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The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your film events and press junkets! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
GUILLERMO DEL TORO NAMED
AS GUEST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF
AFI FEST 2025 PRESENTED BY CANVA
Passes Now on Sale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Los Angeles, CA, August 25, 2025 — Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced that Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will serve as the Guest Artistic Director for AFI FEST presented by Canva.
“Guillermo del Toro is one of the great champions of the art form — a visionary filmmaker, a passionate cinephile, and a tireless advocate for bold, original storytelling,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “As Guest Artistic Director of AFI FEST, he brings a singular perspective that will inspire audiences of all generations.”
Previous Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST include Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, David Lynch, and Agnès Varda.
Frankenstein, del Toro’s definitive take on the Mary Shelley classic, will be released in select theaters on October 17 and Netflix November 7.
The festival will take place October 22–26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood and feature a curated selection of Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries and Short Films.
As previously announced, the 39th edition of the Institute’s annual film festival will open with Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White and written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper. Passes to AFI FEST 2025 are now available for purchase online at FEST.AFI.com. Festivalgoers have the opportunity to purchase a Star Pass or upgrade to a Patron Pass.
The AFI FEST Star Pass is a five-day pass with access to all screenings (excluding Red Carpet Premieres), early screening selection before individual tickets go on sale, priority theater access, entry to the festival lounge, invitation to the festival mixer to mingle with filmmakers and guests, a complimentary AFI FEST tote and free Rush Line access to all screenings. The AFI FEST Patron Pass features all the benefits of the Star Pass plus two tickets to all of the star-studded Red Carpet Premieres held at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre and priority screening selection before Star passholders.
The full festival lineup will be unveiled on September 30. Individual tickets will be available on October 6.
AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. AFI FEST is also a qualifying festival for consideration for the British Short Film categories of both the BAFTA Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI’s Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI events, including AFI FEST. To learn more, email Advancement@AFI.com.
Canva, the all-in-one visual communication and collaboration platform, returns as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST 2025. Designed to empower entertainment professionals to visualize their ideas into impactful film and TV projects, Canva will be integrated throughout AFI FEST including hosting industry networking events, hands-on training workshops for filmmakers, and powering the festival's digital and printed materials. Entertainment professionals can explore resources to pitch projects, plan shoots, and bring creative visions to life at canva.com/entertainment.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked the #1 film school in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute, and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Now in its 39th year, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year’s edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 22-26, 2025 With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST presented by Canva includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com. Connect with AFI’s film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST, Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute, and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Entertainment professionals can access resources to help them express their ideas, pitch film and TV projects, plan shoots and beyond at canva.com/entertainment.
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film festivals and special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE
STARRING JEREMY ALLEN WHITE
TO OPEN AFI FEST 2025 PRESENTED BY CANVA
Passes Now on Sale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Los Angeles, CA, August 21, 2025 — Today, American Film Institute (AFI) announced that 20th Century Studios' Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper, will open the 39th edition of AFI FEST presented by Canva on Wednesday, October 22.
Jeremy Allen White stars as Bruce Springsteen in the film, which traces the musician in 1981 and 1982 on the cusp of global superstardom as he records his landmark album “Nebraska” and struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.
“AFI FEST is the stage and the screens where the world’s stories come together in Hollywood,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “To open with Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere honors the global impact of an American icon and the true artistry it takes to tell his tale.”
“It’s a true honor to open AFI FEST with Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere. AFI has always championed bold, meaningful storytelling, and I’m grateful to be part of that tradition. While Bruce’s roots will forever be in New Jersey, Los Angeles played a profound role in shaping his artistic voice. I want to thank Bob Gazzale and everyone at AFI for this extraordinary privilege," said Scott Cooper.
About the Film
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere chronicles the making of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 Nebraska album when he was a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggling to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past. Recorded on a 4-track recorder in Springsteen’s New Jersey bedroom, the album marked a pivotal time in his life and is considered one of his most enduring works—a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching for a reason to believe. Starring Jeremy Allen White as the Boss, the film is written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper, based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes. The film also features Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s long-time confidant and manager, Jon Landau; Paul Walter Hauser as guitar tech Mike Batlan; Stephen Graham as Springsteen’s father, Doug; Odessa Young as love interest, Faye; Gaby Hoffman as Springsteen’s mom, Adele; Marc Maron as Chuck Plotkin and David Krumholtz as Columbia executive, Al Teller. The film is produced by Cooper, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson, and Scott Stuber. Tracey Landon, Jon Vein, and Zanes executive produce. The film will be released in theaters on October 24, 2025.
The 39th edition of the Institute’s annual film festival will take place October 22–26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood and feature a curated selection of Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries and Short Films.
Passes to AFI FEST 2025 are now available for purchase online at FEST.AFI.com. Festivalgoers have the opportunity to purchase a Star Pass or upgrade to a Patron Pass. The AFI FEST Star Pass is a five-day pass with access to all screenings (excluding Red Carpet Premieres), early screening selection before individual tickets go on sale, priority theater access, entry to the festival lounge, invitation to the festival mixer to mingle with filmmakers and guests, a complimentary AFI FEST tote and free Rush Line access to all screenings. The AFI FEST Patron Pass features all the benefits of the Star Pass plus two tickets to all of the star-studded Red Carpet Premieres held at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre and priority screening selection before Star passholders.
The full festival lineup will be unveiled on September 30. Individual tickets will be available on October 6.
AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. AFI FEST is also a qualifying festival for consideration for the British Short Film categories of both the BAFTA Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI’s Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI events, including AFI FEST. To learn more, email Advancement@AFI.com.
Canva, the all-in-one visual communication and collaboration platform, returns as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST 2025. Designed to empower entertainment professionals to visualize their ideas into impactful film and TV projects, Canva will be integrated throughout AFI FEST including hosting industry networking events, hands-on training workshops for filmmakers, and powering the festival's digital and printed materials. Entertainment professionals can explore resources to pitch projects, plan shoots, and bring creative visions to life at canva.com/entertainment.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked the #1 film school in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute, and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Now in its 39th year, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year’s edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 22-26, 2025 With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST presented by Canva includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com. Connect with AFI’s film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST, Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute, and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Entertainment professionals can access resources to help them express their ideas, pitch film and TV projects, plan shoots and beyond at canva.com/entertainment.
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film festivals and special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
FILMMAKER RYAN COOGLER AND
ARMENIAN FILM SOCIETY TO HONOR
FILM PRODUCER SEV OHANIAN
AND INDUCT HIM INTO
ARMENIAN HALL OF FAME
AFS Gala to celebrate 10 years
of AFS’s important work on the evening of September 7
during third annual Armenian Film Festival
Special conversation with Proximity Media
founders Coogler and Ohanian at
Glendale’s historic Alex Theatre on September 7
GLENDALE, CA (Monday, August 4, 2025) – The Armenian Film Society (AFS) today announced special high-profile events that will be featured at the 2025 Armenian Film Festival, running September 3-7. On Sunday, September 7, AFS will honor veteran producer Sev Ohanian during the Armenian Film Society Gala at Vertigo Event Venue in Glendale. The honor will be presented by Ohanian’s longtime business partner and two-time Academy Award nominee Ryan Coogler.
On Sunday afternoon, September 7, prior to the Gala, the Armenian Film Festival will host a special conversation at Alex Theatre between director/writer/producer and two-time Academy Award nominee Ryan Coogler (Sinners, Black Panther, Creed, Fruitvale Station) and his longtime business partner producer/screenwriter Sev Ohanian (Searching, Run, Missing, Judas and the Black Messiah). Tickets and more information are available here.
