The 53rd New York Film Festival took place from September 25 to October 11, 2015, in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center.
The festival's opening film was Robert Zemeckis's The Walk. Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs was the centerpiece. Don Cheadle's Miles Ahead was the festival's closing film.
Appearing in NYFF's "Main Slate" for the first time were: Danny Boyle, Don Cheadle, John Crowley, Laura Israel, and Thomas Bidegain.
World premieres included: Don Cheadle's Miles Ahead, Jacob Bernstein's Everything Is Copy, Laura Israel's Don't Blink – Robert Frank, Robert Zemeckis's The Walk, and Paul Thomas Anderson's Junun.
Official Selections The primary selection committee included Kent Jones (chair), Dennis Lim, Marian Masone, Gavin Smith, and Amy Taubin. The lineup consisted of seven sections:
Main Slate The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryArabian NightsAs Mil e uma NoitesMiguel GomesPortugal, France, Germany, SwitzerlandThe Assassin聶隱娘Hou Hsiao-hsienTaiwan, China, Hong KongBridge of SpiesSteven SpielbergUnited StatesBrooklynJohn CrowleyUnited Kingdom, Ireland, CanadaCarolTodd HaynesUnited StatesCemetery of Splendourรักที่ขอนแก่นApichatpong WeerasethakulThailand, France, Germany, MalaysiaLes CowboysThomas BidegainFranceDon't Blink – Robert FrankLaura IsraelUnited States, CanadaExperimenterMichael AlmereydaUnited StatesThe Forbidden RoomGuy Maddin and Evan JohnsonCanadaIn the Shadow of WomenL'Ombre des femmesPhilippe GarrelFranceJourney to the Shore岸辺の旅Kiyoshi KurosawaJapan, FranceThe LobsterYorgos LanthimosFrance, Netherlands, Greece, United KingdomMaggie's PlanRebecca MillerUnited StatesThe Measure of a ManLa Loi du marchéStéphane BrizéFranceMia MadreNanni MorettiItaly, FranceMicrobe & GasolineMicrobe et GasoilMichel GondryFranceMiles Ahead (closing film)Don CheadleUnited StatesMountains May Depart山河故人Jia ZhangkeChina, France, JapanMy Golden DaysTrois souvenirs de ma jeunesseArnaud DesplechinFranceNo Home MovieChantal AkermanBelgium, FranceRight Now, Wrong Then지금은맞고그때는틀리다Hong Sang-sooSouth KoreaSteve Jobs (centerpiece)Danny BoyleUnited StatesThe TreasureComoaraCorneliu PorumboiuRomaniaThe Walk (opening film)Robert ZemeckisUnited StatesWhere to Invade NextMichael Moore Special Events The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryBring Me the Head of Tim Horton (short)Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen JohnsonCanadaChantal Akerman by Chantal Akerman (1997)Chantal Akerman par Chantal AkermanChantal AkermanFranceChevalierAthina Rachel TsangariGreeceDe PalmaNoah Baumbach and Jake PaltrowUnited StatesHeart of a DogLaurie AndersonUnited States, FranceJeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)Chantal AkermanBelgium, FranceJununPaul Thomas AndersonUnited StatesThe MartianRidley ScottO Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)Joel and Ethan CoenSon of SaulSaul fiaLászló NemesHungary Spotlight on Documentary The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryEverything Is CopyJacob BernsteinUnited StatesFish TailRabo de PeixeJoaquim Pinto and Nuno LeonelPortugalHomeland: Iraq Year Zeroوطن: العراق السنة صفرAbbas FahdelIraq, FranceImmigration Battle: Reasons to BelieveMichael Camerini and Shari RobertsonUnited StatesIngrid Bergman: In Her Own WordsJag är IngridStig BjörkmanSwedenIn Jackson HeightsFrederick WisemanUnited StatesJia Zhangke, A Guy from FenyangWalter SallesBrazil, FranceRebel CitizenPamela YatesUnited StatesTroublemakers: The Story of Land ArtJames CrumpWe Are AliveOn est vivantsCarmen CastilloFrance, BelgiumThe WitnessJames SolomonUnited StatesField of Vision: New Episodic NonfictionThe AboveKirsten JohnsonUnited States, GermanyAsylum (selected episodes)Laura PoitrasBirdieHeloisa PassosGod Is an ArtistDustin Guy DefaNotes from the BorderIva RadivojevicPeace in the ValleyMichael Palmieri and Donal Mosher
