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Photos: NYFF53 Begins with Murder Mysteries, Virtual Reality, Mars Missions, and a Famed Tightrope Walker

By Alex Hunter on September 28, 2015 in Convergence, NYFF

Director Robert Zemeckis and cast introduce the world premiere of The Walk on opening night. Photo by Philip May.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt greets some eager fans by the red carpet. Photo by Silvia Saponaro
Philippe Petit has some fun on the red carpet. Photo by Philip May.
Robert Zemeckis and the cast of The Walk. Photo by Julie Cunnah.
NYFF Director Kent Jones, The Walk star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Film Society Executive Director Lesli Klainberg. Photo by Godlis.
Robert Zemeckis and the cast of The Walk. Photo by Julie Cunnah.
The audience takes in The Walk in glorious 3-D. Photo by Haley Mednick.
Photo by Silvia Saponaro
Virtual reality short film The Doghouse at NYFF Convergence. Photo by Silvia Saponaro
The Deeper They Bury Me with Harry Belafonte. Photo by Lindsey Seide.
Lucasfilm's Diana Williams discusses new forms of storytelling. Photo by Silvia Saponaro.
Convergence attendees check out indie games at the Gamescape Arcade. Photo by Silvia Saponaro.
Nanni Moretti and John Turturro discuss Mia Madre in Alice Tully Hall. Photo by Mettie Ostrowski.
John Turturro autographs his 20x24 Polaroid portrait. Photo by John Reuter.
Ariane Labed, Rachel Weisz, and Yorgos Lanthimos at a Q&A for The Lobster. Photo by Mettie Ostrowski.
Rachel Weisz snaps a 20x24 polaroid of her The Lobster collaborators Ariane Labed and Yorgos Lanthimos. Photo by John Reuter.
Kristen Wiig poses with a fan before our sneak preview of The Martian. Photo by Lindsey Seide.
Ridley Scott introduces The Martian. Photo by Mettie Ostrowski.
Chiwetel Ejiofor before our sneak preview of The Martian. Photo by Lindsey Seide.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Kristen Wiig meet on The Martian red carpet. Photo by Godlis.
Kate Mara on The Martian red carpet. Photo by Lindsey Seide.
Usher on The Martian red carpet. Photo by Philip May.

Between the opening night world premiere of The Walk, a sneak preview of The Martian, free Convergence installations, and an abundance of live talks and panels, NYFF53 kicked off with events for every kind of attendee. Eager fans awaited Robert Zemeckis and cast for The Walk‘s red carpet as others participated in an interactive murder mystery across Lincoln Center. Lucasfilm’s Diana Williams discussed new forms of storytelling through technology as others experienced it with virtual reality in The Doghouse. Take a look at some of the highlights from the first weekend of the 53rd New York Film Festival before joining us to see for yourself.