"Life Of Pi" will open the 2012 New York Film Festival, organizers announced via press release on Monday.
Directed by Ang Lee, "Life Of Pi" is an adaptation of Yann Martel's popular best-selling novel about a young boy stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. The film is in 3D, making it the first feature to ever officially debut at the New York Film Festival in its 50 years of existence. ("Hugo" had a surprise screening at the New York Film Festival last year, but the Martin Scorsese film wasn't part of the official lineup.)
For Lee, "Life of Pi" is his third film to feature at the New York Film Festival; "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" closed the event in 2000, while "The Ice Storm" kicked things off in 1997.
In past years, films like "The Social Network," "Mystic River" and "Pulp Fiction" have opened the prestigious festival; last year, Roman Polanski's "Carnage" was selected as the opening night presentation.
Last week, festival organizers announced that "Flight," with Denzel Washington in the lead role, will close the 50th annual New York Film Festival.
Starring Suraj Sharma as Pi, with support from Irrfan Khan and Tobey Maguire, "Life of Pi" is out in theaters on Nov. 21. The New York Film Festival runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 14.
