Chasing the Gold: New York Film Festival Expands 2026 Lineup with More Oscar Hopefuls

After creating a lot of buzz surrounding its Opening Night, Centerpiece, Closing Night, and Gala Selection films, the New York Film Festival announced the rest of its Main Slate selections for its 64th edition. The Main Slate features several familiar faces to NYFF, and adds some fresh faces to the mix as well. Below are this year’s Main Slate selections along with notable information for some of the films. NYFF still has several more films to announce to complete their slate, so be on the lookout for announcements like this in the coming weeks. 

NYFF 64 Main Slate Selection

Opening Night: Paper Tiger, dir. James Gray (North American Premiere)

Centerpiece: Behemoth!, dir. Tony Gilroy (World Premiere)

Closing Night: 14th, dir. Ava DuVernay (World Premiere)

9 Temples to Heaven, dir. Sompot Chidgasornpongse (World Premiere)

All of a Sudden, dir. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (U.S. Premiere)

Bitter Christmas, dir. Pedro Almodóvar (U.S. Premiere) This marks Almodoóvar’s 16th film to screen at NYFF, with his first being Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) almost 40 years ago. 

Clarissa, dir. Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri (U.S. Premiere)

Dao, dir. Alain Gomis (North American Premiere)

The Day She Returns, dir. Hong Sang-soo (North American Premiere) It wouldn’t be the New York Film Festival without a Hong Sang-soo film (or two). This year, we are lucky enough to have two films (the second being Nowhere to Lay My Eyes) from the highly productive, singular director.

I Deserve a Lover Whose Every Rise Sets Fiery Dooms Raging Across the Skies, dir. Mani Haghighi (World Premiere)

The Diary of a Chambermaid, dir. Radu Jude (U.S. Premiere) Last year’s NYFF featured two films from Jude, his version of Dracula, as well as Kontinental ‘25

Double Freedom, dir. Lisandro Alonso (U.S. Premiere)

The Dreamed Adventure, dir. Valeska Grisebach (U.S. Premiere)

Everything Else is Noise, dir. Nicolás Pereda (U.S. Premiere)

Everytime, dir. Sandra Wollner (U.S. Premiere)

Fatherland, dir. Pawel Pawlikowski (New York Premiere). Pawlikowski took home the Best Director prize at Cannes back in May for this film.

La Gradiva, dir. Marine Atlan (U.S. Premiere)

I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming, dir. Isabelle Stever (North American Premiere)

The Loneliest Man In Town, dir. Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel (U.S. Premiere)

A Long Winter, dir. Andrew Haigh (New York Premiere) Haigh’s last film, All of Us Strangers, screened at NYFF 61 and went on to be a critical darling that awards season, with Andrew Scott picking up a Best Actor (Drama) nomination at the Golden Globes.

The Man I Love, dir. Ira Sachs (New York Premiere)

A Man of His Time, dir. Emmanuel Marre (North American Premiere)

Minotaur, dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev (New York Premiere) Minotaur picked up the Grand Prix award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Misty Green, dir. Chris Rock (U.S. Premiere)

My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile, dir. Julia Loktev (New York Premiere)

My Wife Cries, dir. Angela Schanelec (U.S. Premiere)

Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, dir. Hong Sangsoo (North American Premiere)

Once Upon a Time in Harlem, dir. William Greaves and David Greaves (New York Premiere) This powerful documentary had its world premiere at Sundance’s final stand in Park City, Utah earlier this year. 

Possible Love, dir. Lee Chang-dong (U.S. Premiere)

Rose, dir. Markus Schleinzer (New York Premiere) Rose features one of Sandra Hüller’s four performances in 2026.

Tender Loving Care, dir. Mike Leigh (New York Premiere)

The Unknown, dir. Arthur Harari