The New York Film Festival will open on Sept. 27 with a number of films making their North American premieres.
With over 40 films in the slate, audiences will most likely be confused about which films to see. The following are the five films Latinos Post has picked as the must-see movies of the festival.
1. "12 Years a Slave" - Director Steve McQueen's film is one of the most-anticipated of the year, with many critics considering it the main contender for Best Picture at the Oscars. The movie premiered at the Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals where it was universally praised. Starring Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Brad Pitt, the movie tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, who is abducted and sold into slavery.
2. "Blue is the Warmest Color" - Abdellatif Kechiche's latest film has become one of the most controversial and respected of the year. It won the Palme D'Or from the Cannes Film Festival and is highly touted as a strong Oscar contender. However, it is also the first NC-17 film of the year due to its explicit sex scenes. Nevertheless, it is a definitely a movie to watch due to its phenomenal reviews and incredible breakout performances.
3. "Inside Llewyn Davis" - Every time Joel and Ethan Coen make a movie there is always something to look forward to. This time around the movie has been hailed as their best film to date and it was already awarded the Gran Prix award at Cannes. While the movie is slated for theatrical release, it is sure to be overshadowed by the blockbusters and bigger studio films. As a result, the New York Film Festival will the best place to see it.
4. "The Immigrant" - James Gray's latest was once believed to be an Oscar contender. The film scored rave reviews at Cannes and was even acquired by the Weinstein Company. However, once the festival finished, the movie went under the radar. A number of pundits expected the film to appear in Toronto or Venice, but were ultimately disappointed when it did not appear. Weinsetin, nor its subdivision Radius, have yet to mention a release date either. As a result, this may be the only chance to see the film.
5. "Gloria" - Sebastian Lelio's new film is one of the few Latino films to appear at the festival. The movie has scored rave reviews and is Chile's Official Selection for the Academy Awards. If audiences are interested in the Academy race this will surely be one of the films to watch.
Other notable films inclue Paul Greengrass' "Captain Phillips," Tsai Ming-Liang's "Stray Dogs" and Spike Jonze's "Her."
The New York Film Festival runs through Oct. 13 and is expected to attract a number of celebrities and directors.