33rd Philadelphia Film Festival Full Line-Up Announced
Photo from the Philadelphia Film Society
PRESS RELEASE - PHILADELPHIA, PA, October 2, 2024 – The Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) is proud to announce the full line-up for the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF), spanning from October 17 through October 27, 2024. This year’s Festival will offer in-person screenings at all PFS venues (Film Society Center, Film Society Bourse, and Film Society East).
"We are thrilled to celebrate the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival, an event that not only showcases extraordinary films but also brings together film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and everyday moviegoers alike,” said J. Andrew Greenblatt, CEO & Executive Director of the Philadelphia Film Society. “From thought-provoking documentaries to captivating narratives, from up-and-coming filmmakers to established auteurs, this year's lineup truly reflects the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of cinema.”
The program for the 33rd edition encompasses an array of extraordinary films. The festival will open on Thursday, October 17 with Tim Fehlbaum’s SEPTEMBER 5, starring Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch and John Magaro. SEPTEMBER 5 unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. The Closing Night film will play on the final Friday of the festival, October 25, with the Philadelphia premiere of Steve McQueen’s BLITZ starring 4-time Academy Award® nominee Saoirse Ronan, which follows the stories of a group of Londoners during the events of the British capital bombing in World War II.
The Philadelphia Film Festival has selected eight extraordinary titles to be highlighted as Centerpieces this year. Titles include the Philadelphia premiere of Sean Baker’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner ANORA, a romantic drama chronicling the journey of a young sex worker who gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch, presented in 35MM; THE BRUTALIST, starring Academy Award® Winner Adrien Brody as a visionary architect on a journey to flee post-war Europe into modern America, presented in 35MM; CONCLAVE, a political thriller based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris about the secrets uncovered while participating in the selection of finding a new Pope; A REAL PAIN, stars writer/director Jesse Eisenberg, and Kieran Culkin as odd-couple cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother; UNSTOPPABLE, which centers around the life of wrestler Anthony Robles, written by “La La Land’s” John Hindman; NICKEL BOYS, based on Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Colson Whitehead, follows two young African American men navigate the harrowing trials of reform school in Florida; THE ORDER, an exhilarating crime thriller about an FBI agent uncovering bank robberies and car heists in the Pacific Northwest; and THE LAST SHOWGIRL, the story of a seasoned performer planning for her future when her show abruptly closed after a 30-year run lead by Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dave Bautista.
The line-up includes World Premieres of two Filmadelphia titles: NO ONE DIED: THE WING BOWL STORY and THE PHILLY SOUND...HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD. The Filmadelphia category and Filmadelphia Shorts Program emphasize the Philadelphia Film Society’s ongoing commitment to film in Greater Philadelphia, featuring brilliant films from the region’s most captivating filmmakers.
Conversely, the World View category highlights films from around the globe and features Zambian film, ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL, that follows a family as they uncover the buried secrets of their ancestors in this comedy drama written and directed by Rungano Nyoni; French crime drama, THE KINGDOM, directed by Julien Colonna that explores a unique father-daughter relationship in the midst of war; plus many more remarkable worldly features.
“With the boost in our year-round curated program, we’ve made great strides this year in bringing a wider swath of great film to Philadelphia and we tried to reflect that in the program,” shared Michael Lerman, Artistic Director & Senior Director of Programming of the Philadelphia Film Society. “Our team worked tirelessly to ensure that this year’s program is one that will open eyes, incite excited conversations, and speak to cinephiles of any stripe in our ever-growing community.”
As The State of the Union category is as timely as ever and taps into the pulse of the nation's political, social, and cultural climates, the Philadelphia Film Society is thrilled to be able to present these films as community screenings that are free of charge to the public. Titles selected for this category include THE LAST REPUBLICAN, MEN OF WAR, NO OTHER LAND, SEPARATED, ZURAWSKI V. TEXAS, and THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT. This year, all titles selected are Philadelphia Premieres bringing these perspectives and matters that are central to American democracy to local audiences for the first time.
Other categories include Masters of Cinema, Spotlights, Focus on India, Made in USA, Non/Fiction, Sight & Soundtrack, After Hours, and From the Vaults that feature titles including MEMOIR OF A SNAIL, BETTER MAN, GRAND THEFT HAMLET, THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN, among many more. The Philadelphia Film Society encourages everyone to come out to the theater and find their niche within the landscape of cinema. With an array of diverse categories and programming, there is something for everyone.
