A method for stretching a film, the method comprising: conveying the film along a y-axis in the machine direction into a stretching region; and stretching the film along an x-axis in the transverse direction by conveying each opposing edge of the film along a generally diverging path, characterized in that the generally diverging paths are configured and arranged to comprise: (i) an initial stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 1 = 1 / 4 x 1 / x 0 y / x 1 2 + 1 wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the initial stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a position along the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, x 1 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, and y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone; and (ii) a later stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 2 = 1 / 4 x 2 / x 0 y − A / x 2 2 + 1, where x 2 and x 1 are different, and wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the later stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a selected position along the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, x 2 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, and A is a y-axis offset. conveying the film along a y-axis in the machine direction into a stretching region; and stretching the film along an x-axis in the transverse direction by conveying each opposing edge of the film along a generally diverging path, characterized in that the generally diverging paths are configured and arranged to comprise: (i) an initial stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 1 = 1 / 4 x 1 / x 0 y / x 1 2 + 1 wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the initial stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a position along the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, x 1 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, and y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone; and (ii) a later stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 2 = 1 / 4 x 2 / x 0 y − A / x 2 2 + 1, where x 2 and x 1 are different, and wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the later stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a selected position along the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, x 2 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, and A is a y-axis offset. (i) an initial stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 1 = 1 / 4 x 1 / x 0 y / x 1 2 + 1 wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the initial stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a position along the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, x 1 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone, and y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the initial stretching zone; and (ii) a later stretching zone wherein the generally diverging paths have a functional form corresponding to the following equation: ± x / x 2 = 1 / 4 x 2 / x 0 y − A / x 2 2 + 1, where x 2 and x 1 are different, and wherein x 0 corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone to provide a uniaxial draw of the film in the later stretching zone, x corresponds to half a separation distance between the diverging paths at a selected position along the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, x 2 corresponds to half an initial separation distance between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, y is a position along an axis equidistant between the diverging paths in the later stretching zone, and A is a y-axis offset.