Introduction to AFI Fest 2025
The wait is almost over for the 2025 edition of the AFI Fest, with its exciting lineup of premieres and special screenings. This year’s festival promises to be an unforgettable experience, with a diverse range of films that will captivate audiences from around the world.
Red Carpet Premieres
The festival will kick off with a series of highly anticipated red carpet premieres. On October 23, Jay Kelly Starr’s film, starring George Clooney, will make its debut. The following day, James Vanderbilt’s historical epic "Nuremberg" will premiere, featuring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe. Gus van Sant’s "Man on a Wire" starring Bill Skarsgård will also premiere on October 25, along with David Michôd’s "Christy", a film about a boxer’s fight for her place in sports, starring Sydney Sweeney.
Special Screenings
In addition to the red carpet premieres, the festival will also feature a selection of special screenings. These include Jonatan Etzler’s "Bad Apples", starring Saoirse Ronan as a school teacher who makes questionable decisions, and Yorgos Lanthimos’ "Bugonia", featuring Emma Stone as a powerful CEO kidnapped by an extraterrestrial conspiracy theorist. Other special screenings include "The Choir" starring Ralph Fiennes, Kristen Stewart’s feature film debut "The Chronology of Water", and "Is That Thing On?" starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern.
Festival Highlights
The AFI Fest promises to be a unique and exciting experience, with a wide range of films that will surprise and delight audiences. As Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of AFI, noted, "Our goal is nothing less than a global hug – where we discover and rediscover the power of a common story on a large screen." Todd Hitchcock, director of AFI, added that the special screenings section contains some of the most anticipated films of the festival, offering a versatile mix that will surprise and engage film lovers.
Festival Details
The AFI Fest will take place from October 22 to 26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. The complete festival lineup will be announced on September 30, and will include a selection of premiere screenings, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries, and shorts. Guillermo del Toro has been confirmed as the artistic guest director, and the festival will open with "Springsteen: I Ran Out of Nowhere", starring Jeremy Allen White. Other highly anticipated premieres include "Song Sung Blue" starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, and "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square".
