The Pope forces New York Film Festival to postpone The Walk premiere

The Film Society of Lincoln Center is pushing the New York Film Festival opening night screening of Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk back a day because of Pope Francis’ visit to New York City.

The film’s world premiere will now take place Saturday, Sept. 26, instead of Friday, Sept. 25, the FSLC said in an announcement Wednesday, noting that the date change was because of logistical and security reasons.

NYFF programming will still be shown that Friday night, the announcement added, with details to be announced at a later date.

The Walk stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit, the high-wire artist who walked on a wire from one of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers to the other in 1974.

Despite the postponement, the film is still designated the opening-night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 25-Oct. 11. This year’s Centerpiece screening at the festival was announced this week as Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs, while the closing film will be Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead.