Noble patina. The American Classics section at the 16th AFF
Like a frisbee tossed across a suburban lawn, the story of the suburbs keeps returning—circling back as we stroll through familiar streets and greet new neighbors. But every neighborhood has its landmarks too: places steeped in memory, history, and myth. That’s why the 16th American Film Festival (November 6–11) introduces the American Classics section—a celebration of timeless cinema.
During the festival, you’ll not only catch what's buzzing now, but also what thrilled audiences a decade—or five— ago. From Hitchcock’s masterpiece to the undisputed king of midnight movies, to a millennial-era cult favorite, these films remind us how powerfully cinema endures.
Fasten your seatbelts and take a trip back in time—best enjoyed with a festival pass. Hurry, only a few remain!
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Flights, apocalypses, creepy rabbits, and real cowboys
These films need no plot summaries, rhetorical gymnastics, or extra persuasion—no one (especially the AFF community) needs to be reminded that cinema classics are worth watching. In the case of several titles, we have special reasons to show them during this year's edition of the event.
We’ve already mentioned Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, perfectly paired with Kim Novak’s Vertigo, Alexandre O. Philippe’s latest documentary. To mark their 50th anniversary, we’ll also revisit two cult favorites from 1975: Miloš Forman’s Oscar-sweeping One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a film that’s lit up countless midnight screenings. Finally, we’ll honor the late Robert Redford with a screening of George Roy Hill’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The lineup continues with Francis Ford Coppola’s epic Apocalypse Now: Final Cut—a fitting inclusion given that the director himself is the subject of Megadoc, also featured at this year’s AFF—echoed by Christopher Radcliffe’s We Were the Scenery, alongside Michael Cimino’s monumental The Deer Hunter and Richard Kelly’s apocalyptic mind-bender Donnie Darko, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.
And, of course, when it comes to film classics, there’s no better guide than Michał Oleszczyk, supporter of the American Classics section. Our thanks go to Michał—may his passion inspire you to dive into cinema history through these films and his SpoilerMaster podcast, including episodes devoted to titles featured in the section.
The 16th American Film Festival runs from November 6–11, 2025, at the New Horizons Cinema in Wrocław. The full program will be announced on October 21, with ticket sales opening two days later, on October 23 at noon, for both on-site screenings and online access.
