Film festival season is heating up and New York's is the latest to confirm which movie will open their event.

That honour goes to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer director Yorgos Lanthimos' latest - The Favourite. The film is an 18th century-set comedy drama focusing on the behind-the-scenes politics between two cousins (Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz) jockeying to be court favorites during the reign of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman).

“It’s a great privilege to be showing The Favourite for the opening night of the New York Film Festival, which is a very special place for the film,” said Lanthimos. “I had a wonderful experience screening The Lobster at this distinct festival and I’m looking forward to sharing The Favourite with audiences in New York. I was envisioning this film for many years and eventually had a lot of fun making it.”

The Favourite is produced by the Irish Ed Guiney, who also worked with Lanthimos on The Lobster and Sacred Deer.

Also confirmed for the festival is the latest from Academy Award Winner Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity, Children of Men). His new film is titled Roma and centres on a Mexico City middle-class family in the 70s whose center is quietly and unassumingly held by its beloved live-in nanny and housekeeper. According to Cuaron, the drama is autobiographical.

“I am honored Roma has been selected for the Centerpiece slot at this year’s New York Film Festival,” said Cuarón. “NYFF has a longstanding history of celebrating meaningful and compelling filmmaking and it felt right to return to the festival with Roma—an incredibly personal, illuminating, and transformative project for me.”

Netflix will distribute Roma, although a release date has not been set. Meanwhile, The Favourite will be out January 1, 2019 in Ireland.

Tickets for the 56th New York Film Festival will go on sale to the general public on September 9. Festival and VIP passes are on sale now and offer early opportunities to secure seats at some of the festival’s biggest events.

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