Bad Education, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, will be screened

Look at Me (Comme une image), which won best screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, will kick off the event.

Other festival highlights include Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education and Mike Leigh's award-winning Vera Drake.

In previous years, the event has been an early preview of films that would go on to be nominated for Academy Awards, including Mystic River and 21 Grams.

Film debut

Look at Me is drama about tense relationships among a group of Parisians struggling with various insecurities.

The French cast is headed by newcomer Marilou Berry who makes her film debut as Lolita.

"With Look at Me, Agnes Jaoui leaps into the first rank of contemporary European directors," said Richard Pena, chairman of the New York Film Festival Selection Committee

"Funny, perceptive, and moving, Look at Me is an engaging portrait of self-love, self-image, and self-promotion at the dawn of the new millennium.

"We're proud to open the 2004 New York Film Festival with this terrific new film and to welcome Agnes Jaoui as our guest of honour."

Best actress

Vera Drake, which won the Golden Lion prize for best film at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, will be shown at the festival on 8 October.

It stars British actress Imelda Staunton who won the best actress award at Venice for her role as a cleaning lady who secretly carries out abortions.

Almodovar's Bad Education, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, will be shown as the centrepiece film on 9 October.

The event closes on 17 October with Alexander Payne's Sideways which follows tormented failed novelist and wine snob Miles and his hedonistic actor friend on a tour of California's wine country.