NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The 48th New York Film Festival opened on Friday night at Lincoln Center with David Fincher's latest movie "The Social Network" as the premier screening.

The film, which follows then-Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg' s path to fame and riches, is about the founding of Facebook and is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

The film was written by Aaron Sorkin, the talent behind television's "West Wing" and "Sports Night."

Following "The Social Network," the festival will offer 28 full- length films from 16 different countries. The Shakespearean romance "The Tempest," starring Helen Mirren, will serve as the centerpiece film.

Other highlights of the film festival include the film "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" from Thailand, which won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and the 101- year-old Portuguese master Manoel de Oliveira's "The Strange Case of Angelica."

The festival will close with Clint Eastwood's "Hereafter," which stars Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard, and spotlights three people consumed by thoughts of death and the afterlife.

The festival runs through Oct. 10 at The Walter Reade Theater and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

The New York Film Festival, which traditionally emphasizes the art of cinema over Hollywood-style, star-filled premieres and shows fewer movies than other festivals, includes main slate selections along with special events, panel discussions and the experimental film showcase.