The 60th edition of the New York Film Festival will take place from Sept. 30 through Oct. 16.
Along with the newly announced dates, Film at Lincoln Center’s recently promoted president Lesli Klainberg shared that Dennis Lim has been elevated to the New York Film Festival’s first-ever artistic director and Eugene Hernandez has been upped to the new role of senior VP of FLC and executive director of the New York Film Festival. Hernandez will also continue to lead the organization’s strategic initiatives, including his role as publisher of Film Comment.
“Eugene and Dennis have done an extraordinary job during challenging times, leading the last two New York Film Festivals to great success,” said Klainberg. “With the upcoming 60th edition, we seek to expand our commitment to the festival and its integral role in film culture by elevating Eugene and Dennis and dedicating more of our resources and energy to ensuring a significant impact and awareness this year and in the years to come.”
She adds, “Dennis is one of the most highly respected programmers in the world. This new role as artistic director puts him alongside those with similar roles at leading international film festivals. Eugene continues to be a leading light in the film community, and his leadership of NYFF has been transformative. This also presents us a remarkable opportunity to introduce a new curatorial voice to our year-round programming of the Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center.”
Lim has been the director of programming for Film at Lincoln Center since 2013 and the director of programming of the New York Film Festival since 2020. As artistic director of the New York Film Festival, Lim will continue to oversee the curation and programming process for event and will work with Hernandez to build upon the progress made over the past two years, since the duo took their roles leading the festival.
In addition to his new role, Lim will chair this year’s NYFF Main Slate selection committee, which includes Hernandez, Florence Almozini, K. Austin Collins, and Rachel Rosen.
“The last two editions of the festival, while challenging for obvious reasons, were also very moving and eye-opening experiences for me,” said Lim. “They reminded me of the place that cinema has in our lives, as an art form and a shared experience, and the function of the festival as a conduit among films and filmmakers and audiences. No matter how the film landscape evolves, I believe that a festival like NYFF will have an essential role to play, and I’m excited to devote my energies to its continued success and vitality.”
Hernandez joined Film at Lincoln Center in 2010 as the director of digital strategy before being promoted to deputy director in 2014, leading strategy and special programs for the organization. He was named the director of the New York Film Festival in 2020. Prior to his time at FLC, Hernandez was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of IndieWire.
“Dennis has provided vital leadership these past two years, refining NYFF’s programming structure, bringing new voices into the selection process, and laying the foundation for the festival’s seventh decade,” said Hernandez. “In my new role as senior VP of FLC and executive director of the New York Film Festival, we’ve begun working on NYFF’s 60th edition, and after the exhilaration of being back in cinemas last year, coupled with the exceptional lineup, we’re anticipating a special festival this fall.”
Matt Bolish, Film at Lincoln Center’s new VP of operations and production, will continue as producer of NYFF, rounding out the festival’s leadership team. Bolish has been with Film at Lincoln Center for 11 years.
In the interim, Klainberg and Film at Lincoln Center have begun searching for a new senior director of programming to lead FLC’s year-round programming efforts and continue the relation between NYFF and non-festival programming.