American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will serve as the guest artistic director for AFI Fest 2025. This year’s festival is presented by Canva and is set to take place in Los Angeles from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26 at the TCL Chinese Theatres.

“Guillermo del Toro is one of the great champions of the art form — a visionary filmmaker, a passionate cinephile, and a tireless advocate for bold, original storytelling,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “As Guest Artistic Director of AFI Fest, he brings a singular perspective that will inspire audiences of all generations.”

Previous guest artistic directors for AFI Fest include Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ava DuVernay, Greta Gerwig, David Lynch and Agnès Varda.

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