The 62nd New York Film Festival (NYFF), one of the most prestigious and enduring events in the international film calendar, is set to run from September 27 through October 14, 2024. Organizers have unveiled a dynamic lineup of films from some of the world’s most influential and innovative filmmakers, reflecting the festival’s commitment to cinematic excellence and cultural dialogue.
This year’s edition will open with RaMell Ross’s historical drama Nickel Boys, an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film explores racial injustice and abuse within a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida, offering a poignant and visually poetic narrative that aligns with Ross’s signature documentary style, first seen in his acclaimed Hale County This Morning, This Evening.
Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door has been selected as the Centerpiece presentation. The Spanish auteur’s latest work continues his exploration of identity, memory, and emotional complexity, this time weaving together multilingual performances from a globally diverse cast. Almodóvar, a frequent NYFF contributor, brings a deeply personal voice to each project, and expectations are high for his return to the festival’s spotlight.
Rounding out the festival’s top honors, British director Steve McQueen’s WWII drama Blitz will serve as the Closing Night film. Known for his work on 12 Years a Slave and Small Axe, McQueen shifts his lens to wartime London, delivering a visceral and intimate portrayal of resilience under bombardment.
The Main Slate of the 62nd NYFF comprises 33 titles from established masters and rising talents alike. Highlights include The Shrouds by David Cronenberg, which revisits the Canadian filmmaker’s fascination with technology and mortality; Sean Baker’s Anora, a portrait of complex urban relationships; Mike Leigh’s untitled period drama; and All We Imagine As Light by Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, a Cannes award-winner that blends realism with lyrical narrative techniques.
Other notable selections come from around the globe, representing a broad spectrum of voices and styles. From Latin America to Asia and Europe, the festival continues to provide a platform for stories that resonate across cultures and time periods.
As always, screenings and events will be held at multiple venues throughout New York City, with the Lincoln Center serving as the festival’s main hub. Additional showings will take place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, and the Alamo Drafthouse in Staten Island. This expanded geographic footprint reflects NYFF’s goal of making world-class cinema accessible to a broader New York audience.
The festival will also feature filmmaker talks, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions aimed at fostering deeper engagement with the works presented. According to Dennis Lim, NYFF’s Artistic Director, this year’s selections are “intellectually rigorous, emotionally rich, and politically vital,” adding that the lineup “speaks to the power of cinema to both reflect and reshape the world we live in.”
NYFF continues to distinguish itself from other festivals by maintaining a non-competitive format. Instead of awards, the emphasis is placed on curatorial excellence and audience experience. Over its six-decade history, the festival has introduced American audiences to iconic works by filmmakers like Agnès Varda, Martin Scorsese, Claire Denis, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
This year, in addition to the Main Slate, festivalgoers can explore sidebars including Currents (focusing on experimental and boundary-pushing works), Revivals (restored classics), and Spotlight (highlighting high-profile international titles and special presentations).
Tickets for NYFF62 are expected to sell quickly, particularly for the Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing night screenings. The full schedule and ticketing details are available through Film at Lincoln Center, the organization behind the festival since its inception in 1963.
As the film world continues to evolve in the age of streaming and global distribution shifts, NYFF remains a critical space for celebrating the artistry and communal experience of cinema.
