Montreal film fest unveils lineup details

Louis Blanger's Route 132, Bertrand Tavernier's Princess of Montpensier and Zhang Yimou's A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop are among the new cinematic offerings set to screen at the Montreal World Film Festival.

Organizers unveiled final details of the 34th edition of the festival, includingthe 20-film world competition lineup, on Tuesday in Montreal.

Blanger's drama, about a man coming to terms with losing a loved one, will open the festival, while French filmmaker Tavernier's 16th century romance will close this year's event.

Danish filmmaker Bille August will preside over the international jury.

Blanger's Route 132 and fellow Canadian Julie Hivon's Tromper le silence (Silence Lies) will compete against 18 other features for the top prize. Rivals include:

• Box The Hakamada Case, Banmei Takahashi (Japan)
• The Day I Was Not Born, Florian Cossen (Germany)
• From Childhood, Carlos Carrera (Mexico)
• From the Waist On, Gianfrancesco Lazotti (Italy)
• The Land of the Astronauts, Carl Colpaert (USA)
• Limbo, Maria Sodahl (Norway)
• Lost Heritage, Christian Lara (France)
• Meeting With an Angel, Sophie de Daruvar and Yves Thomas (France)
• The Murder Farm, Bettina Oberli (Germany)
• Nannerl, Mozart's Sister, Ren Fret (France)
• Oxygen, Hans Van Nuffel (Belgium)
• Sword of Desperation, Hideyuki Hirayama (Japan)
• Tte de turc, Pascal Elb (France)
• Three-Way Wedding, Jacques Doillon (France)
• Truce, Svetlana Proskurina (Russia)
• Twelve Thirty, Jeff Lipsky (USA)
• Venice, Jakub Kolski (Poland)
• Villain, Lee Sang-il (Japan)

Tavernier's Princess of Monpensier is among the high-profile titlesbeing screenedout of competition, along with Carlos Saura's Flamenco, Flamenco and Zhang's film.

Overall, 430 films from 80 countries will unspool in Montreal. Other highlights this year include:

• A master class on cinema conducted by French actor Gerard Depardieu.
• Restrospectives honouring French actress Nathalie Baye, Italian actress Stefania Sandrelli and Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi.
• A tribute screening of the award-winning 1981 film Les Plouffe (The Plouffe Family), directed by Gille Carle, who died last year.
• The continuation of the festival's popular free outdoor film series at Place des Festivals, site of the city's open-air jazz festival concerts.

The Montreal World Film Festival runs Aug. 26 to Sept. 6.