Film at Lincoln Center

Film at Lincoln Center is a premier film organization dedicated to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema. Founded in 1969, it is a constituent of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The organization is best known for presenting the annual New York Film Festival, alongside a year-round program of film series, retrospectives, and new releases. Its mission encompasses exhibition, publication, and the preservation of film history.

History

The organization was founded in 1969 by Amos Vogel and Richard Roud as the Film Society of Lincoln Center, with its first major undertaking being the establishment of the New York Film Festival that same year. Early leadership included influential figures like William F. May, who served as its first chairman. A significant early milestone was the 1970 launch of the New Directors/New Films festival, a collaboration with The Museum of Modern Art that continues to spotlight emerging talent. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, under directors such as Joanne Koch, the organization expanded its programming and cemented its reputation. It was officially renamed Film at Lincoln Center in 2019 to better reflect its comprehensive role within the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts campus and its broader mission in the cinematic arts.

Organization and programming

Film at Lincoln Center operates under the leadership of an Executive Director, currently Lesli Klainberg, and a board of directors. Its artistic vision is shaped by a programming team that has included notable figures like Kent Jones and Dennis Lim. The cornerstone of its programming is the annual New York Film Festival, a prestigious event that has premiered landmark works by directors such as Martin Scorsese, Agnès Varda, and Pedro Almodóvar. Year-round programming includes the New Directors/New Films festival, thematic film series like "Open Roads: New Italian Cinema," and first-run engagements of significant international and independent films. The organization also hosts the annual Chaos symposium and the Art of the Real festival, dedicated to innovative nonfiction filmmaking.

Facilities

The primary venue for Film at Lincoln Center is the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, which opened in 2011 on the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts campus. This complex houses two state-of-the-art theaters, the Francesca Beale Theater and the Howard Gilman Theater, as well as the Amphitheater, an outdoor screening space. The center also includes the Film Center Café and a curated film-related retail space. Prior to 2011, its main screening rooms were the Walter Reade Theater and the earlier Alice Tully Hall, which hosted the inaugural New York Film Festival. These facilities are integral to its mission of providing a dedicated, high-quality space for cinematic exhibition and discussion in New York City.

Notable events and retrospectives

The organization has presented countless landmark retrospectives and special events that have shaped film culture. Major career surveys have honored cinematic giants like Akira Kurosawa, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Meryl Streep. It has organized comprehensive festivals such as "The French Had a Name for It," focusing on French poetic realism, and "See It Big!", exploring the history of widescreen formats. Notable special events include the annual New York Film Festival opening night, which has featured world premieres of films like *The Irishman* and Marriage Story, and galas honoring recipients of the Chaplain Award, such as Catherine Deneuve and David Lynch.

Publications and media

Film at Lincoln Center has a long history of film criticism and scholarship through its publications. Its flagship magazine, *Film Comment*, founded in 1962 and published by the organization from 1972 to 2023, became one of the world's most respected film journals, featuring writing by critics like Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert. The organization also publishes detailed festival catalogs for the New York Film Festival and other events, which include critical essays and filmmaker interviews. Its digital and media presence includes the "Film at Lincoln Center Podcast," featuring conversations with filmmakers, and extensive online editorial content that extends its mission of film education and criticism to a global audience.

Category:Film organizations in the United States Category:Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Category:Cinema of New York City Category:Organizations established in 1969