Film at Lincoln Center and the New York Film Festival

Film at Lincoln Center was founded in 1969 and runs the New York Film Festival, which each fall brings the year's major international films to Alice Tully Hall and the Walter Reade Theater. Outside festival season it programs year-round from the Walter Reade and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center across West 65th Street: retrospectives, new restorations, festivals of national cinemas and premieres with filmmakers present. The 64th edition of the festival ran from late September to mid-October 2026.

Festival tickets go on sale in September, with members and pass holders getting first access; standby lines are the fallback for sold-out shows. The rest of the year, buy on the website and check for Q&A screenings. The Walter Reade's stadium seating and large screen make it one of the best rooms in the city for repertory. Pair a screening with a walk across the Lincoln Center plaza, which is lit and lively until late.