'La La Land' opens 25th Philadelphia Film Festival

The critically acclaimed "La La Land" will open the 25th Philadelphia Film Festival this year

The Philadelphia Film Society is proud to announce the full film line-up of the 25^th Philadelphia Film Festival, spanning from October 20 – October 30 on four theater screens throughout the Greater Philadelphia area.

Opening on Oct. 20 with Damien Chazelle’s "La La Land" and closing on Oct. 30 with "Arrival", the 11-day Festival will showcase over 110 feature length and short films, curated by our programming committee who chooses each selection from multiple international festivals throughout the year.

“We are thrilled to celebrate a milestone year for the Philadelphia Film Festival and to have the opportunity to showcase some of the best films of the year right here in Philly.” said Executive Director, J. Andrew Greenblatt.  “From our Opening Night screening, "La La Land", which was the talk of the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, to the Closing Night screening of "Arrival", this year’s prodigious line-up fully embodies what the Philadelphia Film Festival truly is: a community filled with film lovers brought together to experience today’s most thought-provoking and innovative films!”

“As we celebrate 25 years of Philadelphia Film Festival, we are extremely proud to announce that it’s once our best lineups. With over 110 works from world renowned directors, including tons of surprises, our lineup includes something for everyone to enjoy,” said Michael Lerman, Artistic Director.  “We’ve had pretty incredible success rate. Four out of the last 5 Best Picture winners made their Philadelphia debut at our Festival, so this is the chance to see it first!”

The Philadelphia Film Society is honored to have Damien Chazelle, recipient of the Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay for "Whiplash"¸ and director of the Opening Night film, "La La Land" join us for the #PFF25 opening night.

The full Festival schedule and digital Festival Program Guide is available now on www.filmadelphia.org/festival. 

Screenings for the 25^th Philadelphia Film Festival will take place at the Ritz East (125 S. 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106), Ritz Five (214 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106), PFS Roxy Theater (2023 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103), and Prince Theater (1412 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102). Tickets will go on-sale for Philadelphia Film Society members on Friday, September 30, and to the general public beginning Friday, October 6.  Tickets may be purchased through the Festival website, www.filmadelphia.org/festival, or in-person at the Main Box Office at the Prince Theater (open Monday – Saturday from 12 noon to 5:00 pm).

25^th Philadelphia Film Festival Full Line-up

Opening Night Film

·         La La Land, Director Damien Chazelle. 2016, USA.

Closing Night Film

·         Arrival, Director Denis Villeneuve. 2016, USA.

Centerpiece Screenings

·         Jackie, Director Pablo Larraín. 2016, USA, France, Chile.

·         Lion, Director Garth Davis. 2016, Australia, USA, UK.

·         Manchester by the Sea, Director Kenneth Lonergan 2016, USA.

·         Moonlight, Director Barry Jenkins. 2016, USA.

·         Toni Erdmann, Director Maren Ade, 2016, Germany

From the Vaults: Film history comes alive as it was meant to be seen - on the big screen. Come see old favorites bigger than life once again.

·         Dekalog, Director Krzysztof Kieślowski. 1988, USA.

·         Night on Earth, Director Jim Jarmusch. 1991, USA.

·         Wonder Boys, Director Curtis Hanson. 2000, USA.

Spotlights, Presented by Philly Style: Highly–anticipated movies from some of the biggest names in the industry, these films shine a spotlight on top talent from around the world.

·         Christine, Director Antonio Campos. 2016, USA.

·         King Cobra, Director Justin Kelly. 2016, USA.

·         Wolves, Director Bart Freundlich. 2016, USA.

Masters of Cinema, Presented by AKA: These new films exemplify the masterful work of world-renowned filmmakers as they continue to thrill and inspire audiences with cutting-edge features.

·         Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, Director Steve James.  2016, USA.

·         After Love, Director Joachim Lafosse. 2016, France Belgium.

·         After the Storm, Director Kore-eda Hirokazu. 2016, Japan.

·         Being 17, Director André Téchiné. 2016, France.

·         The Commune, Director Thomas Vinterberg. 2016, Denmark.

·         Death in Sarajevo, Director Danis Tanović. 2016, Bosnia, France.

·         Fire at Sea, Director Gianfranco Rosi. 2016, Italy, France.

·         Frantz, Director François Ozon. 2016, France.

·         Graduation, Director Christian Mungiu. 2016, Romania.

·         I, Daniel Blake, Director Ken Loach. 2016, UK, France, Belgium.

