PFS Reveals the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival Lineup!

October 4, 2022 by Kait Calabrò

More Than 130 Films from Over 40 Countries
Will Screen During the 12-Day Event,
Wednesday, October 19 – Sunday, October 30, 2022

We are proud to announce the full line-up for the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF), spanning from October 19 – October 30. This year’s Festival will offer in-person screenings at all PFS venues (Philadelphia Film Center, PFS Bourse Theater, and the newly acquired PFS East).

The Philadelphia Film Society is excited to announce, in addition to the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival lineup, that beloved theater Ritz East will be under PFS management. Located in Old City Philadelphia, PFS will reopen the theater under the name PFS East for PFF31 screenings. With the additional two screens, PFS will now be programming first-run films and curated series on a total of nine screens, the largest number of independently owned and operated screens in the city.

“We couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Festival, as we’re finally back in totality. More than that, and as cliché as it might be, we’re better than ever. Full theaters, more events, an amazing Festival lounge space, and a ton of special guests,” said J. Andrew Greenblatt, CEO & Executive Director of the Philadelphia Film Society. “Even better, as we enter the next era of the Film Society, the Festival marks the addition of the former Ritz East into the Film Society theater family. Now known as the PFS East, we’re thrilled to bring this beloved theater, a Festival staple, back to life. Not only that, between utilizing the PFS East and the PFS Bourse, we’re creating a stronger presence all throughout the Old City neighborhood during the 12 days of the Festival, beginning this year and moving forward. Of course, the Film Center will remain a critical part of the Festival, with Opening, Closing, Centerpiece screenings and more.”

The 31st anniversary line-up features a multitude of remarkable films from a wide range of genres. In total, the Festival will showcase more than 130 feature length and short films. The line-up includes the World premieres of two films, North American premieres of two films and the United States premieres of five films. The Festival line-up is curated by the PFF programming team who carefully selects each film from multiple international festivals throughout the year.

“This year’s program is one of our largest to date which only further solidifies the strength of the state of cinema today,” remarks Michael Lerman, Artistic Director & Senior Director of Programming of the Philadelphia Film Society. “Not only is the quality of film extremely high, we are thrilled to be able to bring new, bold, diverse, and rebellious stories to Philadelphia. With a strong showcase of documentary films as well as thought-provoking narratives, PFF31 truly highlights the urgency of the contemporary world we are living in.”

The Opening Night film will be THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN on Wednesday, October 19th. The film, written and directed by Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh, tells the story of two lifelong friends who find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them. The film reunites actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson 14 years after starring together in IN BRUGES.

The Closing Night film will be Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED on Friday, October 28th. Directed by Laura Poitras, this documentary follows the life of artist Nan Goldin and the downfall of the Sackler family, the pharmaceutical dynasty who was greatly responsible for the opioid crisis.

Centerpiece screenings include the highly awaited sequel GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, featuring the star-studded cast including Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke and Kate Hudson, with a Festival appearance by Director Rian Johnson; WHITE NOISE, a sprawling adventure from director Noah Baumbach starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig; ARMAGEDDON TIME, auteur James Gray’s moving memoir starring Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong with Anthony Hopkins; EMPIRE OF LIGHT, a love letter to cinema with a stellar cast led by Olivia Colman including Micheal Ward and Colin Firth, and reuniting director Sam Mendes with cinematographer Roger Deakins; TILL, a profoundly emotional film directed by Temple University alumna, Chinonye Chukwu; and Elegance Bratton’s debut feature THE INSPECTION, a beautifully drawn portrait of a gay man in marine core training.

Other festival highlights include the US Premiere of REBEL, the new film by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, whose credits include BAD BOYS FOR LIFE and MS. MARVEL, as well as a special spotlight screening of WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY, the “real life” biopic of comedian and musician “Weird” Al Yankovic, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

The Festival will feature three Special Event screenings. These will include RRR, an exhilarating theatrical experience that imagines two revolutionary heroes of India’s British Raj era forming a brotherhood to combat colonialism, and MAGIC MIKE XXL, a special 35MM party of a screening feature Quizzo and other rowdy, interactive surprises. The festival will also include An Evening with Dream Video Division, a radical new media collective who specializes in remixing films that will present a collection of their latest work.

The From The Vaults category features five iconic films, Robert Downey, Sr.’s RITTENHOUSE SQUARE (2005), presented in 35MM, Sally Potter’s ORLANDO (1992), John Waters’ PINK FLAMINGOS for its 50th anniversary, the 45th anniversary of William Friedkin’s SORCERER (1977), as well as Edward Yang’s A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION (1994).

This year’s line-up includes the return of the State of the Union. The films in this category expand upon the Festival’s goal of presenting films that are both timely and thought provoking in their relevance, and are also complimentary to audiences through PFS on Us. All of the films included in this free ticketing program unite a diverse group of individuals involved in nonprofit organizations, arts and cultural groups, universities, and hundreds from Philadelphia’s general public who want to share in the excitement and challenge of powerful new cinema.

