Richard E Grant will introduce his first film as a director

The event opens with actor Richard E Grant's directorial debut Wah-Wah, a coming-of-age tale based on his own childhood growing up in Swaziland.

Grant is expected to attend, as are stars Emily Watson and Julie Walters.

The festival closes with The Business, a crime thriller directed by Nick Love of The Football Factory fame.

Other home-grown films in the line-up include Asylum, an adaptation of the Patrick McGrath novel from Scottish director David McKenzie; Kinky Boots, the new film from the makers of Calendar Girls; and Green Street, a drama about East London soccer hooligans starring Elijah Wood.

'Diversity'

International premieres include zombie sequel Land of the Dead and sci-fi adventure Serenity.

British director Michael Powell will be remembered in a retrospective to be attended by his widow, film editor Thelma Schoonmaker.

Elijah Wood plays a football hooligan in Green Street

Ms Schoonmaker will also be interviewed on stage, alongside Richard E Grant, Anthony Minghella and veteran designer Ken Adam.

Director Paul Schrader will present a screening of Dominion, his prequel to horror classic The Exorcist, while American Pie star Jason Biggs and actress Jennifer Jason Leigh are also tipped to appear.

"The beautiful thing about this year's festival is not only the quality of the films, but their diversity," said artistic director Shane Danielsen.

"There are works from over 37 countries, in a wide variety of styles, genres and scales - everything from blockbusters to arthouse movies and all points between."

Last year's festival opened with The Motorcycle Diaries, a film about the early life of the revolutionary Che Guevara.