David Frankel's highly anticipated film, The Devil Wears Prada, will open the Los Angeles Film Festival at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 22. The film, adapted from the best-selling book of the same name by Lauren Weisberger is loosely based on the workings of Vogue editrix Anna Wintour.

It stars Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, a hellish, balls-out editor of a fictional fashion publication named Runway. She hires a new assistant, Andrea (Brokeback Mountain‚s Anne Hathaway), who ends up getting teased and tortured around the office before deciding to beat Priestly and her fashion-plate "groupies" at their own game.

Prada is the first of more than 70 feature films, 60 shorts and 45 music videos slated to screen at this year's festival. Held annually for ten days, the fest ˆ which is open to the public and now in its 12th year ˆ is designed to showcase the best of both American and International cinema.

Aside from screenings, the LAFF also plays host to a number of special events. Included this year are Poolside Chats, held at the W Hotel, and being kicked off on Sunday, June 25 at 7 p.m. with a program entitled „Film and Fashion: A Misconception. This particular chat, hosted by X-Men costume designer Louise Mingenbach, President of the Costume Designers Guild Deborah Nadoolman Landis and director John Landis, will focus on the ways in which cinema has helped to define popular culture over the years.

There will also be Coffee Talks, Festival Talks and a Diversity Expo taking place during this year‚s fest.

Festival passes and tickets to individual screenings are available for purchase by calling (866) FILMFEST or at www.lafilmfest.com. For more information, visit the LAFF Web site.