The 54th New York Film Festival took place from September 30 to October 16, 2016, in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center.
The festival's opening film was Ava DuVernay's 13th. Mike Mills' 20th Century Women was the festival's centerpiece. James Gray's The Lost City of Z was the festival's closing film.
The "Explorations" section was a new addition for the 2016 program.
Appearing in the NYFF's "Main Slate" for the first time were: Ava DuVernay, Mike Mills, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Gianfranco Rosi, Barry Jenkins, Dash Shaw, and Maren Ade.
World premieres included: Alex Horwitz's Hamilton's America, Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Ava DuVernay's 13th, James Gray's The Lost City of Z, and Lonny Price's Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened.
Official Selections The primary selection committee included Kent Jones (chair), Dennis Lim, Florence Almozini, Amy Taubin, and Gavin Smith as a consultant.
Main Slate The following films were selected for the Main Slate section: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country13th (opening film)Ava DuVernayUnited States20th Century Women (centerpiece)Mike MillsAquariusKleber Mendonça FilhoBrazil, FranceCertain WomenKelly ReichardtUnited StatesEllePaul VerhoevenFrance, GermanyFire at SeaFuocoammareGianfranco RosiItaly, FranceGraduationBacalaureatCristian MungiuRomania, FranceHermia & HelenaMatías PiñeiroArgentina, United StatesI, Daniel BlakeKen LoachUnited Kingdom, FranceJulietaPedro AlmodóvarSpainThe Lost City of Z (closing film)James GrayUnited StatesManchester by the SeaKenneth LonerganMoonlightBarry JenkinsMy Entire High School Sinking into the SeaDash ShawNerudaPablo LarraínChile, Argentina, France, SpainPatersonJim JarmuschUnited StatesPersonal ShopperOlivier AssayasFranceThe RehearsalAlison MacleanNew ZealandSieranevadaCristi PuiuRomaniaThe Son of JosephLe Fils de JosephEugène GreenFrance, BelgiumStaying VerticalRester VerticalAlain GuiraudieFranceThings to ComeL'AvenirMia Hansen-LøveFrance, GermanyToni ErdmannMaren AdeGermany, AustriaThe Unknown GirlLa fille inconnueJean-Pierre and Luc DardenneBelgium, FranceYourself and Yours당신자신과 당신의 것Hong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Special Events The following films were selected: TitleDirectorProduction CountryBest Worst Thing That Ever Could Have HappenedLonny PriceUnited StatesBilly Lynn's Long Halftime WalkAng LeeUnited States, United Kingdom, ChinaGimme DangerJim JarmuschUnited StatesHamilton's AmericaAlex HorwitzJackiePablo LarraínUnited States, Chile, FranceA Quiet PassionTerence DaviesUnited Kingdom Spotlight on Documentary The following documentaries were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryAbacus: Small Enough to JailSteve JamesUnited StatesThe B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait PhotographyErrol MorrisBright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie ReynoldsAlexis Bloom and Fisher StevensThe Cinema TravellersShirley Abraham and Amit MadheshiyaIndiaDawson City: Frozen TimeBill MorrisonUnited StatesHissane Habré: A Chadian TragedyHissein Habré, une tragédie tchadienneMahamat-Saleh HarounFrance, ChadI Am Not Your NegroRaoul PeckUnited States, France, Belgium, SwitzerlandI Called Him MorganKasper CollinSweden, United StatesKarl Marx CityPetra Epperlein and Michael TuckerGermanyPatria O Muerte: Cuba, Fatherland or DeathOlatz López GarmendiaUnited StatesRestless Creature: Wendy