Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall’ Sets NYFF World Premiere

UPDATE: Paul Thomas Anderson’s concert doc will world-premiere at the New York Film Festival. The film will debut on October 1 at Alice Tully Hall on 35mm, with PTA and Cameron Winter in attendance.

Per the festival: “Even for those who already admired the talents of Brooklyn’s own Cameron Winter, both as a solo artist and as the front man of the band Geese, his performance at Carnegie Hall on Dec. 11, 2025, was a revelation. A stripped-down set in which he accompanied himself on a Steinway grand, the show cemented Winter’s status as a one-of-a-kind cabaret art-pop balladeer, his soaring vibrato resonating throughout a theater known for its legendary acoustics. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson was there with a crew, including his ‘Licorice Pizza’ collaborator Benny Safdie, to capture this major star-is-born moment, and the result is a smashing cinematic concert, shot on 16mm and 35mm with a perfect mix of intimate images of Winter and of the cavernous space, keyed into the singer-songwriter’s effortless combination of bravado and sensitivity, darkness and light.”

EARLIER: Paul Thomas Anderson has chosen his next project following “One Battle After Another,” and it’s already been shot — set to release this year.

Now, this won’t be fiction, but rather a concert film, “Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall,” tackling an intimate performance by Geese frontman Cameron Winter at New York’s Carnegie Hall in December 2025. Criterion and Janus Films have acquired PTA’s concert doc and will bring a 35mm print to theaters this fall as part of a roadshow release.

Although the film is only now being formally announced, its existence had been widely suspected since Winter’s sold-out Carnegie Hall show. Anderson and filmmaker Benny Safdie were reportedly spotted onstage filming the performance, fueling speculation that a concert movie was in the works. Safdie is now confirmed as an executive producer.

During the concert, Winter focused largely on songs from his first two solo records, “Singles” and “Heavy Metal.” The performance offered audiences a quieter and more personal showcase of his artistry compared with the high-energy shows he delivers with Geese.

Much like his mentor, Jonathan Demme, who directed the greatest film in the genre, “Stop Making Sense,” this isn’t PTA’s first foray into concert docs. One of his notable music-related documentaries is “Junun” (2015), which follows Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood. PTA has also worked closely with Thom Yorke, Radiohead, and The Smile, directing music films and videos.

As for PTA’s actual next film — it’s anybody’s guess. The one project that will keep circulating, until it ever happens, is that mysterious 1940s jazz scene movie, tackling the “Little Harlem” Renaissance, with Denzel Washington once eyed to star in the lead role. Last year, Washington confirmed that he had recently spoken with PTA about the project.