December 31, 2016
From the Desk of the President & CEO
And so here we stand upon a mountain — looking forward to 2017 and the 50th Anniversary of the American Film Institute. It is a moment to be marked across many moments — and a celebration to continue through 2019, when we will herald the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the AFI Conservatory. This…
December 15, 2016
Six Documentary Projects to Receive AFI DOCS/NBCUniversal Impact Grants
Six documentary projects that screened at AFI DOCS 2016 in Washington, DC, have been selected to receive funding from the AFI DOCS/NBCUniversal Impact Grants.
December 9, 2016
Look Back at AFI FEST 2016’s Cultural Supporters
Pictured at top: (L to R) Roberto Cicutto (President, Luce Cinecittà); Gianfranco Rosi (Director, FIRE AT SEA); Jacqueline Lyanga (Director, AFI FEST); Alberto Barbera (Director, Venice Film Festival) This year, AFI FEST showcased movies from 46 countries around the world, and many cultural supporters came to the festival to celebrate the filmmakers and their films....
December 7, 2016
Here Are the AFI AWARDS 2016 Official Selections
Each year, AFI recognizes the year’s most culturally and artistically significant films and television programs with AFI AWARDS. This almanac documents works of excellence and is the only national honor for the entertainment community’s creative teams as a whole, celebrating the collaborative nature of the art form.
November 17, 2016
The AFI FEST Podcast: M. Night Shyamalan, James McAvoy and More on SPLIT
Following the AFI FEST 2016 presented by Audi Special Screening of SPLIT on November 15, director M. Night Shyamalan and actors James McAvoy, Betty Buckley and Anya Taylor-Joy took questions from the audience about the thriller. Listen below. Here’s the film’s synopsis: Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher…
November 17, 2016
AFI FEST 2016 Award Winners Announced
AFI FEST 2016 presented by Audi has announced the features and short films that received this year’s Jury and Audience Awards. Select award-winning films will screen again on November 17, 2016, at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. New Auteurs Grand Jury Award: THE FUTURE PERFECT New Auteurs Special Jury Mention for Acting: Oulaya Amamra for DIVINES Grand…
November 15, 2016
The AFI FEST Podcast: Peter Bogdanovich and Beatrice Welles on CITIZEN KANE
On Sunday, November 13, 2016, at the Egyptian Theatre, Orson Welles historian Peter Bogdanovich and Welles’ daughter Beatrice Welles joined AFI FEST presented by Audi for an AFI Master Class on the landmark 75th anniversary of the masterpiece CITIZEN KANE. Listen, below, to the Q&A moderated by Scott Mantz in which Bogdanovich and Welles discuss…
November 15, 2016
The AFI FEST Interview: KATI KATI Director Mbithi Masya
Without any memories or knowledge of who she is or why she is there, Kaleche finds herself in a field. Soon she finds a group of strangers in the nearby resort who tell her the truth: She is dead and this is the afterlife, not quite heaven or hell, where everyone is waiting to move…
November 14, 2016
The AFI FEST Podcast: Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel, Luke Davies and More Talk LION
Following the AFI FEST 2016 presented by Audi Special Screening of LION on November 11, writer Luke Davies, actress Priyanka Bose, actress Nicole Kidman and actor Dev Patel sat down to discuss the film with audiences. They were joined by special guest Saroo Brierley — whose nonfiction book “A Long Way Home” and personal story…
November 12, 2016
The AFI FEST Interview: ALWAYS SHINE Director Sophia Takal
Sophia Takal’s sophomore feature follows two friends, Anna and Beth, both actresses with varying degrees of success, as they travel to Big Sur for a weekend getaway in hopes of reconnecting and reestablishing a bond broken by years of competitiveness and jealousy. Once away, tension bubbles to the surface, forcing them to finally confront their…
November 11, 2016
Four AFI Conservatory Alumni Win Grants for Their Thesis Work
Today at AFI FEST, AFI will present its annual alumni awards to four AFI Conservatory graduates from the Class of 2015 for excellence in their thesis work, honoring the remarkable talents of each promising storyteller while propelling them forward to successful careers in film and TV. Director/producer Rick Rosenthal (AFI Class of 1973) will present...
November 10, 2016
The AFI FEST Interview: BUSTER’S MAL HEART Director Sarah Adina Smith
Sarah Adina Smith’s sophomore feature is the story of Jonah, a man who has been split in two by grief — one who lives in the woods and another who is trapped at sea — with each incarnation looking for a reckoning with God. Actor Rami Malek delivers an exceptional performance, playing fractured parts of…
AFI is a 501c3 non-profit advancing the art of the moving image by empowering storytellers and inspiring audiences
