Despite a global pandemic, the New York Film Festival is still expected to occur this fall – with added safety measures, of course. Outdoor and virtual screenings (as well as some indoor showings if given a green light by health officials) will be available at the iconic festival, which will kick off with the premiere of Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen’s latest work, Lovers Rock.

With the unique circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes as no surprise that Lovers Rock isn’t really a film in the traditional sense, but rather a part of McQueen’s five-part anthology titled Small Axe. The film series tells a story of London’s West Indian community and their struggles against racism from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. Apart from Lovers Rock, the anthology series includes Mangrove, Alex Wheatle, Education, and Red, White, and Blue. Of those films, Mangrove and Red, White, and Blue will also be shown at the festival.

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McQueen, who previously directed 12 Years A Slave and Widows, will join Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, and Yorgos Lanthimos on the impressive list of directors who have screened opening-night films at NYFF.

“It’s an incredible honor and also very humbling to show three of my films at the New York Film Festival,” the director said in a statement. “It’s especially meaningful for me at this particular time to share these stories as a Black man of West Indian heritage. I’m grateful to the NYFF for their generosity and wish everyone a safe and healthy festival.”

Lovers Rock follows the fictional story of young love at a 1980’s blues party. Co-written by McQueen and Courttia Newland, the film stars Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn in her on-screen debut, as well as Micheal Ward (Top Boy) and Shaniqua Okwok (Boys).

“For months we’ve worked to both sustain and refresh NYFF — a champion of film as art since 1963 — and we’re honored that filmmaker Steve McQueen accepted our invitation to open the 58th New York Film Festival in an unprecedented manner, with one of three remarkable new films he’ll unveil at NYFF,” said Eugene Hernandez, director of the New York Film Festival.

Details for the 58th Annual New York Film Festival will be made available later this year.