Helen Mirren (right) has also played Queen Elizabeth I on TV

The programme also includes Pedro Almodovar's Volver and Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, put forward for a best foreign language film Oscar, will close the festival on 15 October.

The festival does not hand out awards, and many of films on offer have already been seen on the festival circuit,

Dame Helen Mirren was recently named best actress at the Venice Film Festival for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in Frears's film.

'Not cool'

"As an actor you inevitably fall in love with your character, no matter who it is, even if it's Macbeth," she said at a festival news conference.

"I found myself absolutely loving the Queen. It's embarrassing for me... you know it's not very cool," she added.

The festival will showcase 28 films in total, from countries including Mali, Turkey, China and Egypt.

David Lynch has again directed Laura Dern in Inland Empire, having previously starred in Lynch's Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart.

And director Todd Field will show his first film since Oscar-nominated movie In The Bedroom.

Little Children stars Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Connelly.

Actor Warren Beatty is expected to make an appearance for a 25th anniversary screening of Reds, for which he won a best directing Oscar in 1981.