2025 New Orleans Film Festival
The New Orleans Film Festival recently
announced an exciting slate of high-profile films for this year's event.
Rian Johnson's third Knives Out movie,
Wake Up Dead Man: A Benoit Blanc Mystery, will be the festival's closing
night film. Daniel Craig returns as famous detective Benoit Blanc in this
Agatha Christie-inspired whodunit.
Spotlight films include Rental
Family, starring Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser as an American actor in Japan
who takes a job role playing as various figures in his clients' lives. Bradley
Cooper's Is This Thing On? follows a recently divorced man finding
himself in New York City's comedy scene. Hedda, directed by Nia DaCosta,
stars Tessa Thompson as the title character in a modern reimagining of Henrik
Ibsen's classic play Hedda Gabler.
The centerpiece film will be Jay
Kelly, from writer/director Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story). It stars
George Clooney as an aging movie star coming to grips with his life choices.
Adam Sandler co-stars.
All of the above films have been
discussed as potential Oscar contenders for this year's award season. Many Best
Picture winners and nominees have played at previous festivals, including 12
Years a Slave, Moonlight, Conclave, and Green Book.
"These films represent
some of the most buzzed about titles of this year's awards season," said Clint
Bowie, artistic director of the New Orleans Film Society. "We're
excited to share these titles in New Orleans, fresh from festivals like Venice,
Toronto, and New York."
The festival will take place in person
from October 23-27 and virtually from October 23 to November 2. Tickets will go
on sale to New Orleans Film Society members on September 25 and to the general
public on October 2. All access passes are now available for purchase.
Visit NewOrleansFilmSociety.org for more
information.
