London's Raindance independent film festival is marking ten years of alternative offerings with a bumper line-up.

Starting on 23 October, the bill includes 70 feature films and 200 shorts from 22 countries across four venues in the capital.

The festival will start with Tadpole, starring Sigourney Weaver, a dark comedy about a 15-year-olds inappropriate lust for his stepmother.

The festival has backed hits like Memento

American History X director Tony Kaye will feature as "film-maker in residence", with dozens of other events and workshops going on.

Jurors picking this year's prizes include actors Nick Moran and Tara Fitzgerald as well as director Kristian Levring.

Highlights include Britney Baby, One More Time, which follows the story of a pop impersonator, Japanese gangster film Agitator, and dark American internet thriller Happy Here and Now.

The closing night screening will be Pumpkin, starring Christina Ricci and Brenda Blethlyn, a love story between a student and a young disabled man.

Set up as the UK equivalent of Robert Redford's influential Sundance film festival, Raindance has held early screenings of hits like Pulp Fiction, The Blair Witch Project and Memento.

Year-round courses

The festival, like its American counterparts gives smaller independent film-makers a chance to sell their films to distributors.

The organisers are also behind the British Independent Film Awards and Raindance Training, which provides year-round courses and resources for up-and-coming film-makers.

"Raindance is a contemporary independent film festival for emerging talent - a place for groundbreaking filmmakers to exhibit their work. An event where talent is recognised." explained festival director Elliot Grove.

"We present films from all over the world, which range from the edgy underground films to British breakthrough films.

"Raindance Film Festival gives you the chance to see the hottest talent before anyone else, catch the latest industry buzz and be part of the independent film-making community."