Woody Allen film to open LA fest

LOS ANGELES, April 12 (UPI) -- Woody Allen's "To Rome with Love" is to have its North American premiere as the opening night selection for the Los Angeles Film Festival, organizers said.

Written and directed by Allen, the film follows a number of people in Italy -- "some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors -- and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into," a synopsis said. It stars Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page. It is being released by Sony Pictures Classics June 22.

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

"I've always wanted to make a film in Rome. It's obviously one of the great cities of the world, and when you make a film in a foreign city you get a chance to spend several months there, so shooting in Rome gave me and my family an opportunity to really enjoy a city I love in a way that I don't usually get to. I wrote the film especially for Rome because over the years and my many visits there little ideas occurred to me, and I was able to utilize those ideas to comic advantage, romantic advantage, combined with the visual beauty of Rome," said Woody Allen.

The festival is to take place June 14-24. It will feature a diverse schedule of more than 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries.