The 25th edition of AFI Fest presented by Audi, which opens November 3 and runs until November 10, has announced the films and programs that will be featured in its Centerpiece Galas, as well 11 Special Screenings. The festival, considered by many to be a kickoff for awards season, highlights the work of both emerging talents and established icons.
AFI Fest has previously announced that the world premiere of “J. Edgar,” directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio will headline the Opening Night Gala and that Pedro Almodóvar is this year's Guest Artistic Director.
The films and program names in the Centerpiece Galas for AFI Fest 2011 are “The Artist,” directed by Michel Hazanavicius; “Carnage,” directed by Roman Polanski; “The Lady,” directed by Luc Besson; Law of Desire: An Evening with Pedro Almodóvar; “My Week with Marilyn,” directed by Simon Curtis; and “Shame,” directed by Steve McQueen, which has been garnering much buzz at the BFI London Film Festival this week. All galas will be held at the historic Chinese Theatre.
The Special Screenings program features “Butter,” directed by Jim Field Smith; “Coriolanus,” directed by Ralph Fiennes; “I Melt with You,” directed by Mark Pellington; “Into the Abyss,” directed by Werner Herzog; “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” directed by Jay and Mark Duplass; “The Kid with a Bike,” directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne; “Melancholia,” directed by Lars von Trier; “Miss Bala,” directed by Gerardo Naranjo (AFI Conservatory Class of 2001), Mexico’s foreign language Oscar submission; “Pina,” directed by Wim Wenders, Germany’s foreign language Oscar submission; “Rampart,” directed by Oren Moverman; and “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” directed by Lynne Ramsay.
