Every year, there are an exorbitant amount of titles that get plenty of attention on the festival circuit but don’t manage to make it to the multiplex until the next year. The delayed release of these titles sometimes makes them fall off the radar by the end of the next year, hence the tendency for critics to compile a separate list for them (for instance, many of us might consider some excellent 2012 theatrical releases like Killer Joe, ALPS, or Once Upon a Time in Anatolia as 2011 titles). We’ll be releasing our Most Anticipated Films list of 2013 shortly, but looking ahead, here is a list of 25 of the best and most anticipated 2012 festival films (with distribution) that we look forward to revisiting in the coming year:
25. The Iceman – Dir. Ariel Vromen (US)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival – 2012
US Distributor: Millennium Entertainment
Release Date: TBA
24. Pieta – Dir. Kim Ki-Duk (South Korea)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival – 2012
US Distributor: Drafthouse Films
Release Date: TBA
23. Reality – Dir. Matteo Garrone (Italy)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
US Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures
Release Date: TBA
22. Laurence Anyways – Dir. Xavier Dolan (Canada)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Un Certain Regard 2012
US Distributor: Breaking Glass Pictures
Release Date: TBA
21. Museum Hours – Dir. Jem Cohen (US)
Premiered: Locarno Film Festival – 2012
US Distributor: The Cinema Guild
Release Date: TBA
20. The Act of Killing – Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer (US)
Premiered: Telluride Film Festival – 2012
US Distributor: Drafthouse Films
Release Date: TBA
19. Frances Ha – Dir. Noah Baumbach (US)
Premiered: Telluride Film Festival – 2012
US Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: May, 17th
18. A Hijacking – Dir. Tobias Lindholm (Denmark)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: TBA
17. Something In the Air – Dir. Olivier Assayas (France)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: TBA
16. Leviathan – Dir. Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Verena Paravel (US/UK)
Premiered: Locarno Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: The Cinema Guild
Release Date: March 1st
15. Blancanieves – Dir. Pablo Berger (Spain)
Premiered: Toronto Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Release Date: TBA
14. In the Fog – Dir. Sergei Loznitsa (Russia)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
US Distributor: Strand Releasing
Release Date: TBA
13. It’s a Disaster – Dir. Todd Berger (US)
Premiered: Los Angeles Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures
Release Date: TBA
12. Sightseers – Dir. Ben Wheatley (UK)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Directors’ Fortnight 2012
US Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: TBA
11. Room 237 – Dir. Rodney Ascher (US)
Premiered: Sundance Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: TBA
10. Simon Killer – Dir. Antonio Campos (US)
Premiered: Sundance Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: IFC Films
Release Date: April
9. No – Dir. Pablo Larrain (Chile)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Directors’ Fortnight 2012
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: February 13, 2013
8. Mud – Dir. Jeff Nichols (US)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
US Distributor: Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions
Release Date: TBA
7. Stories We Tell – Dir. Sarah Polley (Canada)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: TBA
6. Spring Breakers – Dir. Harmony Korine (US)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Annapurna Pictures
Release Date: TBA
5. The Place Beyond the Pines – Dir. Derek Cianfrance (US)
Premiered: Toronto Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: March 29, 2013
4. Paradise: Love – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Release Date: TBA
3. Beyond the Hills – Dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
US Distributor: Sundance Selects
Release Date: March 15, 2013
2. Post Tenebras Lux – Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
Premiered: Cannes Film Festival – Main Competition 2012
US Distributor: Strand Releasing
Release Date: May 1, 2013
1. Paradise: Faith – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
Premiered: Venice Film Festival 2012
US Distributor: Strand Releasing
Release Date: TBA
