AFI FEST 2013 presented by Audi, a program of the American Film Institute, announced today the films that will be featured in the New Auteurs and Shorts sections at this year’s festival. AFI FEST will take place November 7 through 14 in Hollywood, California, at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
The New Auteurs section highlights first and second-time feature film directors from around the world and the Shorts selections present wildly diverse points of view from a variety of countries around the world. Both sections are juried and are available for Grand Jury Awards. This year’s New Auteurs jury features Peter DeBruge (Variety), Karina Longworth (author and critic), Amy Nicholson (LA Weekly) and Betsy Sharkey (Los Angeles Times). The Shorts jury features Alejandro De Leon (producer), Kitao Sakurai (filmmaker), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (filmmaker) and Heidi Zwicker (shorts programmer).
“I left Los Angeles eleven months ago and traveled to over half a dozen film festivals to curate the New Auteurs section and find the 10 finest films from first and second-time filmmakers,” said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming, AFI FEST. “It is heartening to see new filmmakers take such bold and courageous steps so early in their careers, and it is thrilling to see the reactions of our audiences as they experience the works of this talented group of artists.”
For the fifth consecutive year, AFI FEST will offer free tickets to all screenings, but only the Cinepass Express will provide priority entry to all regular screenings including the New Auteurs and Shorts selections, as well as access into the cinema lounge. These and other AFI FEST Passes are on sale now at AFI.com/AFIFEST.
Free individual tickets to AFI FEST screenings and galas will be available to AFI members on Monday, October 28 and Tuesday, October 29 in a 48-hour advance window before they become available to the general public on Wednesday, October 30 and Thursday, October 31. In addition, AFI members at the Two-Star level and above receive a 10% discount on all AFI FEST Patron Packages and Passes. Information about AFI membership is available at AFI.com/membership.
For the 10th year, Audi returns as the festival’s presenting sponsor. Additional sponsors include American Airlines, the official airline of AFI; The American Film Market (AFM); AT&T; Coca Cola; The Egyptian Theatre; Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; National Geographic Channel; Stella Artois and TCL Chinese Theatre, among many others.
NEW AUTEURS SELECTIONS (10 titles)
THE FAKE – In this controversial animated drama from South Korea, a rural village in danger of a flood turns to a church that promises salvation. DIR Yeon Sang-ho. SCR Yeon Sang-ho. CAST Yang Ikjune, Oh Jungse, Kwon Haehyo, Park Heevon. South Korea.
HARMONY LESSONS – This captivating Kazakh drama follows an adolescent boy who faces schoolyard bullying – part of a hierarchy of village corruption – who resolves to plot revenge. DIR Emir Baigazin. SCR Emir Baigazin. CAST Timur Aidarbekov, Aslan Anarbayev, Mukhtar Anadassov, Anelya Adilbekova. Kazakhstan, Germany, France.
IN BLOOM – A powerful story about two 14-year-old girls who challenge patriarchal expectations in 1992 Tbilisi, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. DIR Nana Ekvtimishvili & Simon Gross. SCR Nana Ekvtimishvili. CAST Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria, Zurab Gogaladze. Georgia, Germany, France.
MY DOG KILLER – This simmering drama follows a lonely young adult living in rural Slovakia, where bubbling ethnic tensions and inner turmoil lead to dark consequences. DIR Mira Fornay. SCR Mira Fornay. CAST Adam Mihal, Marian Kuruc, Irena Bendova, Libor Filo. Slovakia, Czech Republic.
NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN – A new member of a fundamentalist Christian group moves in with a family, but soon descends into a vortex of dogmatism, heresy and violence.