In MAMI i could watch any and all movies for 500 bucks, where I can be watching some hidden gems (that is a strong point of going to any film festival coz mainstream hits are anyway going to be released sometime). For NYFF I'm paying 30$ per movie I want to watch, thus you can imagine my freedom is restricted here. True there are big names coming here to premiere their films but you hardly ever get the tickets to these specific screenings where there's the director present. The films are not worth it unless you go to the director's screening, because Lincoln Centre that hosts said movies are anyway going to be running these movies after the festival all year round...