The Filmadelphia Category and Filmadelphia Shorts Program emphasize the Philadelphia Film Society’s ongoing commitment to film in Greater Philadelphia, featuring brilliant films from the region’s most captivating filmmakers. This year, the category includes two World premieres, the first is Brandon Eric Kamin’s RITTENHOUSE SQUARE (2022), which tells the story of a young man named KJ who is struggling with the aftermath of his father’s death and thoughts of suicide as he befriends an older homeless veteran, which forges a friendship that saves them both. The second World premiere is Tim Dowlin and Frank Tartaglia’s NOT FOR NOTHING, which is a story about a man who searches for answers after his girlfriend dies, with the aid of his fellow South Philly barflys only to ignite a dangerous street war with a mysterious drug dealer.

Screenings for the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival will take place at the below venues:

Philadelphia Film Center (1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102)
PFS Bourse (400 Ranstead Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106)
PFS East (125 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 – Formerly Ritz East)

Tickets will go on-sale for Philadelphia Film Society members on Friday, October 7th and to the general public beginning Monday, October 10th.

Tickets may be purchased through the Festival website, www.filmadelphia.org/festival, in-person at the Box Offices at the Philadelphia Film Center, PFS Bourse Theater, or over the phone at 215-422-4588.

31st Philadelphia Film Festival Full Line-up

ᐩ Part of the PFS on Us Complimentary Tickets Initiative

Opening Night Film
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN | Director Martin McDonagh

Closing Night Film
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED | Director Laura Poitras

Special Events
An Evening with Dream Video Divisonᐩ
Magic Mike XXL | Director Gregory Jacobs
RRR | Director S.S. Rajamouli

Masters of Cinema – The latest films by a new generation of acclaimed auteurs and established directors who continue to reshape the cinematic landscape.
A COMPASSIONATE SPY | Director Steve James
BROKER | Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
BROTHER AND SISTER | Director Arnaud Desplechin
DECISION TO LEAVE | Director Park Chan-wook
EO | Director Jerzy Skolimowski
ONE FINE MORNING | Director Mia Hansen-Løve
R.M.N. | Director Cristian Mungiu

Spotlights – This year’s highly anticipated titles featuring some of the biggest names in front of and behind the camera.
ALICE, DARLING | Director Mary Nighy
CALL JANE | Director Phyllis Nagy
CAUSEWAY | Director Lila Neugebauer
THE LOST KING | Director Stephen Frears
LYNCH/OZ | Director Alexandre O. Philippe
“SR.” | Director Chris Smith
TURN EVERY PAGE – THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT CARO AND ROBERT GOTTLIEB | Director Lizzie Gottlieb
WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY| Director Eric Appel

World View – Works that demonstrate the diversity and vitality of contemporary international cinema from some of the globe’s most exciting filmmakers.
A E I O U – A QUICK ALPHABET OF LOVE | Director Nicolette Krebitz
AFTERSUN | Director Charlotte Wells
ALCARRÀS | Director Carla Simón
THE BEASTS | Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen
BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND | Director Trevor Andersonᐩ
BEFORE, NOW & THEN | Director Kamila Andini
THE BLUE CAFTAN | Director Maryam Touzani
THE BOX | Director Lorenzo Vigas
BOY FROM HEAVEN | Director Tarik Saleh
BURNING DAYS | Director Emin Alper
CLOSE | Director Lukas Dhont
CORSAGE | Director Marie Kreutzer
FALCON LAKE | Director Charlotte Le Bon
HOLY SPIDER | Director Ali Abbasi
LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE | Director Martika Ramirez Escobar
THE LINE | Director Ursula Meier
LOVE LIFE | Director Kôji Fukada
LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG | Director Antonio Lukich
MILLIE LIES LOW | Director Michelle Savill
OINK | Director Mascha Halberstad
PAMFIR | Director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk
RETURN TO DUST | Li Ruijun
SUBTRACTION | Director Mani Haghighi
VIKING | Director Stéphane Lafleur
XALÉ | Director Moussa Sene Absa

Non/Fiction – Compelling and provocative, these contemporary docs encourage viewers to see the world through a different lens.
AMERICAN PAIN | Director Darren Foster
BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY | Director Bradford Thomason, Director Brett Whitcomb
CHOP & STEELE | Director Ben Steinbauer, Director Berndt Mader
CROWS ARE WHITE | Director Ahsen Nadeem
GOOD NIGHT OPPY | Director Ryan White
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER | Director Jason Kohn
THE PICTURE TAKER | Director Phil Bertelsen
TANTURA | Director Alon Schwarz
THE THIEF COLLECTOR | Director Allison Otto
THE YOUTUBE EFFECT | Director Alex Winter

After Hours – Bringing together the odd, eerie, thrilling, and downright weird, this is the home of cult classics in the making.
ATTACHMENT | Director Gabriel Bier Gislason
CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS | Director Joe Begos
HUESERA | Director Michelle Garza Cervera
KIDS VS. ALIENS | Director Jason Eisener
MISTER ORGAN | Director David Farrier
SICK | Director John Hyams
SICK OF MYSELF | Director Kristoffer Borgli
SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING | Director Quentin Dupieux

