Opening Night—Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama
Closing Night—Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s Mutt
New York, NY (Feb 28, 2023) – The Museum of Modern Art and Film at Lincoln Center announce the 52nd edition of New Directors/New Films (ND/NF), taking place from March 29 through April 9, 2023. For more than half a century, the festival has celebrated filmmakers who speak to the present and anticipate the future of cinema, and whose bold work pushes the envelope in unexpected, striking ways. This year’s selection will introduce 27 features and 11 shorts, a total of 41 directors, to filmgoers in theaters at both MoMA and FLC.
La Frances Hui, Curator, Department of Film, MoMA, and 2023 ND/NF Co-chair observes, “This geographically diverse lineup brings together new directors from all over the world presenting works that make bold and creative statements on everything from identity and family to political repression and postcolonial discourse. The power of cinema to inspire imagination and explore perspectives is evident in the wide range of styles, ideas, and voices in the selection.”
Opening the festival is Savanah Leaf’s debut feature Earth Mama, a devastating and evocative portrait of motherhood refracted through the prisms of race and class. ND/NF will close with first-time director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s Mutt, starring Lío Mehiel (Special Jury Award winner at Sundance) as Feña, a twentysomething trans man who must contend with an onslaught of aggravations, surprise encounters, and emotional choices over a 24-hour period. The rest of the lineup showcases work from a broad geographic range, with films from Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States; prizewinners from Cannes (Metronom), Locarno (Safe Place, Tommy Guns), Sundance (Mutt); and many feature debuts.
“We are thrilled to bookend the 2023 ND/NF edition with two remarkable features, directed by up-and- coming artists Savanah Leaf and by Vuk Lungulov-Klorz, portraying tormented yet determined characters with sensitivity, authenticity, and a true inspiring artistic vision,” said Florence Almozini, FLC Director of Programming and 2023 New Directors/New Films Co-Chair. “We strongly believe that the future of cinema is in the hands of these brilliant directors and cannot wait to share their unique creations with our audience.”
ND/NF demonstrates that there isn’t just one way forward for young directors entering the vanguard of filmmaking. Directors who were presented to New York audiences in earlier ND/NF editions, some for the very first time, include Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Kelly Reichardt, Pedro Almodóvar, Souleymane Cissé, Euzhan Palcy, Jia Zhangke, Spike Lee, Lynne Ramsay, Michael Haneke, Wong Kar Wai, Agnieszka Holland, Lino Brocka, Guillermo del Toro, Luca Guadagnino, and more than a thousand others. Although the program has grown in size and stature, ND/NF maintains its commitment to experimentation and sharing the gift of discovery with audiences.
The New Directors/New Films selection committee is made up of members from both presenting organizations. The 2023 feature committee comprises La Frances Hui (Co-Chair, MoMA), Florence Almozini (Co-Chair, FLC), Rajendra Roy (MoMA), Josh Siegel (MoMA), Dan Sullivan (FLC), and Tyler Wilson (FLC), and the shorts were programmed by Olivia Priedite (MoMA) and Maddie Whittle (FLC).
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 6, at noon ET, with early-access opportunities for MoMA and FLC members on Friday, March 3, at noon. Tickets are $17 for the general public; $13 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities; and $12 for MoMA and FLC members. Opening Night tickets are $25 for the general public; $22 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities; and $20 for FLC and MoMA members.
See more and save with a 5-Film Package for $50; discount automatically applied when adding tickets to cart (excludes Opening and Closing films). Complete your ND/NF experience with a VIP Pass, $500 for the general public and $450 for MoMA and FLC Members (includes two tickets to every film and two tickets to Opening Night and the Opening Night Party).
For the complete lineup of films and directors, visit newdirectors.org.
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