·         Neruda, Director Pablo Larraín. 2016, Chile.

·         The Net, Director Ki-duk Kim. 2016, Korea.

·         Paterson, Director Jim Jarmusch. 2016, USA.

·         Personal Shopper, Director Olivier Assayas. 2016, France.

·         A Quiet Passion, Director Terence Davies. 2016, Belgium, USA.

·         The Salesman, Director Asghar Farhadi. 2016, Iran, France

·         The Unknown Girl, Director Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne. 2016, Belgium, France

World Narratives, Presented by 6ABC: Explore the world through film with this diverse selection of international cinema that features distinct perspectives and images from around the globe.

·         24 Weeks, Director Anne Zohra Berrached. 2016, Germany.

·         The Age of the Shadows, Director Jee-Woon Kim. 2016, South Korea.

·         Apprentice, Director Boo Junfeng. 2016, Singapore.

·         Aquarius, Director Kleber Mendonça Filho. 2016, Brazil, France.

·         Beyond the Mountains and Hills, Director Eran Kolirin. 2016, Israel.

·         Boundaries, Director Chloé Robichaud. 2016, Canada.

·         Goldstone, Director Ivan Sen. 2016, Australia.

·         The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki, Director Juho Kuosmanen. 2016, Australia.

·         Harmonium, Director Kôji Fukada. 2016, Japan.

·         Hedi, Director Mohamed Ben Attia. 2016, Tunisia, France, Germany, Emirates, Qatar.

·         Illegitimate, Director Adrian Sitaru. 2016, Romania, Poland, France.

·         Layla M, Director Mijke de Jong. 2016, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Jordan.

·         The Oath, Director Baltasar Kormákur. 2016, Iceland.

·         Parents, Director Christian Tafdrup. 2016, Denmark.

·         The Patriarch, Director Lee Tamahori. 2016, New Zealand.

·         Personal Affairs, Director Maha Haj. 2016, Israel.

·         The Rehearsal, Director Alison Maclean. 2016, Canada.

·         Suntan, Director Argyris Papadimitropoulos. 2016, Greece.

·         Trespass Against Us, Director Adam Smith. 2016, UK.

·         Two Loves and a Bear, Director Kim Nguyen. 2016, Canada.

·         Wúlu, Director Daouda Coulibaly. 2016, France, Senegal.

·         Zoology, Director Ivan I. Tverdovsky. 2016, Russia, France, Germany.

New French Films, Presented by TV5Monde: The birthplace of cinema, France continues to produce some of the best movies in the world with films that are funny, daring, sexy and uniquely French.

·         Baden Baden, Director Rachel Lang. 2016, France, Belgium.

·         The Dancer, Director Stéphanie Di Giusto. 2016, France.

·         In Bed with Victoria, Director Justine Triet. 2016, France.

·         Lost in Paris, Director Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon. 2016, France

·         News From Planet Mars, Director Dominik Moll. 2016, France

·         Staying Vertical, Director Alain Guiraudie. 2016, France.

·         Things to Come, Director Mia Hansen-Løve. 2016, France, Germany.

Feast, Presented by Dietz & Watson: A delightful tasting menu highlighting contemporary culinary stories from around the globe.

·         Bugs, Director Andreas Johnsen. 2016, Denmark.

·         Insatiable: The Homaro Cantu Story, Director Brett A. Schwartz. 2016, USA.

·         Tampopo, Director Juzo Itami. 1985, Japan.

American Independents, Presented by Comcast Xfinity: Featuring powerful new voices in American cinema, these fresh, gritty films explore a variety of subjects through the filmmaker’s uncompromising vision. All films in this series are a part of the “PFF On Us” free ticketing program.

·         Another Evil, Director Carson Mell. 2016, USA.

·         Between Us, Director Rafael Palacio Illingworth. 2016, USA.

·         Donald Cried, Director Kris Avedisian. 2016, USA.

·         First Girl I Loved, Director Kerem Sanga. 2016, USA.

·         Hunter Gatherer, Director Josh Locy. 2016, USA.

·         My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea, Director Dash Shaw. 2016, USA.

·         Spa Night, Director Andrew Ahn. 2016, USA.

Greater Filmadelphia, Presented by Philadelphia Gas Works: Featuring work from some of our finest homegrown filmmakers, this category brings our city and its talent to the big screen.

·         Backpack Full of Cash, Director Sarah Mondale, 2016, USA.

