The 51st New York Film Festival took place from September 27 to October 13, 2013, in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center.
The festival's opening film was Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips. Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was the festival's centerpiece. While Spike Jonze's Her was the festival's closing film.
Appearing in NYFF's "Main Slate" for the first time were: agnès b., Alain Guiraudie, Ben Stiller, Corneliu Porumboiu, Declan Lowney, James Franco, Jehane Noujaim, J. C. Chandor, Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, Lav Diaz, Ralph Fiennes, Richard Curtis, Rithy Panh, and Sebastián Lelio.
The Festival also included talks with Richard Curtis, James Gray, Paul Greengrass, Agnieszka Holland, and Frederick Wiseman.
It was the first edition of the Festival following the retirement of longtime festival Artistic director Richard Peña, succeeded by Kent Jones. The lineup saw a larger Main Slate selection than prior years, the addition of the documentary and "Emerging Artists" sections, and the renaming of the previous "Masterworks" program as "Revivals".
The Jean-Luc Godard retrospective was programmed by Kent Jones and Jake Perlin, and Views from the Avant-Garde was programmed by Mark McElhatten. Convergence was curated by Matt Bolish and Eugene Hernandez.
Official Selections The primary selection committee included Kent Jones (chair), Dennis Lim, Marian Masone, Gavin Smith, and Amy Taubin.
Main Slate The following films were selected: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryAbout TimeRichard CurtisUnited KingdomAbuse of WeaknessAbus de FaiblesseCatherine BreillatFrance, Germany, BelgiumAlan Partridge: Alpha PapaDeclan LowneyUnited Kingdom, FranceAll Is LostJ. C. ChandorUnited StatesAmerican PromiseJoe Brewster and Michèle StephensonUnited StatesAt BerkeleyFrederick WisemanUnited StatesBastardsLes SalaudsClaire DenisFrance, GermanyBlue Is the Warmest ColourLa Vie d'Adèle – Chapitres 1 & 2Abdellatif KechicheFrance, Belgium, SpainBurning BushHořící keřAgnieszka HollandCzech RepublicCaptain Phillips (opening film)Paul GreengrassUnited StatesChild of GodJames FrancoGloriaSebastián LelioChile, SpainHer (closing film)Spike JonzeUnited StatesThe ImmigrantJames GrayInside Llewyn DavisJoel and Ethan CoenThe Invisible WomanRalph FiennesUnited KingdomJealousyLa JalousiePhilippe GarrelFranceJimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains IndianArnaud DesplechinLe Week-EndRoger MichellUnited Kingdom, FranceThe Last of the UnjustLe dernier des injustesClaude LanzmannFrance, AustriaLike Father, Like Sonそして父になるHirokazu Kore-edaJapanThe Missing Pictureរូបភាពដែលបាត់បង់Rithy PanhCambodia, FranceMy Name Is Hmmm...Je m'appelle Hmmm...agnès b.FranceNebraskaAlexander PayneUnited StatesNobody's Daughter Haewon누구의 딸도 아닌 해원Hong Sang-sooSouth KoreaNorte, the End of HistoryNorte, hangganan ng kasaysayanLav DiazPhilippinesOmarعمرHany Abu-AssadPalestineOnly Lovers Left AliveJim JarmuschUnited Kingdom, GermanyRealリアル〜完全なる首長竜の日〜 Kiyoshi KurosawaJapanThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty (centerpiece)Ben StillerUnited StatesThe SquareالميدانJehane NoujaimEgypt, United StatesStranger by the LakeL'Inconnu du lacAlain GuiraudieFranceStray Dogs郊遊Tsai Ming-liangTaiwan, FranceA Touch of Sin天注定Jia ZhangkeChina, Japan, FranceWhen Evening Falls on Bucharest or MetabolismCând se lasă seara peste București sau MetabolismCorneliu PorumboiuRomaniaThe Wind Rises風立ちぬHayao MiyazakiJapan
