Sept. 15, 19, Oct. 19: “The Lehman Trilogy,” a unique event in which the UK’s National Theater presents a film of a live performance of Stefano Massini’s three-play cycle limning the rise and fall of Lehman Brothers, directed by Sam Mendes, with a stellar London cast that includes Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles. Screenings at Skirball Center at NYU, BAM and Symphony Space. ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Sept. 20: “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” A new documentary about one of the most reviled figures and venerated cult heroes in 20th-century American political life. Matt Tyrnauer lets the brilliant but utterly amoral Cohn hang himself with his own tongue, tracing his dark career from his days with Sen. Joseph McCarthy up to his final project, the reinvention of Donald J. Trump. Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St., filmforum.org.
Sept. 27-Oct. 13: The 57th annual New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. New films by Noah Baumbach, Lapid Arnaud Desplechin, a showcase of the challenging 16mm films of the late Jonathan Schwartz, a new documentary by Manfred Kirchheimer (“We Were So Beloved”), a documentary portrait of Oliver Sacks and retrospectives including Robert Altman’s masterpiece “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” and Bert Stern’s magical “Jazz on a Summer’s Day.” And that’s just the Jewish films and filmmakers. Truly one of the indispensable New York film events. filmlinc.org/nyff2019/.
Sept. 29-Oct.1 and Oct. 25-31: “Synonyms” is a tragicomic thriller about a young Israeli just arrived in Paris and trying his darnedest to fit in. It is based on the experiences of writer/director Nadav Lapid. Screening at the New York Film Festival starting Sept. 29 before late-October runs at Quad Cinema and Film at Lincoln Center. www.kinolorber.com
Oct. 18: “JoJo Rabbit,” an unlikely comedy about Hitler and the German army, directed by the clever Taika Waititi. Briefly put, it’s the story of a young German soldier who discovers that his mother is hiding a young Jewish girl. Waititi is such a gifted comedy director that he might just pull it off. Theater TBA.
Oct. 21: The grand reopening of the Museum of Modern Art. We’ve been bereft of one of the major film venues in the city for many months now, but the long wait is over and the latest revisions to the space are all but done. MoMA, 11 W. 53rd St., moma.org.
Nov. 8: In “Honey Boy,” Israeli director Alma Hir’el makes her first foray into fiction films with this coming-of-age story scripted by and starring Shia Le Beouf, based on his own childhood. Theater TBA.
Early December: “Letter to the Editor,” the newest film from Alan Berliner, is a quirky, often funny trawl through the past 40 years of history, using photos from the pages of The New York Times. Exclusively on HBO, date TBA.
Dec. 13: “Uncut Gems.” A potentially fruitful pairing of the Safdie Brothers with Adam Sandler in a dark comedy about life and crime in New York’s Diamond District. Theater TBA.
Dec. 25: “The Song of Names,” a dark tale of friendship bordering on brotherhood, set during and around the Shoah, with an outstanding cast headed by Tim Roth and Clive Owen, centered in the world of classical music. Directed by Francois Girard (“The Red Violin”). Theater TBA.
January: The New York Jewish Film Festival, the annual gathering of new and neglected Jewish films presented by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Walter Reade Theatre, 165 W. 65th St. (between Amsterdam Ave. and Broadway).
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