The American Film Institute Festival 2022 featured high profile films with a questions and answers program with the films’ cast and crew.

There was a full lineup of fiction and nonfiction feature-length films and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. The five day festival presented screenings, presentations, programs, panels and conversations that featured filmmakers, producers and directors.

The AFI Fest announced on Monday, Nov.7 the films that would receive this year’s Jury Awards. The winners awarded were “Birds”, directed by Katherine Propper, “Haulout”, directed by Avegenia Arbugaeva and “Maxim Arbugaey”, and “Sierra”, directed by Sander Joon.

AFI Fest is in its 36th year and is recognized as a world class event showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year the event took place at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from Nov. 2-6.

The AFI Fest had a full lineup and this year’s program featured over 125 titles including a Special Screening section featuring “Women talking,” by Academy Award-nominated Writer and Director Sarah Polley, “Le Pupille,” directed by Alice Rohrwacher, “SR.,” directed by Chris Smith and “Nanny,” directed by Nikyatu Jusu.

” The Grand Jury Award winners for Live Action Short, Documentary Short and Animated Short were eligible for the 2022 Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short Academy Awards. The Jury was composed of writer and director Shaz Bennett, writer and director Johnson Cheng and film critic, journalist and filmmaker Tim Cogshell,” according to a Nov.7 press release by AFI Fest.

Jury Statements:

“For masterfully weaving together a deeply authentic vérité ensemble
film, immersing us in the lives of youth on a sizzling Texas summer. “Birds” is magical,
tense, romantic and timeless.” “Birds”, The Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short.

“It’s a revelatory documentary about the devastating effects of climate
change — told with stunning images like never seen before.” “Haulout”, The Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Short.

“Simple in subject but deep in content, “Sierra” is playful and poignant
and sticks with you long after viewing.” “Sierra”, The Grand Jury Prize for Animated Short.

Special Jury Mentions were “Yokelan”, 66, directed by Yi Tang, “An avocado pit”, directed by Ary Zara, “Kyli”, directed by Sterling Hamptom, “Not Even For A Moment Do Things Stand Still”, directed by Jamie Meltzer, “The Spiral”, directed by Maria Silva Esteve, and “It’s Raining Frogs Outside”, directed by Maria Estela Paiso.

“AFI Fest is a proud symbol of the power of this art form to bring people together,”
Bob Gazzale said in a press release, AFI President and CEO. “We are proud to create an experience that reminds us of the importance of being present and the joy of being alive.”

In November, there were a total of seven Red Carpet Premieres, six Special Screenings, 43 AFI Conservatories, three Guest Artistic Director Selections, 12 Documentaries, 12 World Cinemas, 12 Discoveries and 30 Short Film Competitions.

This year’s program represented over 25 countries and included six International Feature Oscar submissions from Pakistan, Mexico, France, Belgium and Spain.

The world premiere “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” opened the AFI Fest and the U.S premieres of “The Fabelmans”, directed by AFI Life Achievement Award recipient and Academy Award winning Director Steven Spielberg, closed the 2022 AFI Fest.

A new music single was released by American singer Selena Marie Gomez around the same time of her new film “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me.” Gomez made a public service announcement on Instagram on Oct. 24 that said she would release a new single along with her new Apple TV+ movie documentary under the same name. Gomez’s single release will drop on Nov. 3 at 5 a.m.

Gomez has sold over 210 million singles and has over 45 billion streams of her own music. The debut trailer of the worldwide American singer was released on Apple TV+ in early October.

“My Mind & Me, my new song from the upcoming film on @AppleTVPlus, is out Nov. 3 at 5 a.m. You can pre-save it now,” Gomez said on Instagram.

Additional Red Carpet premieres included “She Said,” directed by Emmy Award winning director Maria Schrader. There are scenes of freeway signs in the city of San Jose in the movie. More additional Red Carpet premieres included “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio”, directed by Academy Award winning director Guillermo del Toro and Emmy Award winner Mark Gustafson, “The Son”, directed by Academy Award winner Florian Zeller, “Bardo, False, Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”, directed by Academy Award winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu, and “Living”, directed by Oliver Hermanus.

Academy Award and nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay served as the Guest Artistic Director at AFI Fest and showcased three independent films centering the voices of female directors. These films included “Yelling to the Sky(2011), directed by Victoria Mahoney and starring Academy Award nominee Gabourey Sidibe and Zoë Kravitz, “Hellion (2014)”, directed by Kat Candler and starring Academy Award nominee Juliette Lewis and Aaron Paul, and “Mosquito Y Mari (2012)”, directed by Aurora Guerrero.

Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson on “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio”:
https://youtu.be/uSZEsFqL40g

Check out AFI’s YouTube channel and the AFI Fest photo gallery here
https://www.youtube.com/user/afi/featured

Check out AFI Fest photo gallery here
https://fest.afi.com/photos/

For additional information about AFI Fest:
https://fest.afi.com/