Alexander Litvinenko died in hospital from radiation poisoning

Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case will be screened on Saturday after being added to the festival at the last minute.

Mr Litvinenko, a former Russian security agent and critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in London last year after being poisoned.

The film, directed by his friend Andrei Nekrasov, follows the 43-year-old until his last days in hospital.

It contains interviews with former KGB agents and is highly critical of the Russian authorities, according to the distributors.

On his death-bed, Mr Litvinenko accused President Putin of being involved in his death.

His friends, including London-based tycoon Boris Berezovsky, have also accused the Kremlin of ordering his assassination, but the Russian government has rejected such claims.

Mr Nekrasov, co-director Olga Konskaya and Litvinenko's widow Marina are expected in Cannes for the screening, film trade paper Variety said.

Man charged

On Tuesday, the UK's director of public prosecutions recommended that Russian man Andrei Lugovoi should be tried for Mr Litvinenko's murder.

Mr Lugovoi, himself a former KGB officer, denied any involvement and said the charges against him were "politically motivated".

The formal submission of a request for Mr Lugovoi's extradition is expected to take place before the end of the week, after it has been translated.