The 16th edition of the TAURON American Film Festival (unspooling 6 - 11 November, with an online arm extending to 23 November) has revealed its full line-up. Featuring 137 titles across its many different strands, including 35 Polish premieres and 17 European premieres, this year’s selection paints a vivid picture of the diversity and vitality of US cinema. Screenings will take place at the New Horizons Cinema, while the NH VOD platform will provide online access for audiences across Poland.

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The festival will open with Father Mother Sister Brother [+lire aussi :
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interview : Jim Jarmusch
fiche film], the latest work by Jim Jarmusch which won the Golden Lion in Venice earlier this year. The closing film will be Rental Family by Japanese filmmaker Hikari, starring Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser. This year’s programme has been curated around the concept of a “dream neighbourhood,” highlighting the multiplicity of US experiences and the coexistence of diverse cinematic voices within a shared cultural landscape.

The Breakthrough Competition line-up includes Erupcja by Pete Ohs, Dreams in Nightmares by Shatara Michelle Ford, Plainclothes [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Carmen Emmi, Bunnylovr by Katarina Zhu, East of Wall by Kate Beecroft, Fantasy Life by Matthew Shear, Lockjaw by Sabrina Greco, Mad Bills to Pay: (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) by Joel Alfonso Vargas, OBEX by Albert Birney, Our Hero, Balthazar by Oscar Boyson, Rebuilding by Max Walker-Silverman, So Far All Good by $ECK, Sovereign by Christian Swegal, The Scout by Paula González-Nasser, and Under the Lights by Miles Levin.

The Highlights section, described as the festival’s “Villa District,” gathers some of the most anticipated new titles from acclaimed filmmakers. The festival will also pay tribute to a key pioneer of the 1980s New York independent scene, Susan Seidelman, and documentary filmmaker Alexandre O Philippe.

The thematic sections further broaden the festival’s scope. Politics on Screen will explore politically charged and socially conscious works from various periods of US history, while Freaks & Geeks revisits the unapologetically daring comedies of the early 2000s. Young Americans focuses on coming-of-age narratives that capture the struggles and aspirations of new generations, and American Classics celebrates restored masterpieces which have defined national cinematic identity. The Polonica section, meanwhile, is dedicated to Polish-US collaborations.

Running parallel to the screenings, the 15th edition of US in Progress (unspooling 4 – 8 November in Warsaw and Wrocław) remains a central pillar of the festival’s industry activities. Designed as a bridge between US independent filmmakers and European partners, the platform presents works-in-progress to potential co-producers, sales agents, and festival programmers offering post-production support and international exposure. This year’s participants, nine feature-length projects in the final stages of editing, will compete for a range of in-kind awards and services valued at over $130,000 (€112,000), offered by Polish post-production companies including Black Photon, DI Factory, EarWorks & SoundTravel, Fixafilm, ORKA Studio, Platige Image, Maciej Zielinski & Soundflower Studio, and XANF. In addition, ATM Virtual will present a $25,000 (€21,500) award for virtual-studio shooting services, while New Europe Film Sales and Wrocław Feature Film Studio will provide consultancy and development support for future projects. The event will also feature industry talks, presentations, and networking events with Polish Producers Alliance (KIPA) member-producers.

The US in Progress line-up:

Pocket Dream – Julia Baylis, Sam Guest
Producers: Anarene Films, One Two Twenty, Discordia, Simone Films, Tanbark Pictures

Night Nurse – Georgia Bernstein
Producers: Missing Link Productions, Ruby Mannequin Films

Mackenzie – Mylissa Fitzsimmons
Producers: Mylissa Fitzsimmons, Jaffe Zinn

She Keeps Me Young – Doron Max Hagay
Producers: Tiny Giant, International Pigeon Production

Perfect – Millicent Hailes
Producers: Freenjoy, Steak & Rose, Ten to the Six Pictures

Ruby Road – Talia Lugacy
Producers: Acoustic Pictures, Witchcraft Motion Picture Company

Take Me Home – Liz Sargent
Producers: Cyprian Films NY, All Caps

Unknownia – Dash Shaw
Producers: Electric Chinoland, MUBI

Mother Wolf – Suzi Yoonessi
Producers: MediaPro, Aspire Productions