Will the next Steven Spielberg please stand up.

Founded in 1972, the annual New Directors/ New Films festival — programmed by the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center — has “discovered” directors such as Spielberg, Spike Lee, Pedro Almodovar, Wong Kar-wai and John Sayles. Of course, a lot of directors were never again heard from. But let’s be positive.

The 2010 edition kicked off Wednesday night with “Bill Cunningham New York,” Richard Press’ documentary about the New York Times photographer.

Xavier Dolan’s French family drama “I Killed My Mother” will close the proceedings on April 4. In all, there are 27 features and seven shorts from 19 nations, plus five French flicks culled from past editions of ND/NF.

The opening movie was followed by a soiree at MoMA. (I stuffed myself on pasta and red wine.) It was there that I met Robin Hessman. A New Yorker who studied in Moscow, she insisted that I see her documentary about the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, “My Perestroika.” And so I shall.

I also got to chat with three of the fest’s programmers, Richard Pena and Marian Masone of the Film Society and Laurence Kardish of MoMA.

One of the most buzzed about items is “Dogtooth,” by Greek helmer Yorgos Lanthimos, which the festival program calls “the most perverse film of the year.” Be prepared for incest and animal torture.

Also noteworthy are Eric Mendelsohn’s “3 Backyards,” a portrait of life on tranquil Long Island, starring Edie Falco and Embeth Davidtz; Myriam Aziza’s French drama “Evening Dress,” in which a young girl becomes obsessed with a female teacher; James Raisin’s documentary “Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar” (the title tells it all); the Italian melodrama “I Am Love,” directed by Luca Guadagnino; and Nader T. Homayoun’s “Tehran,” a walk on the wild side in Iran’s capital.

Films unreel at MoMA and Lincoln Center. Details: filmlinc.com and moma.org.

V.A. Musetto is film editor of The Post; vam@nypost.com