AFI FEST 2005will open on Nov 3 with James Mangold's Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line, one of the early awards seasoncontenders that stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

The line-up, announced earlier today, includes 16 worldpremieres and 17 North American premieres.

Among the worldpremieres are Penelope Spheeris' comedy The Kid And I, which stars starring Joe Mantegna, TomArnold and Eric Gores in the story of an aspiring teenage actor with cerebralpalsy, and Roger Spottiswoode's thriller Ripley Under Ground starring Barry Pepper and Tom Wilkinson.

Also receivingtheir world premiere are Gustavo Loza's series of Mexican immigrant vignettesin The Other Side,Marquette Williams's urban cowboy documentary Buckle Brothers, and Elizabeth Puccini's relationship dramaFour Corners Of Suburbia.

Receiving their North American premiere are Dagur Kari'sDanish comedy Dark Horse, Manuel GomezPereira's Spanish gay marriage comedy Queens, Pierre Jolivet's French comedy Zim &Co, and Sabina Vajraca's US documentary BackTo Bosnia.

"WalkThe Line cast a spell onus - it's a thrill to kick off the festival with this special film," AFI FEST'sdirector of programming Nancy Collet said.

"We're also proud that we've been able to attract somany distinguished and distinctive world and North American premieres this yearfrom all over the globe."

AFI FEST 2005 runs from Nov 3-13. For more information and afull list of the world and North American premieres visit the official websiteat www.AFI.com.