Welcome to AFI FEST presented by Audi

What you hold in your hands is your guide to 11 days of the best in world cinema, high-profile awards contenders, special tributes to the leading figures in film, interactive talks with filmmakers, panel discussions, video art performances, parties, the best bands on the planet and even superheroes.

It doesn't seem like that all fits between five fingers, but it's in the Daily News, which we publish throughout the Festival, Nov. 1-11. Every day you'll find the information you need to get to the films and events you want to see, as well as interviews with filmmakers and actors, features that go behind the scenes and the plots of the movies, plus stories about the happenings at the Festival.

And, of course, pictures. They'll show you the Red Carpet you might have missed because you were sipping a drink in the Cinema Lounge on the Rooftop Village, or the video art screenings you passed up to hang out with Superman from CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO.

You might get the idea that it's impossible to see and do everything at AFI FEST. You're right; and that's the point. AFI FEST is Los Angeles' film festival and we're making sure we have everybody covered - from the Samsung Fresh Films Youth Fest that features panels and demos for teen filmmakers (including a comedy workshop presented by the cast of Napoleon Dynamite) to the best films of the year from Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and points all over the globe.

You can see any movie on any day in Los Angeles, but it's the festival experience that sets AFI FEST apart from the normal moviegoing procedure. Free panel discussions like TALK/SHOW and the Audi Pavilion Salons put you right next to filmmakers as they talk about their films and issues in cinema. Before many of the screenings at the Festival, the directors and cast members personally give you their perspective on the films. Directors, actors and pass-holders mingle in the Cinema Lounge. And the Gala parties are always a blast.

Here, in the Daily News Preview Issue, we run it all down so you can make your plans. From parking and pass information to special events and, of course, film screenings, we have it all. You'll find even more information on the Web at www.AFI.com/ AFIFEST, which the Daily News will update daily during the Festival with more stories, longer interviews ... and more pictures and video.

So, use those five fingers of yours to peruse these pages. Then pick the events and films you want to attend and get your tickets and passes early by clicking the box office link at www.AFI.com/AFIFEST or by calling 866.AFI.FEST.

We can't wait to see you there.

GALAS AND TRIBUTES Opening Night Gala: LIONS FOR LAMBS USA, 2007 North American Premiere Director: Robert Redford Cast: Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Michael Pena, Derek Luke In attendance: Robert Redford Directed by Academy Award-winner Robert Redford, LIONS FOR LAMBS is a powerful and gripping story that digs behind the news, the politics and a nation divided to explore the human consequences of a complicated war. It's the first production from the newly re-formed United Artists helmed by Cruise and his longtime production partner Paula Wagner. Centerpiece Gala: JUNO USA, 2007, 92 min Director: Jason Reitman Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, JK Simmons, Olivia Thirlby In attendance: Jason Reitman While most girls in Dancing Elk are updating their MySpace pages or shopping at the mall, Juno, a whip-smart Minnesota teen, lives by her own rules. Closing Night Gala: LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA USA, 2007 North American Premiere Director: Mike Newell Cast: Javier Bardem, Liev Schreiber, Laura Harring, John Leguizamo, Catalina Moreno One of the greatest love stories ever told, and based on the timeless masterpiece by Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA spans a half-century in the complex, magical and sensual city of Cartagena, Colombia. Tribute: Laura Linney Preceding the screening of her latest film, Tamara Jenkins' THE SAVAGES, AFI FEST honors this Academy Award-nominated American performer with film clips, anecdotes and an informal on-stage conversation. Presented by LA Weekly Tribute: Catherine Deneuve A rare glimpse into the world of this iconic and stylish performer through an onstage conversation featuring a montage and clips, precedes PERSEPOLIS, which features Deneuve's voice-over work. Presented by the Skirball Cultural Center RUSH LINES Many AFI FEST screenings sell out quickly, but don't despair. If you're dying to see a particular film, don't forget about the rush line. While seating isn't guaranteed, there's a good chance you can get in to see your favorite film. Show up to the theater an hour early with your cash in hand. For more information, see the Box Office section at www.AFI.com/AFIFEST. And remember, tickets for Opening and Closing Night Galas screenings the price includes admission to the parties.