Screenings for the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival will take place at the below venues:
Film Society Center (1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102)
Film Society Bourse (400 Ranstead Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106)
Film Society East (125 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106)
Tickets will go on-sale for Philadelphia Film Society members on Friday, October 4 and to the general public beginning on Monday, October 7. Tickets may be purchased in-person at the Box Office at the Philadelphia Film Center.
During the Festival tickets will be available for purchase in-person at the Box Offices at the newly rebranded Film Society Center, Film Society Bourse, or Film Society East.
33RD PHILADELPHIA FILM FESTIVAL FULL LINE-UP
Opening Night Film
○ September 5, Director Tim Fehlbaum. 2024, Germany.
Closing Night Film
○ Blitz, Director Steve McQueen. 2024, United Kingdom.
Centerpieces
○ Anora, Director Sean Baker. 2024, USA.
○ The Brutalist, Director Brady Corbet. 2024, USA, United Kingdom.
○ Conclave, Director Edward Berger. 2024, USA, United Kingdom.
○ The Last Showgirl, Director Gia Coppola. 2024, USA.
○ Nickel Boys, Director RaMell Ross. 2024, USA.
○ The Order, Director Justin Kurzel. 2024, USA, Canada.
○ A Real Pain, Director Jesse Eisenberg. 2024, USA, Poland.
○ Unstoppable, Director William Goldenberg. 2024, USA.
Masters of Cinema
○ Bird, Director Andrea Arnold. 2024, United Kingdom, USA, France, Germany.
○ Hard Truths, Director Mike Leigh. 2024, United Kingdom, Spain. ○ I’m Still Here, Director Walter Salles. 2024, Brazil, France.
○ It’s Not Me, Director Leos Carax. 2024, France.
○ The Room Next Door, Director Pedro Almodovar. 2024, Spain.
○ Rumours, Director Guy Maddin, Director Evan Johnson, Director Galen Johnson. 2024, Canada.
○ The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Director Mohammad Rasoulof. 2024, Iran, France, Germany.
○ A Traveler’s Needs, Director Hong Sang-Soo. 2024, South Korea. ○ An Unfinished Film, Director Lou Ye. 2024, Singapore, Germany. Spotlights
○ Daniela Forever, Director Nacho Vigalondo. 2024, Spain, Belgium.
○ The End, Director Joshua Oppenheimer. 2024, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, UK, Sweden.
○ La Cocina, Director Alonso Ruizpalacios. 2024, Mexico, USA.
○ Memoir of a Snail, Director Adam Elliot. 2024, Australia.
○ The Second Act, Director Alonso Ruizpalacios. 2024, Mexico, USA.
○ Small Things Like These, Director Tim Mielants. 2024, Ireland, Belgium.
○ Transplant, Director Jason Park. 2024, USA.
World View
○ Alpha, Director Jan-Willem van Ewijk. 2024, Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland.
○ Armand, Director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel. 2024, Norway, Netherlands, Germany.
○ Baby, Director Marcelo Caetano. 2024, Brazil, France, Netherlands.
○ Black Dog, Director Hu Guan. 2024, China.
○ Bound in Heaven, Director Huo Xin. 2024, China.
○ The Count of Monte Cristo, Director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel. 2024, Norway, Netherlands, Germany.
○ Dying, Director Matthias Glasner. 2024, Germany.
○ Flow, Director Gints Zilbalodis. 2024, Latvia, France, Belgium.
○ Freedom Way, Director Afolabi Olalekan. 2024, Nigeria.
○ The Girl with the Needle, Director Magnus von Horn. 2024, Denmark, Poland, Sweden.
○ The Kingdom, Director Julien Colonna. 2024, France.
○ The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, Director The Agbajowo Collective. 2024, Nigeria, Germany, South Africa, USA.
○ My Favourite Cake, Director Maryam Moghaddam, Director Behtash Sanaeeha. 2024, Iran, France, Sweden, Germany.
○ The New Year That Never Came, Director Bogdan Muresanu. 2024, Romania, Serbia.
○ On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, Director Rungano Nyoni. 2024, Zambia, UK, Ireland.
○ Peacock, Director Bernhard Wenger. 2024, Austria, Germany.
○ The Quiet Ones, Director Frederik Louis Hviid. 2024, Denmark.
○ Scorched Earth, Director Thomas Arslan. 2024, Germany.
○ Vermiglio, Director Maura Delpero. 2024, Italy, France, Belgium.
