Films were selected from 29 countries, and the festival will introduce no fewer than 24 world premieres. Some of the films come by way of Venice Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride and SXSW. The Opening Night film will showcase Julia Roberts in Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt. Curious to know if any themes could be found in the submissions, Mantooth shared that trauma/abuse and working through it with strength and emerging with resilience was a common thread. Mantooth shared that in this, her 13th year as CEO she sees women taking a big swing, leaving behind their former reticence.