AFI Fest 2011 Preview: 10 to Watch - New Autuers, Young Americans & Midnighters

AFI Fest 2011 kicks off tonight with the world premiere of J. EDGAR. We took a look at that film amongst our Galas & Specials Preview as well as choosing 10 films for our World Cinema Preview. Now we turn our attention to the New Auteurs, Young Americans and Midnight sections for the final part of our AFI Fest Preview series. Check back through the week for more festival coverage, news and reviews.


OSLO, AUGUST 31ST
Without a doubt one of my favorite films of the year, Norwegian master Joachim Trier's Reprise follow-up is a brilliantly subtle tale of addiction that celebrates the beauty of life. The performance by Anders Danielsen Lie is quite simply stunning.
Review | Clips | Trailer


BULLHEAD
One of the real discoveries of the year for me is Belgian director Michael Roskam and his dairy farm underword tour de force. Remember that name (and the film's star Matthias Schoenaerts's) and go see this film.
Review | Trailer


KILL LIST
Ben Wheatley's follow-up to his debut hit Down Terrace is a contract killer thriller that starts steady on the rails and then goes careening off to crazytown. If you like that kind of thing, you'll love this movie.
Review | Trailer


SNOWTOWN
Justin Kurzel's Australian serial killer drama covers some pretty shocking territory - but does it without any flare of exploitation. This one will stay with you.
Review | Trailer


BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW
Panos Cosmatos's 80s throw back sci-fi lo-fi is pretty damn difficult to accurately describe - so I'll let Associate Director of Programming Lane Kneedler's words speak for themselves: "I can't wait until they put out a VHS tape of it and I'm just gonna have it on in the background of my office all the time."
Review


DRAGONSLAYER
Tristan Patterson's doc looks to tell the story of its skate punk subject with ton of SoCal style.
Review | Trailer


HEADHUNTERS
Morten Tyldum's Norwegian art heist actioner was one of the big hits of Fantastic Fest. It also co-stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, better known to audiences on these shores as Jaime Lannister from Game of Thrones.
Review | Trailer


HANAAN
Although it didn't make much of a splash at Toronto, Uzbeki-Korean director Ruslan Pak's police thriller set in Uzbekistan is one of the most mysteriously interesting sounding films of the fest.


THE LONLIEST PLANET
Gael Garcia Bernal stars in Julia Loktev's film about a couple out for a hike in Georgia's (the country, not the state) Caucasus Mountains.


GREEN
Sophia Takal's debut feature tells the story of a woman struggling with insecurities when she moves to the country with her city dweller boyfriend. A very Mumblecore production, Kate Lyn Sheil and Lawrence Michael Levine star alongside Takal.

A few more features in these sections include Clay Liford's substitute teacher comedy which stars Nate Rubin alongside Arrested Development's Tony Hale in WUSS, Bill Morrison's avant-garde assembled footage rendition of Frankenstein, SPARK OF BEING, and Markus Schleinzer's subtle Austrian pedophile creeper MICHAEL.