Lord and Miller Named AFI FEST 2026 Guest Artistic Directors
The American Film Institute announced Phil Lord and Chris Miller will serve as Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST 2026, curating a film series and
The American Film Institute (AFI) announced on September 23, 2026, that filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller will be the Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST 2026. The Academy Award-winning duo will curate a selection of films and host a special evening event at the festival.
AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale praised the directors in the announcement. "Project Hail Mary answered the prayers of movie lovers this year," Gazzale said. "And it is AFI’s honor to welcome two of the most inventive, entertaining and impactful storytellers in the world to AFI FEST 2026."
Festival Program and Curated Films
Lord and Miller's role includes curating a series of films that inspired their work on Project Hail Mary. Their selections are Harold and Maude from 1971, The Muppet Movie from 1979, and Rififi from 1955.
The directors will also host An Evening with Lord and Miller on Saturday, October 24. The event at the TCL Chinese Theatre will feature a Q&A session followed by a screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
We feel so lucky to be the Guest Artistic Directors for AFI FEST 2026, Lord and Miller stated. After years of dragging our friends and families to screenings of films we love, we are delighted to get to do it for hundreds of strangers.
AFI FEST 2026 Schedule and Highlights
The 40th edition of AFI FEST will run from October 21 to October 25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. The festival will open with the U.S. Premiere of Wildwood and close with Being Heumann. It will also feature the world premiere of The Mosquito Bowl as a Red Carpet Premiere.
The full festival lineup, which includes Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries, and Short Films, will be announced on September 29.
Pass Options and Ticket Sales
Festival passes are now available for purchase. According to the AFI, attendees can choose from three pass tiers, each offering different levels of access.
Individual tickets for screenings will go on sale October 3. Passes and tickets are available through the festival's official website.
Lord and Miller join a prestigious list of past Guest Artistic Directors including Pedro Almodóvar, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, and David Lynch.
