New York Film Festival opening this week end

The 44th New York Film Festival
September 29 – October 15, 2006

The 17-day festival, presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, is a highly-selective showcase of new, inspiring and provocative cinema by both emerging talent and recognized international artists. This year’s line-up includes:

Opening Night: Stephen Frears’ acidly funny portrait of the British royal family, The Queen (Miramax Films), stars Helen Mirren.

Centerpiece: Pedro Almodóvar’s supernatural tale of murder, adultery and family happiness, Volver, brings together a remarkable ensemble of actresses (Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave) who portray three indomitable generations of women.

Closing Night: Guillermo del Toro’s passionate, eye-popping Pan’s Labyrinth (Picturehouse) is a world of wonders, where the historical, the political and the mythological become one.

In addition to many other special events and screenings, the Festival features The Tenth Annual Views from the Avant Garde.

This year the New York Film Festival sidebar will be “50 Years of Janus Films.” This series will feature many world cinema classics, some of which are not yet released on DVD or VHS. Working in conjunction with Janus Films and Criterion, the retrospective will screen new prints of almost all the presented films.

The Festival schedule and ticket information is available to the public in the lobbies of Alice Tully Hall and the Walter Reade Theater.

The Festival's Selection committee members are Richard Peña, program director, Film Society of Lincoln Center and chairman of the NYFF Selection Committee; Kent Jones, associate program, Film Society of Lincoln Center and editor-at-large for Film Comment; Philip Lopate, author and critic; John Powers, film critic, Vogue; Lisa Schwarzbaum, film critic, Entertainment Weekly.