New Orleans Film Fest starts Thursday

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Film Festival opens Thursday with a red carpet showing of the Louisiana-shot thriller "The Paperboy."

The film, which stars Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConnaughey, premiered earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival but is being celebrated in New Orleans because it was filmed in Louisiana and released by the Louisiana-based Millennium Entertainment.

About 200 films were selected to be shown at the festival, which runs through Oct. 18.

"The Paperboy" screening is being held at the Joy Theater on Canal Street. Although none of the film's stars are expected to attend, filmmakers whose work is being shown at the festival will be walking the red carpet.

The festival is scheduled to close with a screening of "The Iceman," another Louisiana-shot thriller.