Woody Allen's 'To Rome With Love' to Open Los Angeles Film Festival

Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love will open the Los Angeles Film Festival, festival organizers said Thursday.

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The Oscar-winning filmmaker’s latest project, starring Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page, follows a group of people living in Italy.

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“I can’t think of a better way to kick off this year’s festival than with the original independent filmmaker himself, Woody Allen,” said festival director Stephanie Allain. "It’s a true honor for Los Angeles to host the North American premiere of To Rome With Love."

The 18th annual Los Angeles Film Festival, set for June 14 to 24, will screen more than 200 features, shorts and music videos from more than 30 countries. The festival -- produced by Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards -- is based in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live.

VIDEO: Woody Allen's 'To Rome With Love' Trailer Hits the Web

To Rome With Love, Allen’s follow-up to last year's Midnight in Paris -- a best picture Oscar nominee and the top-grossing film of Allen's long directing career -- will be released June 22 by Sony Pictures Classic. The movie was produced by Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum and financed by Italian production and distribution company Medusa Film.