AFI Fest announced two additional films in the Red Carpet Premieres section and a number of Special Screening selections. The full AFI Fest lineup will be announced on October 1.
AFI FEST presented by Canva will take place October 23–27 at the TCL Chinese Theatres. The fest will feature a curated selection of over 100 films screening across the Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries and Short Films sections.
Heretic, a psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, a Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie, will join Music by John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 in the Red Carpet Premieres section. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre.
The Beck/Woods-directed Heretic premiered at TIFF. AFI Fest will probably its last stop before A24 releases the film in November.
Maria will eventually have a permanent streaming home on Netflix but the Pablo Larraín-directed film is already being talked about as an awards contender after its Venice Film Festival premiere. Jolie portrays opera singer Maria Callas during her final days in Paris.
Here reunites Forrest Gump filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, screenwriter Eric Roth, and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The centerpiece screening–a world premiere–is one of the most anticipated premieres of the year. Will the film have the same magic and be an immediate awards contender? It’s one of the biggest questions going into the premiere. Meanwhile, Zemeckis will be busy during the last weekend of October. Two days later, he’ll be receiving the Founder’s Awards when Here premieres at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, is making its bid to compete for a Best Animated Feature slot during awards season. This is the first Wallace & Gromit feature film since the Oscar winner was released 2005. A 2008 short film was nominated for Best Animated Short at the Oscars, winning both BAFTA and Annie Awards. The fest previously premiered Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio in 2022, which went on to take home the Oscar. Netflix will release the film worldwide, except for the UK, in December.
Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 is more likely than not his final film. This will be his fourth film premiering at AFI Fest. It follows a family man serving as a juror in a high-profile murder case. In reading the synopsis, Juror #2 will probably draw comparisons to 12 Angry Men.
The Special Screenings section is where studios are looking to build the most momentum for their awards contenders. This is the section where Bird, The Fire Inside, I’m Still Here, Nightbitch, The Order, A Real Pain, The Room Next Door, The Summer Book, and Unstoppable are screening.
“This year’s Special Screenings section includes some of the most-talked-about films from around the world, exquisitely crafted gems, and inspirational crowd-pleasers,” said Todd Hitchcock, Director of AFI FEST and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. “We’re thrilled to bring these memorable and impactful films to AFI FEST audiences in the heart of Los Angeles.”
Rachel Morrison previously became the first woman to get an Oscar nomination for cinematography for her work on Mudbound. The Fire Inside is Morrison’s directorial debut. Could the Olympic boxing drama propel Morrison into the exclusive list of women nominated for Best Director at the Oscars?
Amy Adams is always the bridesmaid but never the bride. Her starring role in Nightbitch gives her another opportunity to lend an Oscar nomination.
William Goldenberg is a previous Oscar winner for editing Argo and makes his directorial debut with Unstoppable. The film tells the story of wrestler Anthony Robles, who was born without a right leg.