New Orleans Film Festival Adds A Real Pain, Conclave and 3 More New Titles

The New Orleans Film Festival has added five new titles, including A Real Pain starring Succession‘s Kieran Culkin opposite director, producer and writer Jesse Eisenberg as mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. 

The closing night film will be Conclave from director ​​Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front). It’s a Vatican-set drama about a group of cardinals selecting the next pope, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini and John Lithgow.  

The other new films that join the lineup are Blitz, an exploration of London during World War 2, starring Saoirse Ronan from director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave); Memoir of a Snail, stop-motion animated tragicomedy from director Adam Elliott; and Rebel Nun, a documentary about Louisiana-based Sister Helen Prejean, whose story was the inspiration for the Academy Award–winning feature Dead Man Walking.

The festival’s in-person screenings will take place between Oct. 16-22 at The Broad Theater, Contemporary Art Center and The Prytania Theatres in New Orleans, while virtual screenings will take place globally from Oct. 16-27 through NOFF Virtual Cinema.

Festival tickets go on sale to the public on Oct. 2, while the member pre-sale begins September 2. The full film festival schedule will be announced later this month.

“The New Orleans Film Festival continues to be an important stop on the awards season tour for many films,” says New Orleans Film Society Artistic Director Clint Bowie. “These titles will be coming to New Orleans from prior screenings at top-tier fests like Telluride and Toronto, and we’re excited to provide our audiences with an early look at these sure-to-be awards contenders.”

The festival’s opening night film along with the first wave of programming was previously announced in late August. The opening night film is A King Like Me. Directed by Matthew O. Henderson. It follows members of the Zulu Club, New Orleans’ first Black Mardi Gras krewe, as they work to bring the Zulu parade back to the streets for Mardi Gras Day 2022, in the face of a global pandemic, Hurricane Ida, and the loss of members due to COVID and gun violence. The film will have its Louisiana Premiere on Oct. 16 at the Orpheum Theater.

Other highlights include the North American premiere of Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue directed by Sean O’Malley, about the life and legacy of the famed Louisiana Blue Dog artist, as well as the world premiere of the documentary film Ghetto Children directed by Zac Manuel, following the sons of legendary Southern rap music icons Juvenile, B.G., and Soulja Slim.

Read more about the five new spotlight films below.

Also Read: New Orleans Film Festival Sets First Wave of Titles Including Opening Night Film A King Like Me

More About A Real Pain and the 4 Other Films Joining the New Orleans Film Festival Lineup

Closing Night Film: October 22, Contemporary Arts Center (Time TBD)

Conclave

Dir. Edward Berger, Prod. Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman, Robert Harris, Alice Dawson

From director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.

Spotlight Films:

Blitz

Dir. Steve McQueen, Prod. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Anita Overland, Michael Schaefer, Adam Somner

Sir Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son. 

Memoir of a Snail

Dir. Adam Elliot, Prod. Adam Elliot

In 1970s Australia, Grace’s life is troubled by misfortune and loss. When her family unit falls to pieces and she is separated from her twin brother, Gilbert, she turns to hoarding ornamental snails to ease her loneliness. Grace finds hope when she strikes up a friendship with an elderly eccentric woman called Pinky, who gives her the courage to come out of her shell and step away from the things that overcrowd her home and her mind.From Academy Award-winning animation writer and director Adam Elliot, Memoir of a Snail is a poignant, heartfelt, hilarious chronicle of the life of an outsider finding her confidence and silver linings amongst the clutter of everyday life.

A Real Pain

Dir. Jesse Eisenberg, Prod. Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Semler, Ewa Puszczynska

A Real Pain follows mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.

Rebel Nun

Dir. Dominic Sivyer, Prod. Dominic Sivyer

Sister Helen Prejean was a humble nun from Louisiana who embarked on a controversial battle that changed the world. Now 84 years old, Sister Helen is currently fighting to stop the execution of a Death Row inmate in Oklahoma who even lawmakers are convinced is innocent. A Universal 

Main Image: Ralph Fiennes in Conclave courtesy of New Orleans Film Festival