All Your Downtown Faves Are Coming To This New Festival — EXCLUSIVE

Every year, Hollywood superstars fuel up their jets and hit the seasonal lineup of film festivals, whether they’re walking the red carpet in fur-trimmed puffers in Park City or in couture at Cannes. But now, there’s a new kid on the circuit that’s bringing all your favorite New Yorkers together — including Chloë Sevigny, Julian Casablancas, and Lucien Smith — right in their own backyard.

From Oct. 4 to 20, The Downtown Festival will feature movie screenings, live music from artists like Malice K, panel discussions, and special events throughout lower Manhattan in a zany and stylish celebration of the city's coolest independent artists. Kicking off at the Roxy Cinema, the proceedings commence with the world premiere of Jeffrey Scotti Schroeder’s Or Something starring Subway Takes’ Kareem Rahma, followed by a Q&A moderated by Jeremy O. Harris. Day two continues with Light Falls by Phedon Papamichael and a panel discussion moderated by Beach Fossils’ Jack Doyle Smith and Tommy Davidson. Later, Sevigny is set to moderate a post-showing discussion of Alexi Wasser’s feature-film directorial debut Messy (there’s also an afterparty during which The Ion Pack will DJ). The final day of screenings includes The Code by Eugene Kotlyarenko and ZOPA by Victoria Imperioli.

Together, the festival aims to champion indie filmmakers and their offbeat projects in a system that “doesn’t work,” founder Rebekah Sherman-Myntti tells NYLON. “Corporations have become the de facto patrons of the arts,” Rahma adds. “But the Downtown Festival represents a return to form — a celebration of art and culture in the heart of downtown New York City.”