Martin Scorsese's long-awaited film, The Irishman will open the New York Film Festival, making its world premiere on September 27.
The lavishly-mounted mafia movie will be screened at Alice Tully Hall, Film at Lincoln Center announced on their official website on Monday. The Irishman, based on Charles Brandt's non-fiction book I Heard You Paint Houses, will be released in select theatres and on Netflix later this year.
The movie's official synopsis reads: "it is a film about friendship and loyalty between men who commit unspeakable acts and turn on a dime against each other, and the possibility of redemption in a world where it seems as distant as the moon."
It is Scorsese's first feature directorial since 2016's Silence. The 76-year-old director said it is an "incredible honour" that the film has been selected as the Opening Night of the 57th New York Film Festival.
"I greatly admire the bold and visionary selections that the festival presents to audiences year after year. The festival is critical to bringing awareness to cinema from around the world. I am grateful to have the opportunity to premiere my new picture in New York alongside my wonderful cast and crew," Scorsese said.
New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones further said the film is rich, funny, troubling, entertaining and one of a kind. "It's the work of masters, made with a command of the art of cinema that I've seen very rarely in my lifetime, and it plays out at a level of subtlety and human intimacy that truly stunned me. All I can say is that the minute it was over my immediate reaction was that I wanted to watch it all over again," Jones added.
The Irishman stars heavyweights and Scorsese's frequent collaborators -- Joe Pesci as Pennsylvania mob boss Russell Bufalino, Al Pacino as Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa, and Robert De Niro as their right-hand man, Frank Sheeran.
Yorgos Lanthimos' absurdist dark British period comedy The Favourite opened last year's edition.
The festival runs through October 13.
