LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2009.

Just got word of the 2009 programme for the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival and, as usual, it's a real corker.

Over 14 days, the festival will be screening 191 features and 113 shorts with the promise of many guests and special events. I've already mentioned the opening night film previously on this blog, but it's worth highlighting again. Wes Anderson's FANTASTIC MR. FOX will open the fest, and will be presented by cast members including Meryl Streep, George Clooney and Bill Murray. The closing night film will be Sam Taylor-Wood's NOWHERE BOY, which will certainly be a must-see for all you Beatles fans out there.

There's so much to look out for during the course of 14 frantic days, but here are a selection of films I'll certainly be interested in catching up with in the very near future.

A BFI restoration of Anthony Asquith's UNDERGROUND with live musical accompaniment.
Michael Haneke's Palme d'Or winner, THE WHITE RIBBON
Steven Soderbergh's THE INFORMANT
Gasper Noe's ENTER THE VOID
Ang Lee's TAKING WOODSTOCK
Jane Campion's BRIGHT STAR
Harmony Korine's TRASH HUMPERS
Julien Temple's OIL CITY CONFIDENTIAL
Claire Denis' WHITE MATERIAL
Todd Solondze's LIFE DURING WARTIME
Jim Jarmusch's THE LIMITS OF CONTROL
Joel & Ethan Coen's A SERIOUS MAN
Andre Techine's THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
Patrice Chereau's PERSECUTION
Atom Egoyan's CHLOE

Festival-goers can also look forward to personal appearances from: Clive Owen; Julianne Moore; Ray Winstone; Aaron Johnson; Nick Park; Catherine Breillat; Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Emma Thompson, Matthew Beard, Olivia Williams, Dominic Cooper; Nick Hornby; Lu Chan; Juno Temple; Alex Etel; Eliza May Bennett; Hugh Bonneville; Pauline Collins; Kwyedza Kureya; Federico León; Anurag Kashyap; Tarik Saleh; Josh Harris and James Schamus with many more still to be confirmed.

Unfortunately, we're once again unable to afford to attend any of the screenings, but hope the festival is another resounding success. Look out for further updates before and during the festival.

You can check out further details by clicking HERE
The festival beings 14th October.