The 58th New York Film Festival - Prologue
A preface to my coverage of this year's all-virtual NYFF.
In a year of deep, deep anxieties and uncertainties, it brings me comfort to return to the New York Film Festival (NYFF), even in a virtual capacity.
In 2018, I attended merely one screening at NYFF56, my first time ever attending a film festival, let alone one that was nationally and internationally recognized. I was really only there to feast my eyes on the latest Coen Brothers film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which did not disappoint. However, upon entering the space and taking part in the festival proceedings, it hit me just how wonderful and accessible the festival was, even for a kid from Jersey. If not for college classes and meager money, I would have planted my ass in a seat at the Walter Reade Theater every day of the fest.
Last year, those obstacles disappeared: I graduated college, began working in Manhattan, and found myself in the perfect position to dive headfirst into NYFF57. I saw seven films and spent more money than I would like to admit…even though it was honestly worth every penny: fancy premieres, director Q&A’s (peep me nervously asking a question to one of my favorite filmmakers at 27:57), and honest-to-god moviegoing experiences with audiences who gave a crap. It’s hard for a cinephile to ask for more. Two of the films I saw at the festival, Uncut Gems and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, ended up being my two favorite films of the decade. I would go on to attend two more film festivals that year alone. I was ready for 2020 to be the year I went all-out in my love for film festivals.
And then 2020 actually happened…and is still happening. Kinda mixed on it so far, personally––some beautiful personal developments and some horrifying global ones. Regardless, I am happy to see that some sacred things, like NYFF, can rise from the ashes. NYFF58 has gone virtual nationwide, with supplemental drive-in screenings, making it the most accessible the festival has ever been. Now, not only will Manhattan socialites and bright-eyed Jersey grads be part of the audience for the fest, but aspiring filmmakers and hardcore film fans from all over. Somewhere in Missouri, there’s a Steve McQueen fan who will get to see three of his brand new films at the same time as the rest of the non-press-accredited world. We love to see it.
Feeling despondent and exhausted after a tiring Rosh Hashanah, with four more holidays approaching, NYFF58 feels like more of a gorgeous cinematic escape than ever. I will probably watch double the amount of films this year compared to last year, maybe more (maybe even a drive-in or two, we’ll see). I am excited––almost overwhelmed, but the good kind of overwhelmed where you know that, no matter what, you’ll come out the other end a better, more educated cinephile.
For those who wish to keep up with my personal NYFF58 experience, I encourage you to follow me on Twitter (@TheLarryFried) and look out for my viewings thread!
Here’s to two-and-a-half weeks of discovery, education, and emptying my wallet, all in the name of film. This is my coverage of the 58th New York Film Festival.
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