Organizers of the 58th annual festival are currently working to develop both virtual and outdoor in-person screenings at Lincoln Center with social distancing measures in place.
- August 4, 2020
AceShowbiz - Director Steve McQueen's "Lovers Rock" will kick off the 58th New York Film Festival.
The world premiere will serve as the annual event's opening night film.
"Lovers Rock" is part of the "12 Years a Slave" filmmaker's "Small Axe" anthology, which contains five original productions by the director. Two other instalments in the series, "Mangrove" and "Red, White and Blue", will also debut during the festival.
Set in the 1960s to the 1980s, the films explore stories set in London's West Indian community, tackling issues of discrimination.
"It's an incredible honor and also very humbling to show three of my films at the New York Film Festival," McQueen said in a statement. "It's especially meaningful for me at this particular time to share these stories as a Black man of West Indian heritage. I'm grateful to the NYFF for their generosity and wish everyone a safe and healthy festival."
Organizers of the New York Film Festival are currently working to develop both virtual and outdoor in-person screenings at Lincoln Center, with social distancing measures in place. Bosses at Film at Lincoln Center will also be teaming with the heads of drive-In theaters to showcase the slate at the Queens Drive-In at Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the Brooklyn Drive-In at The Brooklyn Army Terminal.
"Mangrove" and "Lovers Rock" are also part of the Cannes 2020 Official Selection.
The New York Film Festival will run from September 25 to October 11.
