The eighth edition of First Look, the Museum's acclaimed festival of innovative new international cinema, will include more than two dozen programs, featuring formally inventive new works that seek to redefine the art form while engaging in a wide range of subjects and styles. It opens with the New York premiere of Sergei Loznitsa’s Donbass, a surrealistic journey into the eastern region of Ukraine based on actual events. Loznitza, who won the Un Certain Regard Award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for this film, will appear in person at the screening as well as for the U.S. premiere of his latest documentary, the archival-based The Trial, screening January 12.

The full lineup features both documentary and narrative works, features and shorts, live performances and artist talks, with work hailing from countries including China, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, Slovenia, Denmark, France, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, United Kingdom, The United States, and beyond.

Organized by Film Curator Eric Hynes and Festival Founder David Schwartz 

Tickets: A full Festival pass, good for admission to all films (with the exception of invitation-only Sundance Institute work-in-progress screenings), is available for $45. Opening night is $20 (discounted for Museum members). Unless noted, all other program tickets are $15 (with discounts for seniors and students and free for Museum members at the Film Lover and MoMI Kids Premium levels and above).

For out-of-town guests, Paper Factory Hotel is offering discounts on rooms. Find out more.

Special thanks to Jean-Pierre Rehm, director of FIDMarseille, programming partner of First Look. For their assistance with First Look, the Museum also wishes to thank French Cultural Services of the French Embassy, New York; Christopher Allen and UnionDocs (New York); Stacey Woelfel and Robert Greene of the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism, and Kristin Feeley and Tabitha Jackson of the Sundance Institute.Thanks also to programming colleagues around the world for their providing inspiration and assistance, including, but not limited to, Nicolas Rapold, Film Comment Selects, Bruno Dequen and Charlotte Selb of RIDM, Dorota M. Lech, Toronto Film Festival, Mads Mikkelsen, CPH:DOX, Luke Moody, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Chris Boeckmann, True/False, Meghan Monsour, Ambulante, and Ben Fowlie and Samara Grace Chadwick, Points North Institute. 

The eighth edition of First Look Festival is presented with support from the Harriman Institute and its Ukrainian Studies Program at Columbia University; the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism.