In advance of the complete announcement of its line-up on Monday, December 17, the 19th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, taking place January 3-14, has announced that the U.S. premiere of Then She Found Me, co-written and directed by Academy Award winner Helen Hunt, will open its slate.

Marking Hunt’s feature directorial debut, the film is an adaptation
of Elinor Lipman’s novel, and tells the story of New York schoolteacher April
Epner (Hunt), who hits a midlife crisis when, in quick succession, her husband
Ben (Matthew Broderick) leaves her, her adoptive mother dies and her real
mother (Bette Midler), an eccentric talk show host, suddenly materializes and
turns her life upside down. April then begins a courtship with Frank (Colin
Firth), the father of one of her students. Then She Found Me will screen at 6:30 p.m. at Palm
Springs High School,
and will be followed by a reception at the nearby Desert Museum.

Also, it was announced that on Sunday, January 6, writer-director
John Sayles will receive the Festival’s American Maverick Award, following a
screening of his 16th feature film, Honeydripper. For more
information on the festival, click here.