According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog, Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn” will close out this year’s AFI Fest on November 10. The announcement is a real coup for the 25th edition of the festival, which already has Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar” set to open the event this Thursday night, November 3.

“Tintin” premiered in the UK last week, where it scored big at the box office but wasn’t met with thunderous critical approval. Our own Guy Lodge was a big fan of the film, however, noting that “the film”s smashing key set pieces…fully justify this technological leap of faith [of performance-capture], while also successfully adapting the distinctive flat-color textures of Hergé”s trademark ligne claire drawing style.”

Other key galas planned for AFI Fest include “Carnage,” “My Week with Marilyn,” “The Artist” (naturally) and “Shame.” As previously announced, Pedro Almodóvar will serve as Guest Artistic Director of the festival, offering up his own sidebar program of curated classics.

Also perhaps of interest to those of you on the west coast who might have an interest in the festival, via the press release (which was hot on the heels of THR’s break):

For the third consecutive year, AFI FEST will continue its unprecedented offer of free tickets to all screenings, but only the Star Patron Package and Marquee Patron Package provide reserved access to red carpet galas such as THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. These and other AFI FEST packages and passes – which ensure access to sold-out galas and other high-demand films and events – are on sale now at AFI.com/AFIFEST. AFI members receive a 10% discount on all festival passes. Information about AFI membership is available at AFI.com/membership. The American Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural organization, and packages and passes are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Individual tickets to AFI FEST screenings and galas are now available online at AFI.com/AFIFEST and in person at the AT&T Box Office at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood. A limited number of tickets to sold-out films will be available online 24 hours in advance of the screening and at the AT&T Box Office the day of the screening. Rush lines for screenings begin forming one hour before the scheduled screening start times.

“The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn” is set for US release Wednesday, December 21.

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