Sutherland Trophy: "Persepolis"
Directed By: Vincent Paronnaud and Marianne Satrapi

The FIPRESCI International Critics Award: "Unrelated"
Directed By: Joanna Hogg (UK)

Alfred Dunhill Award: "Brick Lane"
Directed By: Sarah Gavron (UK)

The Satyajit Award: "California Dreamin’"
Directed By: Cristian Nemescu (Romania)

The TCM Short Film Award: "A Bout de Truffe"
Directed By: Tom Tagholm

The Grierson Award for Best Documentary: "The Mosquito Problem and Other Stories"
Directed By: Andrey Paounov (Bulgaria)

Variety UK Achievement in Film Award: Paul Greengrass, ("Open Fire," "The One That Got Away," "Bloody Sunday," "The Murder of Stephen Lawrence," and "United 93")

The British-born and Australia-raised Naomi Watts is the toast of the film world and with very good reason. An actor of sophisticated range and ability, she has earned her success by continuously selecting diverse, challenging and often unexpected roles. Her first considerable part was in the indie Aussie drama FLIRTING in which she starred alongside Thandie Newton and Nicole Kidman (before her move to Hollywood). But her big break didn’t come until a decade later when she won the starring role in David Lynch’s noir fantasy film MULHOLLAND DR. playing the suspiciously naïve Betty Elms, a character of dubious intent which invited Watts to demonstrate she was an actor of convincing complexity. Just two years later she received an Oscar™ nomination for her sobering performance as a recovering addict in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s moving and provocative 21 GRAMS. Watts has since continued to collaborate with some of cinema’s most praiseworthy directors, including David O. Russell (I HEART HUCKABEES), Peter Jackson (KING KONG), and John Curran (WE DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, THE PAINTED VEIL). With this year as no exception, Watts teams up with David Cronenberg in EASTERN PROMISES, the Festival’s Opening Night Gala film, and with Michael Haneke for FUNNY GAMES, a Film on the Square premiere. The BFI London Film Festival welcomes Naomi Watts back to her native country to discuss her internationally celebrated film career.

FOR VENUE & TIME INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: www.lff.org.uk/events

Attending the Opening Night Gala on Wednesday 17 October for the UK premiere of the acclaimed "EASTERN PROMISES" will be director David Cronenberg, accompanied by Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

The Odeon West End will welcome an array of actors and filmmakers attending the premieres of their films over the 16 day Festival. Halle Berry will join director Susanne Bier and producer Sam Mendes for "THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE;" Todd Haynes will present "I’M NOT THERE" with Ben Whishaw, Charlotte Gainsbourg and producer Christine Vachon; director Sean Penn will be introducing "INTO THE WILD" with leading actor Emile Hirsch, and Jason Reitman will be joined by "JUNO" cast member Allison Janney and screenwriter Diablo Cody. "LUST, CAUTION" will be introduced by director Ang Lee with leading newcomer Tang Wei, while Marc Evans, Livia Firth and Colin Firth will be joined by guests at the world premiere of "IN PRISON MY WHOLE LIFE." Catherine Breillat will present "THE LAST MISTRESS," and Cristian Mungui will introduce actress Anamaria Marinca and his film "4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS," while Naomi Watts is introducing her second film of the Festival," FUNNY GAMES" with co-stars Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet. At the Odeon Leicester Square Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Andrew Garfield, and Michael Peña as well as actor/director Robert Redford and producer Paula Wagner will attend the world premiere of "LIONS FOR LAMBS."

John Cusack will join director James C Strouse for "GRACE IS GONE," while the cast of "ENCHANTED:" Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden will join director Kevin Lima for the UK premiere of this family film.

Tamara Jenkins will introduce "THE SAVAGES" with Laura Linney, who will also be the subject of an onstage Screen Talk, as will Wes Anderson. Masterclass guest Steve Buscemi will also present the premiere of INTERVIEW with Sienna Miller, while "MISTER LONELY" cast Anita Pallenberg, James Fox and Samantha Morton will introduce the film with Harmony Korine, who is also a Masterclass participant. Paul Greengrass will be the subject of an onstage interview and the recipient of the Variety UK Achievement in Film Award, while David Lynch and Donovan host a unique evening discussing meditation, consciousness and creativity.

Trafalgar Square will play host to a celebration of London as captured on archive films, ablaze on the big screen with live piano accompaniments. Free to all from 18:30 on Thursday 18 October and Friday 19 October, Alfred Hitchcock’s "BLACKMAIL" will be screened with "BLUE BOTTLES" on the first night, whilst "CAPITAL TALES" on the second evening will offer a whistle-stop tour across more than 100 years of London on film from 1896 onwards.

Contemporary British filmmaking talent will be out in force for their screenings, including Nick Broomfield with his film "BATTLE FOR HADITHA," Penny Woolcock with "EXODUS," Kim Longinotto for "HOLD ME TIGHT, LET ME GO" and Asif Kapadia with "FAR NORTH." Richard Attenborough will introduce "CLOSING THE RING," Garth Jennings will present "SON OF RAMBOW: A HOME MOVIE" and Sarah Gavron will attend the premiere of "BRICK LANE."

