Sir Ben Kingsley (left) stars in Polanski's Oliver Twist

Terry Gilliam's Tideland, the second film the Monty Python star is releasing this year after The Brothers Grimm, will also make its debut at the event. Another film being shown for the first time is a documentary about Bob Dylan, directed by Martin Scorsese.

The Canadian festival opens on 8 September and runs for 10 days.

The festival is proudly boasting that more than 80 films will make their North American debuts during the event.

"If you put world and international premieres together, that makes 54% of our line-up, an amazing number that we have hit for the first time this year," said festival co-director Noah Cowan.

"Film-makers and distributors have just decided that we are the first place they want to have their films shown."

Controversial opener

Among the stars expected to attend the festival to promote movies are Sir Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Natalie Portman and Jackie Chan.

British director Guy Ritchie will present his latest thriller Revolver, building on the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

It stars Jason Statham, Ray Liotta and Andre Benjamin, who is better known as Andre 3000 of hip-hop group OutKast.

The festival will open with the controversial Indian film Water, which sparked violent protests when filming began five years ago.

Production in India of Deepa Mehta's film was abandoned after hardline Hindu protesters burned its sets, claiming the movie distorted Indian culture.