Where to Invade Next, The 33 Added as Centerpiece Galas at AFI Fest

AFI Fest has announced that they are adding Michael Moore’s Where to Invade Next and Patricia Riggen’s The 33 as Centerpiece Gala presentations. They are also adding special screenings of Anomalisa, Carol, Last Days in the Desert, The Lobster, MacBeth and Queen of the Desert.

The AFI fest is really the last gasp of festival season and can showcase films right before ballots are sent out. The big splashy galas have celebrities in attendance and big parties, which can generate buzz as with Selma and American Sniper last year, both films that still came a bit too late to really compete in the race but still made it in due to the rallying of their publicity teams.

Press release as follows:

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 19, 2015 — The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today that two more Centerpiece Galas will screen at AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi. WHERE TO INVADE NEXT, directed by Michael Moore, will screen on Saturday, November 7 at the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian. THE 33, directed by Patricia Riggen and starring Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mario Casas, Juan Pablo Raba, Adriana Barraza, Kate del Castillo, Cote de Pablo, Bob Gunton and Gabriel Byrne, will screen on Monday, November 9 at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

AFI FEST has also revealed today its Special Screenings section, which will feature 45 YEARS (DIR Andrew Haigh); ANOMALISA (DIR Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, AFI Class of 2006); CAROL (DIR Todd Haynes); LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT (DIR Rodrigo García, AFI Class of 1986); THE LOBSTER (DIR Yorgos Lanthimos); MACBETH (DIR Justin Kurzel); and QUEEN OF THE DESERT (DIR Werner Herzog).

Available for purchase now at AFI.com are AFI FEST Patron Packages — which include access to sold-out Galas and other high-demand films and events — and Express Passes.

Also among the Centerpiece Galas, as previously announced, will be the World Premiere of CONCUSSION (DIR Peter Landesman) on Tuesday, November 10. The Opening Night Gala will be the World Premiere of BY THE SEA (DIR Angelina Jolie Pitt) on Thursday, November 5 and the Closing Night Gala will be the World Premiere of THE BIG SHORT (DIR Adam McKay) on Thursday, November 12. The full festival lineup and schedule will be unveiled on Wednesday, October 21. The 29th edition of AFI FEST will take place November 5–12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings and Galas will be held at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian and The Hollywood Roosevelt.

Opening Night Gala

BY THE SEA – Angelina Jolie Pitt directs and stars alongside Brad Pitt in this 1970s tale of a couple struggling to save their marriage while on vacation in a seaside town. DIR Angelina Jolie Pitt. SCR Angelina Jolie Pitt. CAST Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Melvil Poupaud, Niels Arestrup, Richard Bohringer. USA. World Premiere

Centerpiece Galas

CONCUSSION – Will Smith stars as Dr. Bennet Omalu, who went up against the NFL to raise awareness about football-related brain trauma. DIR Peter Landesman. SCR Peter Landesman. CAST Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, David Morse, Albert Brooks. USA/Australia/UK. World Premiere

THE 33 – The harrowing true story of a group of Chilean miners trapped for more than two months underground, and the international teams who worked to save them. DIR Patricia Riggen. SCR Mikko Alanne, Craig Borten and Michael Thomas (AFI Class of 1978). CAST Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mario Casas, Jacob Vargas, Adriana Barraza, Kate del Castillo, Cote de Pablo, Bob Gunton, Gabriel Byrne. USA/Chile

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT – An expansive, rib-tickling and subversive comedy in which Moore, playing the role of “invader,” visits nations to learn how the US could improve its own prospects in this hilarious and eye-opening call to arms. DIR Michael Moore. USA

Closing Night Gala

THE BIG SHORT – Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell and Brad Pitt star as four men who predicted and bet on the global financial crash when no one else saw it coming. DIR Adam McKay. SCR Adam McKay, Charles Randolph. CAST Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo, Hamish Linklater, John Magaro, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong, Marisa Tomei, Finn Wittrock. USA. World Premiere

Special Screenings

45 YEARS – British screen icons Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay give brilliant performances in this devastating tale of a marriage upended by a long-buried secret. DIR Andrew Haigh. SCR Andrew Haigh. CAST Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James, Dolly Wells, David Sibley, Sam Alexander, Richard Cunningham, Hannah Chambers, Camille Ucan, Rufus Wright. UK

ANOMALISA – Charlie Kaufman’s and Duke Johnson’s unique tale of isolation and interior life centers on a custome r service guru who spends a bizarre night in Cincinnati. DIR Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson. SCR Charlie Kaufman. CAST Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan, David Thewlis. USA

CAROL – Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara give luminous performances in Todd Haynes’ gorgeous love story set in postwar New York City. DIR Todd Haynes. SCR Phyllis Nagy. CAST Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Cory Michael Smith. UK

LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT – Ewan McGregor gives a stunning dual performance as Jesus and the Devil in this rich and sublime tale of Christ’s 40 days in the desert. DIR Rodrigo García. SCR Rodrigo García. CAST Ewan McGregor, Ciarán Hinds, Susan Gray, Tye Sheridan, Ayelet Zurer. USA

THE LOBSTER – Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux and John C. Reilly star in this science-fictional tale of a world where single people must romantically couple within 45 days or be turned into animals. DIR Yorgos Lanthimos. SCR Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou. CAST Colin Farrell, Jessica Barden, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, Ashley Jensen, Ariane Labed, Aggeliki Papoulia, John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux, Michael Smiley, Ben Whishaw. Ireland/UK/France/Greece/Netherlands.

MACBETH – Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and director Justin Kurzel deliver a haunting, visually stunning adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. DIR Justin Kurzel. SCR Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie. CAST Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, David Thewlis, Paddy Considine. UK

QUEEN OF THE DESERT – Nicole Kidman stars in Werner Herzog’s epic true story of explorer, cartographer and archaeologist Gertrude Bell. DIR Werner Herzog. SCR Werner Herzog. CAST Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Damian Lewis, Robert Pattinson. UK. North American Premiere

AFI FEST remains the only global event of its caliber to offer free individual tickets to screenings and events as a gift to the community. These free tickets will be available to the general public online at AFI.com beginning Monday, October 26.