Special Events The following films were selected: TitleDirectorProduction Country12 Years a SlaveSteve McQueenUnited Kingdom, United States, LuxembourgBlue JasmineWoody AllenUnited StatesDazed and Confused (1993)Richard Linklater Spotlight on Documentary The following films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryApplied ScienceGoogle and the World BrainBen LewisUnited Kingdom, Spain, GermanyParticle FeverMark LevinsonUnited StatesTim's VermeerTellerHow Democracy Works NowAin't the AFL for Nothin''' | rowspan="10" |Michael Camerini and Shari Robertson | rowspan="10" |United States |- | colspan="2" |Brothers and Rivals|- | colspan="2" |The Game Is On|- | colspan="2" |The Kids Across the Hill|- | colspan="2" |Last Best Chance|- | colspan="2" |Marking Up the Dream|- | colspan="2" |Mountains and Clouds|- | colspan="2" |Protecting Arizona|- | colspan="2" |Sam in the Snow|- | colspan="2" |The Senate Speaks|- ! colspan="4" |Motion Portraits |- | colspan="2" |23 August 2008 (short) |Laura Mulvey, Faysal Abdullah and Mark Lewis |United Kingdom |- | colspan="2" |Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil le Clercq|Nancy Buirski | rowspan="2" |United States |- | colspan="2" |The Dog|Allison Berg and Frank Keraudren |- |Fifi Howls From Happiness|فیفی از خوشحالی زوزه میکشد |Mitra Farahani |France, United States |- |In the Dark Room|Die Frau des Schakals|Nadav Schirman |Germany, Israel, Finland, Romania, Italy |- | colspan="2" |Manakamana|Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez |United States |- |What Now? Remind Me|E Agora? Lembra-me|Joaquim Pinto |Portugal |- | colspan="2" |Who Is Dayani Cristal?''Marc SilverUnited States, Mexico
Emerging Artists The following films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryArchipelago (2010)Joanna HoggUnited KingdomClub Sandwich (2013)Club sándwichFernando EimbckeMexicoDuck Season (2004)Temporada de patosFernando EimbckeMexicoExhibition (2013)Joanna HoggUnited KingdomLake Tahoe (2008)Fernando EimbckeMexicoUnrelated (2007)Joanna HoggUnited Kingdom Shorts Program The following short films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryProgram 19-meterAnders WalterDenmarkThe Air MattressDavid KestinUnited StatesMy Mind's Own MelodyJosh WakelyAustraliaOpen HouseDavid KestinUnited StatesSamnangAsaph PolonskyTryoutsSusana CasaresProgram 2#PostModemJillian Mayer and Lucas LeyvaUnited StatesBasicallyAri AsterButter LampLa lampe au beurre de yakHu WeiFranceCarnyAnimadorFernanda ChicoletBrazilFrayedGeorgia OakleyUnited KingdomSubconscious PasswordChris LandrethCanadaUncle Şeref and His ShadowŞeref Dayı ve GölgesiBuğra DedeoğluTurkeyProgram 3L'AssenzaJonathan RomneyUnited KingdomAujourd'huiNicolas SaadaFranceThe Man Who Came Out Only At NightMichael AlmereydaUnited StatesWhiplashDamien ChazelleProgram 4The King's BodyO Corpo de AfonsoJoão Pedro RodriguesPortugalPrologue to the Great DesaparecidoPrologo sa ang Dakilang DesaparecidoLav DiazPhilippinesRedemptionMiguel GomesPortugal Revivals The following films were selected: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryThe Age of Innocence (1993)Martin ScorseseUnited StatesBoy Meets Girl (1984)Leos CaraxFranceThe Chase (1946)Arthur RipleyUnited StatesThe Lusty Men (1952)Nicholas RayManila in the Claws of Light (1975)Maynila: Sa mga kuko ng liwanagLino BrockaPhilippinesMauvais Sang (1986)Leos CaraxFranceMysterious Object at Noon (2000)ดอกฟ้าในมือมารApichatpong WeerasethakulThailandProvidence (1977)Alain ResnaisFrance, SwitzerlandSandra (1965)Vaghe stelle dell'OrsaLuchino ViscontiItalyThe Sound of Fury (1950)Cy EndfieldUnited StatesThey Live by Night (1948)Nicholas Ray