○ We Were Dangerous, Director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu. 2024, New Zealand.
○ Who By Fire, Director Philippe Lesage. 2024, Canada, France. Focus on India
○ All We Imagine As Light, Director Payal Kapadia. 2024, India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg.
○ Girls Will Be Girls, Director Shuchi Talati. 2024, India, France, USA, Norway.
○ Santosh, Director Sandhya Suri. 2024, United Kingdom, Germany, India, France.
○ Sister Midnight, Director Karan Kandhari. 2024, United Kingdom, India, Sweden.
○ Superboys of Malegaon, Director Reema Kagti. 2024, India.
Made in USA
○ Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts, Director Shaun Seneviratne. 2024, USA, Sri Lanka.
○ The Black Sea, Director Derrick B. Harden, Director Crystal Moselle. 2024, USA, Bulgaria.
○ Desert Road, Director Shannon Triplett. 2024, USA.
○ Eephus, Director Carson Lund. 2024, USA.
○ The Knife, Director Nnamdi Asomugha. 2024, USA.
○ Sew Torn, Director Freddy MacDonald. 2024, USA, Switzerland.
○ Vulcanizadora, Director Joel Potrykus. 2024, USA.
Non/Fiction
○ Apocalypse in the Tropics, Director Petra Costa. 2024, Brazil, USA, Denmark.
○ Grand Theft Hamlet, Director Sam Crane, Director Pinny Grylls. 2024, United Kingdom.
○ Mistress Dispeller, Director Elizabeth Lo. 2024, China, USA.
○ Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other, Director Manon Ouimet, Director Jacob Perlmutter. 2024, United Kingdom, Denmark, USA.
○ Suburban Fury, Director Robinson Devor. 2024, USA.
Sight & Soundtrack
○ Better Man, Director Michael Gracey. 2024, Australia.
○ Devo, Director Chris Smith. 2024, USA, United Kingdom.
○ Diane Warren: Relentless, Director Bess Kargman. 2024, USA.
○ Luther: Never Too Much, Director Dawn Porter. 2024, USA.
○ Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, Director Nicolas Jack Davies. 2024, Germany.
○ Pavements, Director Alex Ross Perry. 2024, USA.
Filmadelphia
○ Audrey’s Children, Director Ami Canaan Mann. 2024, USA.
○ Citizen George, Director Glenn A. Holsten. 2024, USA.
○ Dreaming of You, Director Jack McCafferty. 2024, USA.
○ No One Died: The Wing Bowl Story, Director Pat Taggart. 2024, USA.
○ The Philly Sound… Heard ‘Round the World, Director Bill Nicoletti. 2024, USA, United Kingdom.
After Hours
○ Birdeater, Director Jack Clark, Director Jim Weir. 2023, Australia.
○ Cloud, Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa. 2024, Japan.
○ Dead Talents Society, Director John Hsu. 2024, Taiwan.
○ Escape from the 21st Century, Director Yang Li. 2024, China.
○ Night Call, Director Michiel Blanchart. 2024, France, Belgium.
○ The Rule of Jenny Pen, Director James Ashcroft. 2024, New Zealand. From the Vaults
○ All the President’s Men, Director Alan J. Pakula. 1976, USA. 35mm.
○ A Matter of Life and Death, Director Michael Powell, Director Emeric Pressburger. 1946, United Kingdom. 4K Restoration.
○ Paris, Texas, Director Wim Wenders. 1984, France. 4K Restoration. ○ Streets of Fire, Director Walter Hill. 1984, USA. 35mm.
○ Wake in Fright, Director Ted Kotcheff. 1971, Australia. 4K Restoration. Community Screenings
○ Antidote, Director James Jones. 2024, United Kingdom.
○ Dahomey, Director Mati Diop. 2024, France, Senegal, Benin.
○ Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, Director Raoul Peck. 2024, USA, France.
○ Every Little Thing, Director Sally Aitken. 2024, Australia.
○ Lions of Mesopotamia, Director Lucian Read. 2024, Iraq, USA.
○ The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, Director Benjamin Ree. 2024, Norway. State of the Union
○ The Last Republican, Director Steve Pink. 2024, USA.
○ Men of War, Director Billy Corben, Director Jen Gatien. 2024, USA.
○ No Other Land, Director Basel Adra, Director Hamdan Ballal, Director Yuval Abraham, Director Rachel Szor. 2024, Palestine, Norway.
