Philadelphia Film Festival Opens Its 35th Edition With John Turturro Crime Drama
The 35th Philadelphia Film Festival opens Thursday with an 11-day run of premieres, filmmaker appearances and special events at venues across Center City and Old City.
Opening night belongs to Noah Segan’s “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” starring John Turturro as Harry, an aging pickpocket drifting through modern New York. Segan will attend with a cast that also includes Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito and Tatiana Maslany, according to the Philadelphia Film Society.
The festival closes Oct. 25 with Jesse Eisenberg’s “The Debut,” starring Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti and Halle Bailey. Eisenberg will introduce the closing-night screening in person.
In between, the festival presents a first: a live partnership with WHYY’s “Fresh Air.” Host Terry Gross and Eisenberg will share the stage Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Film Society Center for a conversation about his writing, directing and acting career.
The centerpiece slate carries serious awards-season weight. Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord” arrives as this year’s Palme d’Or winner, Beth de Araujo’s “Josephine” comes off Sundance wins, and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s “La Bola Negra” won the People’s Choice award at Toronto. Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine,” James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” and Ava DuVernay’s “14th” round out the highlights, with Tony Gilroy attending for his new film “Behemoth!”
The festival’s significance goes beyond the screenings. Thirty-five years in, it has become one of Philadelphia’s defining cultural events and a rare chance for local audiences to see festival standouts and likely awards contenders months before wide release.
This year’s anniversary programming also stretches beyond theaters. A Film Restaurant Week pairs the festival with local restaurants offering discounts to ticket and badge holders, and the “Reel October” series of 35mm screenings leads into opening night.
Screenings take place at the Film Society Center at 1412 Chestnut Street, the Film Society Bourse and Film Society East in Old City, according to the Philadelphia Film Society.