Woody Allen's 'To Rome With Love' to open the 2012 L.A. Film Fest

Woody Allen's latest film, "To Rome With Love," is going to Los Angeles (hopefully with love) this June. 

It was chosen as the opening night film for the annual Los Angeles Film Festival.

"Rome" stars Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page, Roberto Begnini, Jessie Eisenberg and Woody himself, and will likely be closely watched by industry insiders. Allen's last film, 2011's "Midnight in Paris" was a surprise hit that ended up being the writer-director's highest-grossing film of all-time. 

The Sony Pictures Classics film, which tells a number of intersecting stories with characters from all walks of life, is a love letter to the Italian capital. 

"I've always wanted to make a film in Rome," Allen has said. "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." 

The 2012 festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, and will feature a number of panels and special programs.

“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,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain in a release.

“We are thrilled to bring Woody Allen and the US premiere of his new film To Rome With Love at the LA Film Fest,” added SPC’s Co-President Tom Bernard. “The Festival is a premiere showcase for films and we couldn’t be more excited that Stephanie and her team have chosen us to open the Festival.”

The L.A. Film Festival runs June 14 - 24. More information can be found here.

"To Rome With Love" opens in theaters June 22.