screenings earlier in the month). Participants will then work on covering the festival once it begins, with guidance from the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Eugene Hernandez, Indiewire’s Deputy Editor and Chief Film Critic Eric Kohn, Film Comment magazine Senior Editor Nicolas Rapold, and Film Comment Digital Editor Violet Lucca. The workshop will officially conclude on October 11, the last day of the festival.

In a very short amount of time, the multifaceted nature of the Critics Academy has allowed the workshop approach to have a direct impact on the way budding critics think about the opportunities to cover films around the world. In advance of this year’s NYFF, critics will engage in candid discussions with working critics, distributors, filmmakers, and others who come into direct contact with their work to bring a greater context to its ongoing relevance. They will then provide written work for Indiewire’s Criticwire blog (a part of their Criticwire Network) and Film Comment magazine, the official publication of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and other outlets to be arranged closer to the event.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center continues to innovate with its multiple ways of positively affecting contemporary film culture—from festivals to first-run theaters and various educational initiatives, including this one. The Critics Academy initiative is a natural fit for a partnership between the Film Society, Film Comment, and Indiewire, as it works toward assuring that New York’s vibrant film culture continues to benefit from talented critics willing to take advantage of the city’s cinematic riches.

The application process begins today; the deadline is Friday, July 31.

Accepted critics will be notified by August 10. Emphasis will be placed on a diversity of voices, backgrounds, and cinematic interests.

Requirements: Applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of undergraduate study or have no more than two years of experience creating critical and/or journalistic content about movies. They must demonstrate an interest in film criticism and/or film journalism as well as the ability to speak and write fluently in English. They must also live in New York City or the greater New York area.

Applications must include the following:
    •    CV: A basic one-page résumé
    •    Five writing samples about film. These can take the form of film reviews, scholarly papers, blog posts, college newspaper clips, podcasts, or any other work that you think demonstrates your skills.
    •    A 500-word statement of intent. Tell us about your background and why you would make an ideal candidate for the Critics Academy. Make sure to note any particular interests (genres, national cinemas, etc.). Passion, strong writing skills, and a deep knowledge of film history matter more than overall professional experience.

Please send applications to: CRITICSACADEMY@FILMLINC.COM
For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com

FSLC & Met Opera co-present FREE outdoor screening of WEST SIDE STORY | @filmlinc

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera announced that they are co-presenting a free outdoor screening of Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise’s Academy Award–winning film West Side Story on the Lincoln Center Plaza in front of the opera house on Friday, August 28 at 7:45pm. The 1961 classic is a bold, beloved adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which was originally inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The free screening, running 2 hours and 30 minutes, is open to the public and seating is first-come, first-served. The event is a special tease, serving to kick off the Met Opera’s popular Summer HD Festival.


Before Lincoln Center became the place to hear Plácido Domingo sing “La donna è mobile” or witness Anna Netrebko deliver Lucia di Lammermoor’s mad scene, the Upper West 60s was imagined in this film as a gritty, blue-collared neighborhood where Tony belted out “Something’s Coming,” Maria declared “I Feel Pretty,” and the Jets danced to “Gee, Officer Krupke.” Natalie Wood stars as good girl Maria (dubbed vocally by Marni Nixon), who falls in love with handsome Tony, played by Richard Beymer, who happens to be the leader of the gang facing off against the faction led by Maria’s brother. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris complete the principal cast (both winning supporting Oscars). The real star of the show, though, is Bernstein’s glorious score. From “Maria” to “Tonight” to “America” to “Somewhere,” West Side Story features one unforgettable tune after another (not to mention song lyrics by a twentysomething Stephen Sondheim), along with dazzling emotional choreography. The story of impossible love and violent death should set the stage ideally for Bizet’s Carmen—the opening opera of the festival the very next night on Saturday, August 29.
The much-praised box-office blockbuster received 11 Academy Award nominations and won all but one. Oscars include Best Picture, Best Director (Wise and Robbins—the first time that award went to co-directors), Best Supporting Actor and Actress (George Chakiris in his first major film role and Rita Moreno), Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Film Editing, and Best Color Costume Design.

For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com