AFI FEST presented by Audi has a new section this year. The inaugural year of Masters in Conversation features three longtime international filmmakers who continually turn out provocative, challenging works that push the limits of what is possible in cinema. Films screening in this section are I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO, followed by a discussion with director Raoul Peck, and THE WOMAN WHO LEFT, followed by a discussion with director Lav Diaz. Documentarian Gianfranco Rosi also joins this section for a conversation about his lauded documentary on the migrant crisis, FIRE AT SEA.

MASTERS IN CONVERSATION

Lav Diaz works as a director, writer, producer, editor, cinematographer, poet, composer, production designer and actor. Known for the daring length of his films, some of which run up to 11 hours, Diaz made his feature debut with THE CRIMINAL OF BARRIO CONCEPCION in 1998. His subsequent features include EVOLUTION OF A FILIPINO FAMILY (2004); CENTURY OF BIRTHING (2011); NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (2013); FROM WHAT IS BEFORE (AFI FEST 2014), winner of the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival; and A LULLABY TO THE SORROWFUL MYSTERY (2016). His film THE WOMAN WHO LEFT will screen at AFI FEST.

 

Raoul Peck’s complex body of work includes THE MAN BY THE SHORE (1993), which competed at the Cannes Film Festival; LUMUMBA (2000), SOMETIMES IN APRIL (2005), MOLOCH TROPICAL (2009) and MURDER IN PACOT (2014), all of which premiered at top international festivals. His documentaries include LUMUMBA: DEATH OF A PROPHET (1990), DESOUNEN: DIALOGUE WITH DEATH (1994) and FATAL ASSISTANCE (2013). He served on the Cannes Jury in 2012, and is presently chairman of the French lm school La Fémis. In 2001, the Human Rights Watch Organization awarded him the Irene Diamond Lifetime Achievement Award. His film I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO will screen at AFI FEST.

 

Gianfranco Rosi is the director of the documentary BELOW SEA LEVEL (2008), which won the Orizzonti Award at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary at the European Film Awards; EL SICARIO, ROOM 164 (2010), which won the FIPRESCI Award at Venice; and SACRO GRA (2013), which won the Golden Lion at Venice. Living for a year on Lampedusa resulted in FIRE AT SEA, the Golden Bear and Ecumenical Prize winner at the Berlinale.

 

Tickets to Masters in Conversations will be available on AFI.com beginning November 1

*Featured photo from THE WOMAN WHO LEFT

(Source: http://www.blog.afi.com)