Coogler and Ohanian will discuss their friendship and career trajectory from film school at the University of Southern California, their early breakout film, the production company Proximity Media that they launched along with Coogler’s wife Zinzi Coogler, and their mutual interest in supporting AFS’s work.
Ohanian is a prolific screenwriter and producer behind Searching, Missing, and Run — thrillers that earned critical and commercial success, including Hulu’s most-watched film and over $75 million at the global box office. He co-wrote and produced these films with his wife and producing partner, Natalie Qasabian. In 2018, he founded Proximity Media with Ryan and Zinzi Coogler to tell event-driven stories across film, TV, documentaries, and podcasts. The trio’s recent credits include executive producing Marvel’s Ironheart and the Nat Geo documentary Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time. Most recently, they produced the hit film Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, which grossed over $360 million worldwide and received widespread acclaim.
Ohanian’s first ever movie was the 2008 no-budget film he shot on his father’s home video camera titled My Big Fat Armenian Family. Based on his popular online short videos, the movie told the story of a cultural clash between Armenian immigrant parents and their Americanized teenage children, all unfolding over a weekend getaway to Palm Springs. Today, Ohanian continues to champion Armenian storytelling through a filmmaking scholarship fund he established with Natalie, in partnership with the Armenian Educational Foundation, supporting aspiring filmmakers in Armenia.
Proximity’s first film, Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Daniel Kaluuya won the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actor” for his role as Chairman Fred Hampton and H.E.R won for “Best Original Song” for “Fight for You.” Proximity’s second film: Space Jam: A New Legacy, the 2021 sequel to the hit 1996 film, was released by Warner Bros. in theaters and on HBO Max. The film came in #1 at the U.S. box office, earning an estimated $32 million domestically during its opening weekend. Ohanian served as the primary on-the-ground producer on both of these films.
Coogler’s high-profile directing career launched with his feature-film debut Fruitvale Station, grossing a stunning $17 million globally for a project produced on less than $1 million. His subsequent films have been enormous box office smash hits including a massive haul of $1.3 billion worldwide for Black Panther, $800 million worldwide for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, $275 million worldwide for Creed III, and an incredible $360 million worldwide for his new Warner Bros. film Sinners, an original story written by Coogler.
“We are thrilled to mark 10 incredible years of Armenian Film Society, dedicated to elevating Armenian artists worldwide.” said Armen Karaoghlanian, Founder & CEO, Armenian Film Society. “Since 2015, AFS has served as a creative and cultural hub for Armenian film, showcasing new and emerging filmmakers and films. We are thrilled to mark this milestone with our Gala and a special conversation with two visionary filmmakers who have transformed Hollywood through their collaboration: Ryan Coogler and Sev Ohanian.”
Ohanian said, “I’m incredibly honored — this organization means the world to me. Armenians have a deep tradition of storytelling, and AFS has become a home for that legacy to thrive. To be recognized by them is something I’ll carry with me. And having Ryan, whose partnership has always been rooted in shared values and purpose, present the award makes it even more meaningful."
Founded in 2015, Armenian Film Society (AFS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and a creative and cultural hub that champions Armenian films and empowers Armenian filmmakers.
With branches in Los Angeles and London, AFS hosts year-round programming and has partnered with notable organizations such as Vidiots, American Cinematheque, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. AFS has welcomed guests such as Oscar winning directors Sean Baker and Ben Proudfoot, as well as Mychael Danna, Atom Egoyan, and Sev Ohanian.
AFS serves as a cultural bridge, connecting Armenian stories to the wider world through the universal language of cinema. AFS’s events always have an Armenian connection, but all our events are open to the public and consistently draw diverse audiences. We've become a cultural force, regularly hosting Oscar winners and industry legends, drawing sold-out crowds, and earning global press.
Now in its third year, AFS’s Armenian Film Festival draws in thousands of attendees each year. The 2025 Armenian Film Festival is presented by The Envelope by the Los Angeles Times. The inaugural Armenian Film Festival London was held in December 2024 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film, television, music, and entertainment special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