From the Vaults – Film classics come alive as they were meant to be seen – on the big screen!
A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION | Director Edward Yang
ORLANDO | Director Sally Potterᐩ
PINK FLAMINGOS | Director John Waters
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE | Director Robert Downey Sr.
SORCERER | Director William Friedkin

Filmadelphia – Showcasing the most dynamic and talented voices from the Greater Philadelphia area.
A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE | Director Lisa Riordan Seville, Director Zara Katz
GRADUALLY, THEN SUDDENLY: THE BANKRUPTCY OF DETROIT | Director Sam Katz, Director James McGovern
LAND OF GOLD | Director Nardeep Khurmi
NOT FOR NOTHING | Director Tim Dowlin, Director Frank Tartaglia
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE | Director Brandon Eric Kamin
THIS IS MY BLACK | Director Stephen Adetumbi, Director Jarrett Roseborough
YOUR FRIEND, MEMPHIS | Director David P. Zucker

Made in USA – Lo-fi gems and new indie classics that offer a fresh perspective on today’s America.
BLOOD RELATIVES | Director Noah Segan
EVERY DAY IN KAIMUKĪ | Director Alika Tenganᐩ
NANNY | Director Nikyatu Jusu
NEXT EXIT | Director Mali Elfman
SOMETHING IN THE DIRT | Director Justin Benson, Director Aaron Moorhead

Cinema de France – Sharing a language with some of cinema’s most revered classics and legendary auteurs, these new films have that certain je ne sais quoi.
THE FIVE DEVILS | Director Léa Mysius
FOREVER YOUNG | Director Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
THE INNOCENT | Director Louis Garrel
THE NIGHT OF THE 12TH | Director Dominik Moll
THE PASSENGERS OF THE NIGHT | Director Mikhaël Hers
RETURN TO SEOUL | Director Davy Chou
RODEO | Director Lola Quivoron

Green Screen – In Honor of the Philadelphia Film Society’s inaugural year producing the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival, introducing Green Screen. From animal welfare to the effects of climate change, these thought-provoking films address urgent environmental issues.
ALL THAT BREATHES | Director Shaunak Senᐩ
HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE | Director Daniel Goldhaber
REBELLION | Director Maia Kenworthy, Director Elena Sanchez Bellot
THE SMELL OF MONEY | Director Shawn Bannonᐩ

Sight & Soundtrack – Featuring rockumentaries, musician biopics, and films centered on the unifying power of music.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES | Director Sacha Jenkins
MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM | Director Will Lovelace, Director Dylan Southern
REBEL | Director Adil El Arbi, Director Bilall Fallah
THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER: FEATURING BRANDI CARLISLE | Director Kathlyn Horan
TAURUS | Director Tim Sutton

State of the Union – Stories of some of the most significant figures and events in American politics and diplomacy, which continue to shape the future of the nation’s democracy.
BOYCOTT | Director Julia Bachaᐩ
THE EXILES| Director Ben Klein, Director Violet Columbusᐩ
THE GRAB | Director Gabriela Cowperthwaiteᐩ
LOUDMOUTH | Director Josh Alexanderᐩ
RETROGRADE | Director Matthew Heinemanᐩ
SHOUTING DOWN MIDNIGHT | Director Gretchen Stoeltjeᐩ

Short Films
A SHORT STORY | Director Bi Gan
BEWARE OF TRAINS | Director Emma Calder
BUMP | Director Maziyar Khatam
THE CAVE | Director Kim Jinman, Director Chon Jiyoung
CHAPERONE | Director Sam Max
CRAZE | Director Bianka Szelestey
DEERWOODS DEATHTRAP | Director James P. Gannon
THE F-WORD | Director Alex Cannon, Director Paul Cannon
FIVE CENTS | Director Aaron Hughes
THE FLYING SAILOR | Director Wendy Tilby, Director Amanda Forbis
GOODBYE JÉRÔME! | Director Adam Sillard, Director Gabrielle Selnet, Director Chloé Farr
I (HEART) JACK LALANNE: A CARTOON MEMOIR | Director LeAnn Erickson
ICE MERCHANTS | Director João Gonzalez
IT FEELS PERSONAL | Director Hugh Clegg
KYLIE | Director Master Sterling
LE PUPILLE | Director Alice Rohrwacher
LONG LINE OF LADIES | Director Rayka Zehtabchi, Director Shaandiin Tome
MEAL ON THE PLATE | Director Chenglin Xie
MEMNON | Director Cameron Clay
PERSONA | Director Moon Sujin
RO & THE STARDUST | Director Eunice Levis
SHE GOT BALLS! | Director Cheryl Hess
SOMETHING IN THE GARDEN | Director Marcos Sánchez
THE STAND | Director Andrew Bilindabagabo
STRANGER THAN ROTTERDAM WITH SARA DRIVER | Director Lewie Kloster, Director Noah Kloster
TANK FAIRY | Director Erich Rettstadt
WARSHA | Director Dania Bdeir
THE WATER MURMURS | Director Story Chen
ZOON | Director Jonatan Schwenk

Digital Program Guide will be available Friday
PFS Member exclusive pre-sale begins on Friday, October 7 at 12 PM
Tickets go on sale to the public on Monday, October 10 at 12 PM