34th edition Flanders International Film Festival Ghent has kicked off!

This afternoon Lord Richard Attenborough was officially welcomed at the Ghent City Hall by mayor Daniël Termont and the alderman for Culture, Tourism and Festivities, Mr. Lieven Decaluwe. Sir Richard Attenborough (Gandhi) will introduce his film Closing the Ring as an opener for the section Festival Previews, a collection of this season's most important premières. The other Benelux premières on the festival program's list are The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Sleuth, Away From Her, Eastern Promises, Gone Baby Gone and We Own the Night. Next to Closing the Ring there will be another opening film on Tuesday night: Die Fälscher by Stefan Ruzowitzky. It will also be a première and it will open the Competition. Die Fälscher is the Austrian entry for the Academy Awards and it tells the story of a counterfeiting swindle in Nazi Germany. During the screening on October 9, actress Dolores Chaplin will be there, accompanied by producer Josef Aichholzer. On October 10, the movie will be screened in the presence of director Stefan Ruzowitzky and actor Karl Markovics. Simultaneously the 2nd edition of Almost Cinema will also kick off in Vooruit. Almost Cinema is a joint venture of Vooruit and the festival. For twelve days this art center will explore the boundaries of movies, media art and music. Almost Cinema opens with the screening of the documentary Sand and Sorrow about the Darfur genocide and will be followed by a concert by the Sudanese singer Rasha. The guest list this year is very impressive: Western legend Walter Hill (The Warriors, Geronimo: An American Legend, The Long Riders) will introduce his movie Broken Trail that was showered with Emmy's and actor Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon, Beloved, Manderlay), will introduce the movie Bamako. Mr. Glover will attend the festival as Unicef Ambassador. Both Mr. Hill and Mr. Glover will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The festival will close off with three days of film music, starting with Gustavo Santoalalla and his Bajofondo Tango Club on October 18, followed by Alberto Iglesias and his movie scores and the 7th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards featuring music by Mychael Danna (Little Miss Sunshine, Monsoon Wedding, Ice Storm), Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia), Mikis Theodorakis (Zorba The Greek), Evanthia Reboutsika (My Father and My Son) and Jef Neve (With Friends Like These).