·         Blue Jay, Director Alex Lehmann. 2016, USA.

·         Deuces, Director Jamal Hill. 2016, USA.

·         Short Stay, Director Ted Fendt. 2016, USA.

·         Woman, A Part, A, Director Elisabeth Subrin, 2016, USA.

Documentary Showcase: Comprising the best in documentary filmmaking, these compelling films feature everything from stirring character studies to fascinating looks at current global issues.

·         Best and Most Beautiful Things, Director Garrett Zevgetis, 2016, USA.

·         I Am Not Your Negro, Director Raoul Peck. 2016, USA, France, Belgium, Switzerland.

·         LoveTrue, Director Alma Har’el. 2016, USA.

·         Magicians: Life in the Impossible, Director Marcie Hume, Christoph Baaden. 2016, USA.

·         O.J.: Made in America, Director, Ezra Edelman, 2016, USA

·         Obit, Director Vanessa Gould. 2016, USA.

·         Peter and the Farm, Director Tony Stone. 2016, USA.

Sight and Soundtrack, Presented by CBS Radio Featuring rockumentaries, musician biopics and films that are centered on the unifying power of music.

·         Gimme Danger, Director Jim Jarmusch. 2016, USA.

·         I Called Him Morgan, Director Kasper Collin. 2016, Sweden, US.

·         Junction 48, Director Udi Aloni. 2016, Israel Germany, USA.

·         Miss Impossible, Director Emilie Deleuze. 2016, France. 

The Graveyard Shift: Horror, action, suspense, and the downright weird, these films will keep you awake during the graveyard shift.

·         The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Director André Øvredal. 2016, UK, USA.

·         The Eyes of My Mother, Director Nicolas Pesce. 2016, US.

·         The Handmaiden, Director Chan-Wook Park. 2016, Korea.

·         Secret Screening

State of the Union: A special screening & discussion lineup exploring some of the crucial issues the country is facing during this important election season.

·         Clínica de Migrantes: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Director Maxim Pozdorovkin. 2016, USA. w/ special post-screening discussion with director Maxim Podorovkin and subjects Steven Larson, M.D., Executive Director of Puentes de Salud

·         Do Not Resist, Director, Craig Atkinson. 2016, USA. w/ special post-screening discussion with director Craig Atkinson and other guests

·         Solitary, Director Kristi Jacobson. 2016, USA. w/ special post-screening discussion with director Kristi Jacobson and Johnny Perez, Safe Reentry Advocate (Urban Justice Center)

·         Zero Days, Director Alex Gibney. 2016, USA. w/ special post-screening discussion with director Alex Gibney and David Sanger, Chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times

Animated Shorts

·         Bob Dylan Hates Me, Director Caveh Zahedi. 2016, USA.

·         Deer Flower, Director Kangmin Kim. 20126, USA, South Korea.

·         Edmond, Director Nina Gantz. 2016, UK

·         Flowers of the Sky, Director Janie Geiser. 2016, USA.

·         Glove, Director Alexa Lim Haas, Bernardo Britto. 2016, USA.

·         The Itching, Director Dianne Bellino. 2016, USA.

·         Love¸ Director Réka Bucsi. 2016, Hungary, France.

·         Shiny, Directors Daniel Cloud Campos & Spencer Susser

·         Summer Camp Island, Director Julia Pott. 2016, USA.

·         Wellington Jr.¸Director Cécile Paysant. 2016, France.

Live Action Shorts

·         BalloonFest, Director Nathan Truesdell. 2016, USA.

·         Because the World Never Stops, Director Maximilien Van Aertryck, Axel Danielson. 2016, Sweden.

·         Bisonhead, Director Elizabeth Lo, 2016, USA

·         The Bloop, Director Cara Cusumano. 2016, USA.

·         Chekhov, Director Jack Dunphy, 2016, USA

·         Like, Director Garrett Bradley. 2016, USA.

·         MeTube 2: August Sings Carmina Burana, Director Daniel Moshel. 2016, Austria.

·         Peace in the Valley, Director Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher. 2016, USA.

·         The Procedure, Director Calvin Reeder. 2016, USA.

·         Speaking is Difficult, Director AJ Schnack. 2016, USA.

·         These C*cksucking Tears, Director Dan Taberski. 2016, USA.

·         Thunder Road, Director Jim Cummings. 2016, USA.

·         What Tears Us Apart¸ Director HU Wei. 2016, France.