Shorts Programs The section was selected by Sarah Mankoff, Laura Kern, Matt Bolish, Florence Almozini, and Dan Sullivan. The following short films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryProgram 1: InternationalCarry OnRafael HaiderAustriaThe Mad Half HourLeonardo BrzezickiArgentina, DenmarkMarea de TierraManuela Martelli, Amirah TajdinChile, FranceMonacoDavid EastealAustraliaLa novia de FrankensteinAgostina Gálvez and Francisco LezamaArgentinaProgram 2: Genre StoriesHow to Be a VillainHelen O’HanlonUnited KingdomRamonaAndrei CretulescuRomaniaSângePercival Argüero MendozaMexicoTerritoryTerritoireVincent ParonnaudFranceWe Wanted MoreStephen DunnCanadaProgram 3: AnimationDenis the PirateSam MesserUnited StatesFoodSiqi SongHot BodClaire van RyzinThe Lingerie ShowLaura HarrisonPalm RotRyan GillisRollingMatt ChristensenSanjay's Super TeamSanjay PatelWholeWilliam ReynishDenmarkProgram 4: New YorkBad at DancingJoanna ArnowUnited StatesDragstripPacho Velez and Daniel ClaridgeHerniaJason GiampietroMy Last FilmZia AngerReviewDustin Guy DefaRiotNathan SilverSix Cents in the PocketRicky D'AmbroseSpecial FeaturesJames N. Kienitz WilkinsSundaeSonya Goddy Projections The section was programmed by Dennis Lim, Aily Nash, and Gavin Smith. The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryProgram 1Analysis of Emotions and VexationsWojciech BakowskiPolandEntangledEntrelazadoRiccardo GiacconiColombia, ItalyNeither God nor Santa MaríaSamuel M. Delgado and Helena GirónSpainSomething HorizontalBlake WilliamsUnited States, CanadaTraces/LegacyScott StarkUnited StatesProgram 2brouillard – passage 15Alexandre LaroseCanadaCathode GardenJanie GeiserUnited StatesCentre of the CycloneHeather TrawickUnited States, CanadaThe Devastated LandLe Pays DévastéEmmanuel LefrantFranceIntersectionVincent GrenierUnited StatesPrima MateriaCharlotte PrycePort NoirLaura KraningSomething Between UsJodie MackProgram 3Ah humanity!Ernst Karel, Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-TaylorJapan, France, United StatesA Distant EpisodeBen RiversUnited Kingdom, MoroccoIn Girum Imus NocteGiorgio Andreotta CalòItalyHalf Human, Half VaporMike StoltzUnited StatesOccidenteAna VazFrance, PortugalYOLOBen RussellUnited States, South AfricaProgram 4Confessions (1971)Curt McDowellUnited StatesThe Exquisite CorpusPeter TscherkasskyAustriaHard as OpalJared Buckhiester and Dani LeventhalUnited StatesMars GardenLewis KlahrNon-Stop Beautiful LadiesAlee PeoplesProgram 5Lost Note (1969-2015)Saul LevineUnited StatesSoft Fiction (1979)Chick StrandProgram 6Live to LiveVivir para VivirLaida LertxundiUnited States, SpainMinotaurNicolás PeredaMexico, CanadaProgram 7Black CodeCode NoirLouis HendersonFranceF for FibonacciBeatrice GibsonUnited KingdomHelloSimon FujiwaraGermanyLessons of WarPeggy AhweshUnited StatesScales in the Spectrum of SpaceFern SilvaMany Thousands GoneEphraim AsiliUnited States, BrazilProgram 888:88Isiah MedinaCanadaProgram 9All That Is SolidLouis HendersonFrance, United Kingdom, GhanaErysichthonJon RafmanCanadaHyperlinks or It Didn’t HappenCécile B. EvansUnited KingdomMad LaddersMichael RobinsonUnited StatesRadio at NightJames RichardsGermany, United KingdomSlow Zoom Long PauseSara MagenheimerUnited StatesProgram 10Bunte KuhRyan Ferko, Faraz Anoushahpour and Parastoo AnoushahpourCanadaThe Everyday Ritual of Solitude Hatching MonkeysBasim MagdyEgyptSanta Teresa & Other StoriesNelson Carlo de Los Santos AriasDominican Republic, Mexico, United StatesProgram 11The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not BrothersBen RiversUnited Kingdom, MoroccoProgram AChums from Across the VoidJim FinnUnited StatesA Disaster ForeverMichael GitlinThe Two SightsKatherin McInnisProgram BNoite Sem DistânciaLois PatiñoPortugal, SpainTerrestrialCalum Michel WalterUnited StatesProgram CAll My Love All My LoveHannah BlackUnited KingdomOM RiderTakeshi MurataUnited StatesRabbit Season, Duck SeasonMichael Bell-SmithVelvet Peel 1Victoria Fu Revivals The following films were selected: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryThe Boys from Fengkuei (1983)風櫃來的人Hou Hsiao-hsienTaiwanBlack Girl (1966)La Noire de...Ousmane SembèneFrance, SenegalBlow Out (1981)Brian De PalmaUnited StatesHeaven Can Wait (1943)Ernst LubitschInsiang (1976)Lino BrockaPhilippinesThe Long Voyage Home (1940)John FordUnited StatesThe Memory of Justice (1976)The Memory of JusticeMarcel OphülsFrance, West Germany, United Kingdom, United StatesRan (1985)乱Akira KurosawaJapanRocco and His Brothers (1960)Rocco e i suoi fratelliLuchino ViscontiItaly, FranceA Touch of Zen (1970)俠女King HuTaiwan, Hong KongVisit or Memories and Confessions (2015)Visita ou Memórias e ConfissõesManoel de OliveiraPortugal
Retrospective The retrospective was programmed by Gavin Smith.
Nathaniel Dorsky Title Director(s) Production CountryEarly Sounds/Middle SilenceA Fall Trip Home (1964)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesIngreen (1964)Kodachrome Dailies from the Time of Song and Solitude (Reel 1) (2005-2006)Summerwind (1965)Hours and More for JeromeHours for Jerome part 1 (1966-1982)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesHours for Jerome part 2 (1966-1982)Two Personal Gifts aka Fool’s Spring (1966-1967)Jerome Hiler and Nathaniel DorskyExcavations17 Reasons Why (1985-1987)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesAlaya (1976-1987)Pneuma (1977-1983)Three Cinematic SongsArbor Vitae (1999-2000)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesSong and Solitude (2005-2006)Threnody (2004)Triste (1974-1996)Variations (1992-1998)The Visitation (2002)The QuartetAubade (2010)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesCompline (2009)Sarabande (2008)Winter (2007)New BeginningsAugust and After (2012)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesPastourelle (2010)The Return (2011)Worlds EmergingApril (2012)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesSong (2013)Spring (2013)The Late QuartetAvraham (2014)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesDecember (2014)February (2014)Summer (2013)ContemplationsIntimations (2015)Nathaniel DorskyUnited StatesLove's Refrain (2000-2001)Prelude (2015)
Jerome Hiler TitleDirectorProduction CountryPassing GlancesIn the Stone House (1967-1970/2012)Jerome HilerUnited StatesNew Shores (1970-1990/2012)Inhabited PlacesGladly Given (1997)Jerome HilerUnited StatesMarginalia (2015)Words of Mercury (2011) References
External links