'Hitchcock' to open AFI Festival

"Hitchcock," starring Anthony Hopkins as iconic filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, is to open this fall's AFI Festival at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The Nov. 1 gala event will be the world premiere of the film, which co-stars Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel and James D'Arcy. Directed by Sacha Gervasi and based on the book "Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho," the film also stars Toni Collette, Danny Huston and Michael Stuhlbarg. "AFI's history with Alfred Hitchcock is a proud one, from a Master Seminar at the AFI Conservatory in 1970 to his receiving the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1979," Bob Gazzale, president and chief executive officer of the American Film Institute, said in a statement Thursday. "We are honored to celebrate his lasting legacy with the world premiere of 'Hitchcock' -- a bloody valentine to his creative genius and the inspired woman at his side." "Alfred Hitchcock's signature style has made him one of the most influential directors in the world," said Jacqueline Lyanga, the festival's director. "This film pulls back the curtain and takes us behind-the-scenes of his lifelong collaboration with his wife Alma during the making of his 1960 masterpiece 'Psycho' -- it's the perfect film to welcome our audience of movie-lovers with on opening night."