Retrospective The following films were selected for the Jean-Luc Godard Retrospective, which was divided in two sections:
Feature films and paired shorts English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production CountryAlphaville (1965)Alphaville: une étrange aventure de Lemmy CautionJean-Luc GodardFranceArmide (1987)Band of Outsiders (1964)Bande à partThe Book of Mary (1985)Le Livre de MarieAnne-Marie MiévilleFrance, SwitzerlandBreathless (1960)À bout de souffleJean-Luc GodardFranceBritish Sounds (See You at Mao) (1969)Camera-Eye [from Far from Vietnam] (1967)Caméra-oeilThe Carabineers (1963)Les CarabiniersLa Chinoise (1967)La Chinoise, ou plutôt à la Chinoise: un film en train de se faireCiné-tracts [selections] (1968)Contempt (1963)Le MéprisFrance, ItalyDétective (1985)FranceEvery Man for Himself (1980)Sauve qui peut (la vie)Switzerland, FranceA Film Like Any Other (1968)Un Film comme les autresFranceFilm Socialisme (2010)France, SwitzerlandFirst Name: Carmen (1983)Prénom CarmenFranceFor Ever Mozart (1996)France, SwitzerlandFrance/Tour/Detour/Two Children (1978)France/tour/détour/deux enfantsFranceGermany Year 90 Nine Zero (1991)Allemagne année 90 neuf zéroHail Mary (1985)Je vous salue, MarieFrance, SwitzerlandHere and Elsewhere (1976)Ici et ailleursFranceHistory(s) of the Cinema (1988–1998)Histoire(s) du cinémaFrance, SwitzerlandHow's it going (1976)Comment ça vaFranceIn Praise of Love (2001)Eloge de l'amourFrance, SwitzerlandHail Sarajevo (1993)Je vous salue SarajevoFranceJLG/JLG: Self-Portrait in December (1994)JLG/JLG, autoportrait de décembreJoy of Learning (1969)Le Gai SavoirKing Lear (1987)United StatesKeep Your Right Up (1987)Soigne ta droiteFranceLetter to Freddy Buache (1982)Lettre à Freddy BuacheLetter to Jane (1972)Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre GorinMade in U.S.A. (1966)Jean-Luc GodardA Married Woman (1964)Une femme mariéeMasculin Féminin (1966)Notre musique (2004)France, SwitzerlandNouvelle Vague (1990)Switzerland, FranceNumber Two (1975)Numéro deuxFranceOh Woe Is Me (1993)Hélas pour moiFrance, SwitzerlandPassion (1982)Le petit soldat (1960)FrancePierrot le Fou (1965)Pravda (1969)West Germany, FranceThe Rise and Fall of a Small Film Company (1986)Grandeur et décadence d'un petit commerce de cinémaFrance, SwitzerlandSix Times Two: Over and Under Communication (1976)Six fois deux, sur et sous la communicationFranceSmall Notes Regarding the Film Hail Mary (1983)Petites notes à propos du film Je vous salue, MarieFrance, SwitzerlandStruggle in Italy (1971)Luttes en Italie Italy, FranceSympathy for the Devil (1968)United KingdomTout Va Bien (1972)Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre GorinFranceTwo or Three Things I Know About Her (1967)Deux ou trois choses que je sais d'elleJean-Luc GodardVivre sa vie (1962)A Woman Is a Woman (1961)Une femme est une femmeWeekend (1967)Wind from the East (1970)Le Vent d'estItaly, France, West GermanyVladimir and Rosa (1971)Vladimir et RosaFrance, West Germany
Short films