WhelanLinda Saffire and Adam SchlesingerUnited StatesThe SettlersShimon DotanFrance, Canada, IsraelTwo Trains Runnin’Sam PollardUnited StatesUncle HowardAaron BrooknerUnited Kingdom, United StatesWhose Country?Balad Meen?Mohamed SiamEgypt, United States, France Explorations The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryThe Death of Louis XIVLa Mort de Louis XIVAlbert SerraFrance, Portugal, SpainEverything ElseTodo lo demásNatalia AlmadaMexicoI Had Nowhere to GoDouglas GordonUnited Kingdom, GermanyKékszakállúGastón SolnickiArgentinaMimosasOliver LaxeSpain, Morocco, France, QatarThe Ornithologist O OrnitólogoJoão Pedro RodriguesPortugal, France, Brazil Shorts The Shorts Programs were selected by Dilcia Barrera, Laura Kern, Dennis Lim, Gabi Madsen and Dan Sullivan. The following short films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryProgram 1: NarrativeAnd The Whole Sky Fit In The Dead Cow’s EyeY todo el celo cupo en el ojo de la vaca muertaFrancisca AlegriaChile, United StatesBe Good for RachelEd RoeUnited StatesDobroMarta Hernaiz PidalBosnia and Herzegovina, MexicoThe Girl Who Danced with the DevilA moça que dançou com o DiaboJoão Paulo Miranda MariaBrazilLand of the Lost SidekicksRoger Ross WilliamsUnited StatesLittle BulletsKüçük KurşunlarAlphan EseliTurkeyUnivitellinTerence NanceFranceProgram 2: International AuteursA Brief History of Princess XGabriel AbrantesPortugal, FranceSarah Winchester, Phantom OperaSarah Winchester, Opera FantômeBertrand BonelloFranceThe Hedonists营生Jia ZhangkeChinaFrom the Diary of a Wedding Photographerמיומנו של צלם חתונותNadav LapidIsraelProgram 3: Genre StoriesCan’t Take My Eyes Off YouJohannes Kizler, Nik SentenzaGermanyImposterAdam GoldhammerCanadaNew GodsJack BurkeUnited KingdomQuenottes (Pearlies)Pascal Thiebaux, Gil PinheiroLuxembourg, FranceThe SignalmanDaniel AugustoBrazilWhat Happened to HerKristy Guevara-FlanaganUnited StatesProgram 4: New York StoriesDramatic RelationshipsDustin Guy DefaUnited StatesThe HoneymoonTommy DavisI Turn to JelloAndrew T. BetzerKittyChloë SevignyLos Angeles Plays New YorkJohn WilsonThis Castle KeepGina TelaroliProgram 5: DocumentariesLegal Smuggling with Christine ChoyLewie KlosterUnited StatesEl BuzoEsteban ArrangoizMexicoJean Nouvel: ReflectionsMatt TyrnauerUnited StatesRotatioIan McClerinThe VoteMila Aung-Thwin, Van RoykoCanadaBrillo Box (3¢ off)Lisanne SkylerUnited States
Projections Projections was programmed by Dennis Lim and Aily Nash. The following films were selected: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryProgram 1: The Spaces Between the WordsNow: End of SeasonAyman NahleLebanonReal Italian Pizza (1971)David RimmerCanadaREGALKarissa HahnUnited StatesSee a Dog, Hear a DogJesse McLeanSteve Hates FishJohn SmithUnited KingdomTwixt Cup and LipStephen SutcliffeProgram 2: Beyond LandscapeBad Mama, Who CaresBrigid McCaffreyUnited StatesBending to EarthRosa BarbaUnited States, GermanyBurning Mountains That Spew FlameMontañas Ardientes Que Vomitan FuegoHelena Girón and Samuel DelgadoSpainCanadian Pacific I (1974)David RimmerCanadaEars, Nose and ThroatKevin Jerome EversonUnited StatesJáaji Approx.Sky HopinkaTen Mornings Ten Evening and One HorizonTomonari NishikawaJapanProgram 3: The Illinois ParablesThe Illinois ParablesDeborah StratmanUnited StatesThe Horses of a Cavalry CaptainDie Pferde des RittmeistersClemens von WedemeyerGermanyProgram 4: Fade OutAnswer PrintMónica SavirónUnited StatesAthyrium filix-femina (for Anna Atkins)Kelly EganCanadaCilaosCamilo RestrepoFranceFlowers of the SkyJanie GeiserUnited StatesGhost ChildrenJoão Vieira TorresBrazil, FranceLuna e SanturJoshua Gen SolondzUnited StatesOld HatZach IannazziVariations on a Cellophane Wrapper (1970)David RimmerCanadaProgram 5: Site and SoundEuropa, Mon Amour (2016 Brexit Edition)Lawrence LekUnited KingdomFoyerIsmaïl BahriFrance, TunisiaIndefinite PitchJames N. Kienitz WilkinsUnited StatesStrange Vision of Seeing ThingsRyan FerkoCanada, SerbiaProgram 6All the Cities of the NorthDane Komljen Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, MontenegroProgram 7: Pop Culture ClashA Boy Needs a FriendSteve ReinkeUnited StatesDream English Kid, 1964–1999 ADMark LeckeyUnited KingdomSpotlight on a Brick WallAlee Peoples and Mike StoltzUnited StatesReturn to FormsZachary EpcarProgram 8: Dorsky and HilerAutumnNathaniel DorskyUnited StatesBagatelle IIJerome HilerThe DreamerNathaniel DorskyProgram 9: Event HorizonsAn Aviation FieldUm Campo de AviaçãoJoana PimentaPortugal, United States, BrazilElectrical GazaRosalind NashashibiUnited StatesEvent HorizonGuillermo MoncayoFranceHá Terra!Ana VazBrazil, FranceIn Titan's Goblet (1991)Peter HuttonUnited StatesKindahEphraim AsiliUnited States, JamaicaProgram 10: From the Notebook of...From the Notebook of... (1971-1998)Robert BeaversItaly, SwitzerlandFor ChristianLuke FowlerUnited Kingdom, United StatesProgram 11The Human SurgeEl auge del humanoEduardo WilliamsArgentina, Brazil, Portugal Revivals The Revivals section was programmed by Kent Jones. The following films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryL'Argent (1983)Robert BressonFranceAt the Four Corners (1949) (short)Aux quatre coinsJacques RivetteThe Battle of Algiers (1966)La battaglia di AlgeriGillo PontecorvoItaly, AlgeriaThe Diversion (1952) (short)Le divertissementJacques RivetteFranceHarlan County, USA (1976)Barbara KoppleUnited StatesThe Living Idol (1957)Albert LewinMemories of Underdevelopment (1968)Memorias del subdesarrolloTomás Gutiérrez AleaCubaOne-Eyed Jacks (1961)Marlon BrandoUnited StatesPanic (1946)PaniqueJulien DuvivierFranceThe Quadrille (1950) (short)Le quadrilleJacques RivetteTaipei Story (1985)青梅竹馬Edward YangTaiwanUgetsu (1953)雨月物語Kenji MizoguchiJapan Retrospective The 2016 Retrospective contained two programs, both inspired by Bertrand Tavernier. “A Brief Journey Through French Cinema” screened Tavernier’s My Journey Through French Cinema along with several titles cited in the film. The second program focused on Henry Hathaway, a director Tavernier particularly admires.
The following films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryA Brief Journey Through French CinemaAngels of Sin (1943)Les anges du péchéRobert BressonFranceAntoine and Antoinette (1947)Antoine et AntoinetteJacques BeckerDeadlier Than the Male (1956)Voici le temps des assassinsJulien DuvivierLes Enfants terribles (1950)Jean-Pierre MelvilleLa Marseillaise (1938)Jean RenoirMy Journey Through French Cinema (2016)Voyage à travers le cinéma françaisBertrand TavernierSafe Conduct (2002)Laissez-passerHenry Hathaway23 Paces to Baker Street (1956)Henry HathawayUnited StatesThe Dark Corner (1946)Down to the Sea in Ships (1949)Fourteen Hours (1951)From Hell to Texas (1958)Garden of Evil (1958)United States, MexicoKiss of Death (1947)United StatesNiagara (1953)North to Alaska (1960)Rawhide (1951)The Shepherd of the Hills (1941)Spawn of the North (1938)
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