Montreal: Robert Lepage's latest feature film, La face cachee de la lune, shot entirely in high-definition video, has been selected to open the 32nd edition of the Montreal International Festival of New Cinema and New Media (FCMM). A gala screening with cast and crew is slated for the Ex-Centris theatre, Oct. 9. This year's festival runs from Oct. 9-19.

La face cachee de la lune is an adaptation of the Lepage stage play of the same name and is the director's fifth feature film. Leading players are Anne-Marie Cadieux, Richard Frechette, Celine Bonnier and Robert Lepage.

The film is distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm, and is a Media Principia and Films FCL production under the supervision of executive producers Daniel Langlois and Lepage and producers Mario St-Laurent and Bob Krupinski.

The festival has also confirmed the participation of distinguished European filmmakers Werner Herzog and Peter Greenaway and Czech animator Jiri Barta.

Herzog will present his latest film, Wheels of Time, about the Dalai Lama. A major retrospective of 45 of Herzog's works will also be presented in association with the Goethe-Institut. The retrospective runs through to Dec. 12.

Greenaway will present The Moab Story, the first film in his controversial multimedia trilogy The Tulse Luper Suitcases. One of the film's leads is Quebec actress Caroline Dhavernas.

Nine of Barta's films will be screened as part of an FCMM tribute retrospective organized in association with Cinematheque Quebecoise.

Some 24 films from younger filmmakers delivering their first, second or third films, will compete for the $10,000 Dvcolor/Louve D'Or best feature award in the FCMM's international section.

Films from more established filmmakers are showcased in the special presentations section and include new titles from Errol Morris, Micheline Lanctot, Claude Miller, Jacques Doyon, Guy Maddin, Claude Gagnon, John Greyson, Patrice Chereau, Raoul Ruiz, Lars von Tier and others, says FCMM director Claude Chamberlan.

"There is also the world premiere of Amelia, the first film by Edouard Lock [choreographer of La La Human Steps]," says Chamberlan.

In the portrait section, FCMM has Martin Scorsese's new feature-length film series The Blues, soon to air on PBS. The seven-film collection includes an impressive list of directors including Wim Wenders, Richard Pierce, Charles Burnett, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, Clint Eastwood and Scorsese himself.

Programmed by Dimitri Eipides, FCMM's documentary section includes 16 titles, among them two Vancouver entries, Nettie Wild's Fix: The Story of an Addicted City and The Corporation by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott.

FCMM's short film section includes the return of the Kino collective and a special spotlight on Bravo!FACT.

The Oct. 11 Bravo!FACT program includes shorts by Bruce McDonald, Michael Ondaatje, Don McKellar, Britt Randle, Douglas Bensadoun, Robert Deleskie, Alexandre Franchi, Jesse Rosensweet and Guy Maddin. Bravo!FACT exec director Judy Gladstone and Bravo! GM Paul Gratton will also be present.

New to FCMM this year are programming sections called State of the World and Films of Children, programmed by Marie-Christine Picard and sponsored by Fondation Rene Malo.

FCMM's New Media section is hosted by La Societe des Arts Technologiques.

In addition to the Dvcolor award, FCMM cash prizes include the $5,000 NFB best documentary award, the $5,000 Radio-Canada best screenplay award, the $5,000 Vision Globale best short award, the $5,000 LPI New Media award, the $5,000 Volkswagen Audience Award and the $5,000 Bell Fund Prize/Cyberpitch, awarded to a 3D interactive Web project.

-www.fondation-langlois.org

-www.fcmm.com