AFI FEST 2011 line up

AFI FEST, celebrating it's 25th edition as a showcase of the most highly anticipated films and performances of the year, today announced its line-up of conversations, presentations and digital alliances. Adding depth and discussion to its screenings schedule, AFI FEST offers three exceptional Conversations and Presentations with Hollywood's leading talent and visionaries as well as exciting, cutting-edge digital initiatives.

The Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable celebrates film's brightest stars on Friday, November 4. Kirsten Dunst (MELANCHOLIA), Armie Hammer (J. EDGAR), Evan Rachel Wood (THE IDES OF MARCH) and Anton Yelchin (LIKE CRAZY) will engage in a lively discussion with The Los Angeles Times' Amy Kaufman on life in the industry and being thrust into awards competition.

At Two Visions of the West on November 5 featuring THE CANADIAN and TRAIL OF THE VIGILANTES, AFI Catalog of Feature Films editor and film historian Robert Birchard and a special guest will explore two distinct and divergent visions of the West through the rich legacy of American film and its rediscovered hidden gems.

The Sony 3D Technology Center's Senior Vice President Buzz Hays returns with 3D Bootcamp on November 6, an open seminar covering the fundamentals of 3D's tools and techniques with an emphasis on the importance of storytelling in the third dimension.

In alliance with AFI FEST, Variety will present the Film Technology Summit on November 7 and the Future of Film Summit on November 8. The conferences will bring together an exclusive group of industry thought-leaders to discuss the latest innovations in entertainment and the current state of the industry.

AFI FEST also announced the return of its hugely popular "Secret Screening," a sneak peek of a high-profile filmmaker's latest work, to be unspooled at 9:30 p.m. on November 6. Sponsored by Pepsi, AFI FEST will roll out the red carpet for all ticket holders to walk. The film selected will be revealed the morning of the screening, but tickets are available online now at AFI.com/AFIFEST.

This year, AFI FEST offers many digital media options to delve deeper into the festival experience.

Available exclusively through iTunes, the AFI FEST "App" sponsored by AT&T offers film goers access to the festival's schedule, movie synopses and images, as well as the latest AFI FEST news, all from their mobile devices. In addition, AFI FEST has teamed with the digital media platforms MUBI, GetGlue and BuzzMob for festival goers to actively engage with their favorite AFI FEST films online: MUBI, in celebration of AFI FEST's 25th edition, is accessing their extensive library to showcase and stream 25 retrospective titles that have screened at AFI FEST in previous years; GetGlue enables the festival's audience to check-in at festival films and redeem prizes at the AT&T Box Office; and BuzzMob connects the audience with festival filmmakers through real-time chats and on-site interviews.

To mark the 25th edition of AFI FEST, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is hosting a unique lounge with an array of curated events in the Central Courtyard of the Hollywood and Highland Center.  Open for the duration of the festival, the lounge will feature AFI FEST trailers and Cosmopolitan digital content as well as activities including croquet, billiards and a Q&A with SHAME director Steve McQueen and film critic Elvis Mitchell on November 10 at 3:00 p.m.  Patrons can stop by to register for exclusive giveaways including AFI FEST premiere passes, and a grand prize package of concert tickets and a two-night stay in a terrace suite at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

AFI FEST kicks off awards-season with presentations that spotlight the works of film masters, moving image icons and breakthrough talents. For the third consecutive year, AFI FEST will continue its unprecedented offer of free tickets to all screenings; passes are also on sale to ensure access to select films. AFI members receive a 10% discount on all festival passes. Information about AFI membership is available at AFI.com/membership. The American Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural organization, and passes are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Individual tickets and passes to AFI FEST screenings, galas and other events are now available online at AFI.com/AFIFEST and in person at the AT&T Box Office at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood. A limited number of tickets to sold-out films will be available online 24 hours in advance of the screening and at the AT&T Box Office the day of the screening. Rush lines begin forming one hour before the scheduled screening start times.

AFI FEST will take place November 3 through 10 in Hollywood, California at the historic Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America's promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers.

AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts. AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and Archive, the AFI Life Achievement Award, now in it's 40th year, AFI Awards, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, AFI Fest presented by Audi, celebrating its 25th edition this fall, AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs, AFI Silver Theatre and the AFI Conservatory, which was named the # 1 film school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter.

Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.