AFI FEST announces Tributes and the full Festival lineup

AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival presented by Audi announces that director Danny Boyle and Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton, will each receive tributes at this year's Festival.

Also announced is the complete schedule for AFI FEST. In its 22nd year, the Festival's programming includes an impressive selection of films reflecting exciting trends and emerging filmmakers from around the globe, including Argentina, Uganda, Spain and Kazakhstan.

"This year's selection of international films shows a commitment to cinematic innovation and a renewal of a tradition of realism in cinema," says AFI FEST Artistic Director Rose Kuo. "This sometimes takes the form of dealing with urgent topical issues and sometimes takes the form of expanding the nature of and sense of cinematic form. This is true of work by masters and by first time filmmakers."

Tributes
Swinton's tribute will feature an hour-long film-clip retrospective of her career, followed by a Q&A session with the actress on Wednesday, November 5th. Sponsored by the Skirball Cultural Center, Boyle's tribute will precede a special screening of his film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE on Friday, November 7th. Both tributes will take place at ArcLight Hollywood and will include a first time teaming of AFI FEST with the American Cinematheque that will include additional programming at the Egyptian Theater.

AFI FEST lineup
AFI FEST 2008 will showcase 148 films from 38 countries: 100 features (79 narrative, 21 documentary) and 48 shorts (39 narrative, 9 documentary).

"One of the most exciting things about going to a film festival is opening yourself up to a larger range of filmmakers," says AFI FEST Associate Director of Programming. "Many of the films at AFI FEST this year haven't yet received the full attention they deserve, so it's a chance to see the work of bold new innovative artists who are on the cusp of becoming household names."

The breakdown by section is Galas (5), Special Screenings (10), International Feature Competition (12), International Documentary Competition (14), World Cinema (27), Showcase on Argentina (5), Showcase on Kazakhstan (3), Homage to Xstream (4), Showcase on Arnaud Desplechin (3 at AFI FEST, 5 at LACMA), Alt Cinema (7), Milestones (5) and International Shorts Competition (46).

AFI FEST Premieres
Thought provoking non-linear and experimental works, international filmmaking icons, artistic statements from some of the most provocative directors, as well as a salute to exemplary artists who died during the past calendar year are planned.

"The films selected this year are more challenging and more original than the types of film we have chosen in the past," says AFI FEST Senior Programmer Lane Kneedler. "We are trying to reflect the increased sophistication of our audiences and the continued innovation of the global filmmaking community."

Six films will be making their world premiere at AFI FEST 2008: DEFIANCE, THE SOLOIST, POUNDCAKE, PLAYING COLUMBINE, PARADISE and THE WORLD WE WANT.

Fifteen films will make their North American premieres: DIVIZIONZ, THE GOOD THE BAD THE WEIRD, WORLDS APART (TO VERDENER), BLOOD APPEARS (LA SANGRE BROTA), PERFECT LIFE (WAMMEI SHENHUO), BETTER THINGS, THE DESERT WITHIN (DESIERTO ADENTRO), THE HIGHER FORCE, INVOLUNTARY (DE OFRIVILLIGA), LAKE TAHOE (TE ACUERDAS DE LAKE TAHOE), NILOOFAR, NIRVANA, THE REST OF THE NIGHT, IMAGINADORES, UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US.

Nineteen films will make their U.S. premieres: BIRDSONG (EL CANT DELS OCELLS), TWO LOVERS, ACHILLES AND THE TORTOISE (ACHILLES TO KAME), REVANCHE, SKIN, THREE BLIND MICE, TWO-LEGGED HORSE (ASBE DU-PA), WAITING FOR SANCHO, LION'S DEN (LEONORA), LIVERPOOL, PLASTIC CITY (DANGKOU), NATIVE DANCER, 3 WOMEN (SE ZAN), ACNE, PROPER EYES (POR SUS PROPIOS OJOS), INTIMACIES OF SHAKESPEARE AND VICTOR HUGO, THE LAST DAYS OF SHISHMAREF, BEFORE THE FALL (3 DIAS), WITCH HUNT.

At the American Film Market
Thirty-seven of the features in official selection at AFI FEST will be represented by distributors at the American Film Market, unfolding concurrently with AFI FEST from November 5 - November 12.

The following films will participate in the market, as well as screen at the festival: 24 CITY, ACHILLES AND THE TORTOISE, ADAM RESURRECTED, BEFORE THE FALL, BETTER THINGS, BLOOD APPEARS, THE CHASER, THE CLASS, DIVIZIONZ, EVERLASTING MOMENTS, GACHI BOY WRESTLING WITH A MEMORY, A GOOD DAY TO BE BLACK & SEXY, THE GOOD THE BAD THE WEIRD, HUNGER, LION'S DEN, NATIVE DANCER, NILOOFAR, NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, PLASTIC CITY, LA RABIA, SKIN, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, SUGAR, THREE BLIND MICE, TIME CRIMES, TOKYO!, TWO LOVERS, WENDY AND LUCY, WORLD'S APART, THE WRESTLER.