○ Separated, Director Errol Morris. 2024, USA, Mexico.
○ The White House Effect, Director Bonni Cohen, Director Jon Shenk, Director Pedro Kos. 2024, USA.
○ Zurawski v Texas, Director Maisie Crow, Director Abbie Perrault. 2024, USA.
Shorts
○ Achag Aganca, Director Artur Gevorgyan. 2024, USA.
○ Ah-Ma Burns, Director Max Kane. 2024, USA.
○ Bad for a Moment, Director Daniel Soares. 2024, Portugal.
○ Beautiful Men, Director Nicolas Keppens. 2023, Belgium, France, Netherlands.
○ Ben in Bloom, Director Natalie Jasmine Harris. 2024, USA.
○ Bob’s Funeral, Director Jack Dunphy. 2024, USA.
○ Bug Diner, Director Phoebe Jane Hart. 2024, USA.
○ Chicken Bones, Director Abby Waters. 2024, USA.
○ A Crab in the Pool, Director Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Director Alexandra Myotte. 2023, Canada.
○ Dash, Age 92, Snowboarder, Director Cheryl Hess. 2024, USA. ○ Dream Creep, Director Carlos A.F. Lopez. 2024, USA.
○ Gas Station Sushi, Director Chad Corhan. 2024, USA.
○ Horse Portrait, Director Witold Giersz. 2023, Poland.
○ If I Die in America, Director Ward Kamel. 2023, USA, Puerto Rico.
○ It Shouldn’t Rain Tomorrow, Director Maria Trigo Teixeira. 2024, Portugal, Germany.
○ Joe Beam’s Dream, Director Mikal K Odom. 2024, USA.
○ Leonie, Skeet & the Piglets, Director Jip Heijenga. 2023, Belgium. ○ Make Me a Pizza, Director Talia Shea Levin. 2024, USA.
○ Martyr’s Guidebook, Director Maks Rzontkowski. 2024, Poland. ○ Meat Puppet, Director Eros V. 2024, Untied Kingdom.
○ Mr. Static, Director Mike Williamson. 2024, USA.
○ The Puzzle Palace, Director Jenny Schweitzer Bell, Director Brian Bell. 2024, USA.
○ The Rainbow Bridge, Director Dimitri Simakis. 2024, USA.
○ Remnants of Nova, Director James Barker. 2024, USA.
○ The Scariest Skeleton, Director Mali Elfman. 2024, USA.
○ Tea, Director Blake Rice. 2024, USA.
○ Tennis, Oranges, Director Sean Pecknold. 2024, USA.
○ Tips Us!, Director Leah Claire Borrie. 2024, USA.
○ Trapped, Director Sam Cutler-Kreutz, Director David Cutler-Kreutz. 2024, USA.
○ Underdogs, Director Maria Vattimo. 2024, USA.
○ Wander to Wonder, Director Nina Gantz. 2023, Netherlands.
All additional information on the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival can be found at www.filmadelphia.org/festival.
ABOUT PHILADELPHIA FILM SOCIETY
The Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) is the region’s home for classic and contemporary film presentation, education, entertainment, and community building. A nonprofit, community-supported organization, PFS produces the acclaimed Philadelphia Film Festival, curates an extensive year-round film program celebrating the past and future of world cinema, and provides education and community outreach programs, all serving to raise awareness of film as an important art form and vital piece of Philadelphia’s arts and culture community.
Presented at the Film Society Center, Film Society Bourse, and Film Society East, the Film Society’s offerings include film series with a unique global and local perspective, Movies on the Block, PFS On Us, and PFS Teacher Residencies across Philadelphia schools.
ABOUT PHILADELPHIA FILM FESTIVAL
Every October, the Philadelphia Film Society hosts the Philadelphia Film Festival which gathers more than 22,000 film lovers and scores of talented filmmakers for ten exceptional days of cinematic splendor. As a world-class film festival, it represents a major contribution to the cultural life of the city and region. It presents, on average, more than 100 films, draws industry guests and panelists, and fosters an interactive community of film professionals and supporters.
Throughout the year, the Film Society’s artistic team scours the world’s most prestigious film festivals - from Sundance to Berlin, Cannes to Toronto - for the year’s most highly anticipated, critically acclaimed, and thought-provoking films. The festival presents these films alongside exclusive events with actors, directors, and industry guests; VIP receptions; and much more that highlights Philadelphia as a place where film is flourishing.
