New York Film Festival Opening Night

 THE DARJEELING LIMITED

Friday, September 28-------The 45th edition of the New York Film Festival, one of New York's most coveted cultural events, opens tonight with the US Premiere of THE DARJEELING LIMITED, directed by Wes Anderson. The film, which stars Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson, traces the fractured journey of three American brothers on a spiritual quest in India. The trio, who have not spoken to each other in a year, set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other. However, their adventure rapidly veers off-course and they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert, when a new, unplanned journey begins.

The film screens twice tonight, first at Frederick P. Rose Hall in the Time Warner Complex, the Festival's temporary home due to on-going construction at Alice Tully Hall, and then again at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Wes Anderson and the two leads, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman, will walk the red carpet. Less certain (and quite a mystery up until today) is whether Owen Wilson will make the trek. As anyone who has scanned the tabloids in the last month knows, Wilson is recovering from an apparent suicide attempt. Whether he shows or not, the festivities will continue following the screening at the gala Opening Night bash for the Festival at Central Park's Tavern On The Green. The film opens theatrically tomorrow via Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The Festival's opening weekend features a number of highly anticipated films. THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, a French film directed by painter-turned-filmmaker Julian Schnabel, was lauded at the Cannes Film Festival, winning for Schnabel a Best Director prize. The film which was the surprise winner of the Cannes Palme D'Or, the Romanian abortion drama 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, makes its New York debut prior to its theatrical release later this year (look for Oscar nominations for this one).

Other weekend highlights iinclude: THE ROMANCE OF ASTREE AND CELADON, the latest romantic reverie by French director Eric Rohmer; MARRIED LIFE, an adulterous neo-noir starring Pierce Brosnan, Rachel McAdams, Chris Cooper and Patrick Clarkson, directed by Ira Sachs; THE ORPHANAGE, a nouveau horror film from Spanish director J.A. Boyana; and a new director's cut of the sci-fi classic BLADE RUNNER, directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Harrison Ford in the most complex role of his career.

For further information on the Festival, log on to the official website of the Film Society of Lincoln Center: www.filmlinc.com.

Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Circuit  Editor