An unexpected — and, frankly, quite charming — theme to this year’s New York Film Festival? Family. Specifically, creative families. Look no further than today’s latest lineup announcement, featuring the festival’s Spotlight slate, designed as a “selection of 12 significant and anticipated features.”
The most obvious significance? Filmmaking as family endeavor. Among the selections for this year’s Spotlight section: new works from Rebecca Miller (the five-part documentary “Mr. Scorsese”) and her son Ronan Day-Lewis (“Anemone”), the latter of which stars no less than Daniel Day-Lewis, who is, of course, husband to Miller and father to the younger Day-Lewis. Also on offer, the latest film from Ben Stiller, which is about his own iconic parents, Jerry Stiller and Anna Meara and is titled “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost” (and, yes, various members of Stiller’s family will appear in the film, including his wife and children).
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This year’s Spotlight section includes three world premieres, two U.S. premieres, and six New York premieres, as well as nine short films shown in two programs. Beyond the Day-Lewis, Miller, and Stiller picks, Spotlight will also play home to new Richard Linklater films (“Blue Moon” and “Nouvelle Vague”), the powerful documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” Geeta Gandbhir’s much-talked-about documentary “The Perfect Neighbor,” Mamoru Hosoda’s animated fantasy “Scarlet,” and Harry Lighton’s Cannes winner “Pillion.” As was announced on Monday, the section will open with Scott Cooper’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.”
As was also previously announced, NYFF‘s Opening Night selection is the North American premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt”; the North American premiere of Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” is the Centerpiece selection; and the world premiere of Bradley Cooper’s “Is This Thing On?” is the Closing Night selection. Last week, NYFF announced both its heavy-hitting main slate and its always compelling Currents section. The festival’s Revivals lineup and Talks sections will be announced in the coming weeks.
Check out the full Spotlight lineup below.
SPOTLIGHT FILMS
Spotlight Gala, “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” Scott Cooper, 2025, U.S., 120m
“Anemone,” Ronan Day-Lewis, 2025, U.K., 121m, World Premiere
“Blue Moon,” Richard Linklater, 2025, U.S./Ireland, 100m, New York Premiere
“La Grazia,” Paolo Sorrentino, 2025, Italy, 128m, Italian with English subtitles, New York Premiere
“Mr. Scorsese,” Rebecca Miller, 2025, U.S., 285m, World Premiere
“Nouvelle Vague,” Richard Linklater, 2025, France, 106m, French with English subtitles, New York Premiere
“The Perfect Neighbor,” Geeta Gandbhir, 2025, U.S., 96m, New York Premiere
“Pillion,” Harry Lighton, 2025, U.K., 107m, New York Premiere
“A Private Life” / Vie privée, Rebecca Zlotowski, 2025, France, 103m, French with English subtitles, New York Premiere
“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” Sepideh Farsi, 2025, France/Palestine/Iran, 113m, English, French, and Arabic with English Subtitles, U.S. Premiere
“Scarlet” / 果てしなきスカーレット, Mamoru Hosoda, 2025, Japan, 111m, Japanese with English subtitles, U.S. Premiere
“Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost,” Ben Stiller, 2025, U.S., 97m, World Premiere
The 2025 New York Film Festival will run from September 26 – October 13.
The NYFF Main Slate and Spotlight selection committee is chaired by Dennis Lim, NYFF Artistic Director, and includes Florence Almozini, Justin Chang, K. Austin Collins, and Rachel Rosen. Violeta Bava, Michelle Carey, Leo Goldsmith, and Antoine Thirion are NYFF program advisors.