The high-profile roll call of international directors set to attend the Festival include: Julio Medem ("CHAOTIC ANA"), Jan Svĕrák ("EMPTIES"), Brian de Palma ("REDACTED"), Marjane Satrapi ("PERSEPOLIS"), Michael Moore ("SICKO"), Andrew Dominik ("THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD"), Carlos Reygadas ("SILENT LIGHT"), Rituparno Ghosh ("THE LAST LEAR"), Julian Schnabel ("THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY"), Salvatore Maira ("VALZER"), Buddhadeb Dasgupta ("THE VOYEURS") and Brooklyn artist David Gatten ("FILM FOR INVISIBLE INK"," CASE NO:7": "BASE-PLUS-FOG") will present a workshop as well as his latest film works .

On Thursday 1 November, director Wes Anderson, actor/screenwriter Jason Schwartzman and producer/screenwriter Roman Coppola will be joined by actors Amara Karan and Camilla Rutherford at the Closing Night Gala of "THE DARJEELING LIMITED," bringing the 51st Festival celebrations to a close.

London's first ever Production Finance Market, launched by Film London in association with The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival, will take place 22-23 October, focusing on new private forms of investment, film finance and new distribution avenues; one of the many events in the Festival's expanded industry calendar. 120 international and UK financiers and established producers will participate in more than 400 face-to-face matched meetings, including 11 emerging producers who have been selected to pitch their projects and attend training seminars at the market. The Production Finance Market is also supported by the UK Film Council, UK Trade and Investment, Skillset, the London Development Agency and peacefulfish.

In collaboration with ACE (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen) and the French Institute, with support from Skillset, the UK Film Council and the MEDIA Plus Programme of the European Community, the seminar CREATIVE PRODUCER - A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS? will take place on October 24 at the French Institute.

POWER TO THE PIXEL is a one-day forum hosted by the Festival on Friday 26 October that will explore pioneering new ways of distributing, marketing and financing independent films. Leading industry experts will explore overviews of cutting-edge digital distribution business models and services, as well as discussing how to build new audiences, maximise revenues and reach core, global audiences.
www.lff.org.uk/powertothepixel

The UK Film Council will co-host a series of events with the Festival. Together with the German Federal Film Board, a co-production event on October 25 will explore German rebates working with UK tax relief, as well as other sources of production finance. The second event, IN FOCUS - WORKING WITH DISABILITY IN THE FILM INDUSTRY will allow panellists to discuss whether disability could be a barrier to working in the film industry, while the UK Film Council will be launching a DVD of the same name.

Building on the success of last year's industry screenings and the inaugural MEET THE BUYER session (titles picked up for UK distribution included HALF NELSON, ANGOSTO, STOLEN HOLIDAYS and THE SINGER), both will return, thanks to the continued funding from the London Development Agency and the Mayor of London through Film London. Industry screenings will be at the Curzon Soho from Monday 22 - Thursday 25 October and MEET THE BUYER is on Tuesday 23 October.

The Festival continues its commitment to training and presents, in conjunction with Skillset and Film London, a five-day programme at The Hospital for 25 filmmakers who are seeking to develop their careers at THINK-SHOOT-DISTRIBUTE from October 22 - 26. A lively series of talks, workshops and master-classes by top industry speakers will look at the business, creative and technical aspects of the film industry.

Further enhancing its role in nurturing the film talent of tomorrow, the Festival continues to work with key film schools to present the fourth edition of WORKING YOUR FUTURE - aimed specifically at undergraduates to give them post-graduation career guidance via panel presentations and screenings, as well as a keynote address by Julie Baines of Dan Films.

Also working with a wide range of established partners such as The Script Factory, the Directors Guild of Great Britain, the New Producers Alliance, Film London, B3 Media and the National Film and Television School, the Festival will also host a series of panel discussions and filmmaking events.

For further information regarding Industry Events visit:
www.lff.org.uk/industry

London… Tuesday 31st July: The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival is delighted to announce that this year’s Festival will open on Wednesday 17th October with David Cronenberg’s EASTERN PROMISES.

The London set thriller, written by Steven Knight (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS), reunites multi-award winning director David Cronenberg with his HISTORY OF VIOLENCE leading man, Viggo Mortensen, and also stars Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

The plot centres on the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Mortensen), who is tied to one of London’s most notorious organised Russian crime families. A harrowing chain of murder, deceit and retribution is put in motion when he crosses paths with Anna (Watts), an innocent midwife, trying to right a wrong she accidentally uncovers…

EASTERN PROMISES is produced by Paul Webster and Robert Lantos, co-produced by Tracey Seaward, and executive produced by Stephen Garret, David Thompson, Jeff Abberley and Julia Blackman.

Pathé will release the film in the UK on 26th October 2007.

Sandra Hebron, the Festival’s Artistic Director comments: “It’s hugely exciting that a director who has consistently thrilled and challenged us throughout his career has made a film in our city. This gripping, powerfully directed and acted story of lives colliding in contemporary London is the perfect opener for our Festival.”

David Cronenberg adds: "I’m thrilled to be returning to the scene of the crime. Eastern Promises is the first film I’ve ever shot entirely away from my home in Canada, and it makes perfect sense that it is set in London, home of so many of my most potent film influences. I can’t wait to be there!"

The full programme for The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival will be announced on Thursday 13th September. www.lff.org.uk <http://www.lff.org.uk/>