Film Comment Selects is an annual program hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and curated by the editors and writers of Film Comment magazine. It aims to provide a cutting-edge lineup of eclectic and international films, many of which have appeared on the international film festival circuit and been championed in the magazine but have yet to gain distribution. The program first appeared as a one-off event in March 2000, organized by editor Richard T. Jameson and showcasing the most significant films and filmmakers of the past decade. Gavin Smith and Kent Jones added three New York premieres to the roster (Lars von Trier’s The Idiots, Manoel de Oliveira’s Inquiétude, Abbas Kiarostami’s The Wind Will Carry Us), and based on its success, it was revived in 2002, remaining an annual event at the Film Society of Lincoln Center ever since. In recent years, the program has extended its focus on little-seen international discoveries to also include avant-garde selections, retrospectives of overlooked or underrated artists, previews of films that are soon to be released, and conversations with directors and actors.

Past programs

March 2000

Top of the World: Film Comment Magazine Selects the Most Important Films and Filmmakers of the Nineties

Special events

2002

Focus on New Japanese Cinema

2003

2004

2005

Bulle Ogier Tribute

2006

Focus on Elaine May

2007

2008

Spotlight on Richard Fleischer

Mondo Packard

Other special programs

2009

Special Retrospectives

Double Trouble: Joel DeMott and Jeff Kreines

Guy Debord

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Focus on Christian Petzold

Healthcare Mayhem Double Feature