AFI Fest Programmers on Headlining With Bruce Springsteen, Recruiting Guillermo del Toro and Standing Out in L.A.’s Avid Filmgoing Scene

Positioned as the final major film festival of the year, AFI Fest is when the global circuit arrives on the doorstep of Hollywood at the Tcl Chinese Theatre. For new releases with awards aspirations, it can serve as a climactic studio homecoming to springboard a wide release. For young directors, particularly graduates of the American Film Institute Conservatory, it’s an avenue to announce themselves to the film industry. For L.A. cinephiles, it’s a packed weekend of standouts from Berlin, Cannes and Venice.

This year’s lineup is billed as AFI Fest’s biggest ever, with more than 90 features for the five-day run from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26. Pulling together the slate is a year-round effort for festival director Todd Hitchcock, AFI programming director Abbie Algar and their team. Along with the festival, Hitchcock and Algar also work out of the Washington, D.C. area to organize the day-to-day…