Alejandro Amen�bar's The Other's, starring Kidman and Christopher Eccleston, heads an impressive list of international films entered into the contest.

Among other films competing are Woody Allen's The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Richard Linklater's Waking Life and Steven Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence.

Innovation

Organisers say the films in the Cinema of the Present category will be feature-length fringe films that run counter to current genres, providing innovation and creative originality.

The Venice 58 category will see the best and most radical of art films alongside the most original and innovative spectacular movies.

The 20 films in the international competition come from Spain, Italy, France, Hong Kong, Mexico, the Netherlands, India, Romania, Brazil and the United States.

Palme d'Or winning director Nanni Morretti, who's film The Son's Room won this year's Palme d'Or at Cannes, will chair the jury.

Other films which will be competing during the 11 day festival include British director Geoff Dunbar's animated film Tuesday, featuring the voices of Dustin Hoffman and Paul McCartney; David Mamet's Heist and Larry Clarke's Bully.

The festival will also include a retrospective of the cinematic works of Polish director Andrzej Munk and Frenchman Guy Debord.

French film-maker Eric Rohmer will be awarded the Golden Lion lifetime achievement award.