The New Hampshire Film Festival has set its lineup for 2024, and it includes Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch and an evening with Succession actor Alan Ruck.

Taking place from Oct. 17-20 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the 22nd annual festival includes over 100 independent films.

“We are incredibly proud of the lineup of films selected this year. Among the many highlights, we are thrilled to be screening Academy Award-winning director Andrea Arnold’s latest feature Bird, a British drama bridging social realism and surrealism starring the brilliant Barry Keoghan, as well as Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch, featuring a fearless Amy Adams,” NHFF Founding Director Nicole Gregg says.

“These join a lineup of films that have premiered at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including Sundance, Cannes, and Venice. It’s pretty remarkable, and it’s right here in Portsmouth.”

On Oct. 18, the festival will present an evening with actor Alan Ruck. He recently re-emerged into the limelight with Succession, on which he plays Connor Roy, following turns in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) and Speed (1994). His appearance will include a Q&A giving insights from his long career.

NHFF lead programmer Ian McCarthy is excited about the stacked lineup.

“From the electrifying La Cocina, a black-and-white tragicomedy set in a Times Square restaurant featuring an unexpected turn from Rooney Mara, to Mistress Dispeller, a Chinese documentary following a woman hired to break up extramarital affairs, our 2024 lineup is more vibrant and audacious than ever,” McCarthy says.

“Eephus, a baseball drama directed by critic-turned-filmmaker and Nashua native Carson Lund premiered at Cannes, won raves, and we’re lucky to be hosting its home-state premiere at NHFF. Tracie Laymon’s SXSW winner Bob Trevino Likes It, starring Barbie Ferreira as a young woman who develops an unlikely bond with a man she meets on Facebook who shares her father’s name—played by the great John Leguizamo—had our programmers fighting back tears. There are so many other films we’re excited to share. It’s an embarrassment of riches.”

This year, the arts and entertainment nonprofit Music Hall is taking charge of running the festival, which is Oscar-qualifying in the Animated Short and Live Action Short Film categories.

“We are carrying forward the tradition that has made this event such an important and beloved part of Portsmouth’s cultural identity,” says Music Hall Executive Director Tina Sawtelle.

“Since its founding in 2001, the NHFF has grown into one of New England’s most highly-anticipated events. This festival is a true celebration of cinema, drawing thousands of attendees to Portsmouth each year, with carefully curated films, dynamic panel discussions, and vibrant events that both entertain and inspire.”

More About the 22nd New Hampshire Film Festival

NHFF Daytime Marquee by Ryan Klink

The Gallery at Jimmy’s in Portsmouth will serve as NHFF’s official headquarters in downtown Portsmouth. The first day, Oct. 17, will be dedicated to films that have a New Hampshire connection. The other three days will be focused on genres including narrative, documentary, and shorts. Screening venues include The Music Hall Historic Theater, The Music Hall Lounge, 3S Artspace, Moffatt-Ladd House, and St John’s Episcopal Church. 

“The caliber of our special guests and the levels of creativity and diversity in our film program astound me. More than half of this year’s feature films are directed by women. We have Pierce, a Taiwanese fencing thriller. Rent Free, an Austin-set queer buddy comedy. It Was All a Dream, a documentary with never-before-seen footage of the golden era of hip-hop. And closer to home, 39 films with New Hampshire connections, a testament to the thriving creative community right here in our state,” Sawtelle adds.

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Other conversations in addition to Ruck include a new session led by professional stunt coordinator and performer Amy Greene, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the stunt industry through demonstration, discussion, and Q&A.

This year’s comedy panel is hosted by Eliza Coupe and presented by The Morning Buzz radio show. Other panel topics include working in New England’s production field, producing content for public television, strategies for getting films to different audiences, and an intimate chat with some of this year’s filmmakers.

“Part of our mission is to provide a platform for filmmakers to advance their craft, promote to industry leaders and engage with festival attendees. This year’s roster of discussions, guest panelists and jury members is one of our most exciting, including distinguished NHFF alumni such as Michael Almereyda, Alex Ross Perry and Alicia Witt,” says NHFF Co-Founder & Industry Curator Dan Hannon.

You can find tickets to the festival here or at the Music Hall’s downtown Ticketing Hub at 134 Congress Street in Portsmouth.

See the full lineup of films at here.

Main Image: Nicole Gregg, NHFF Founding Director and Tina Sawtelle, Music Hall Executive Director by Jason Corkum