Cannes this year looks set to be a feast of high-art with stalwarts Lars Von Trier, Michael Haneke, Arturo Ripstein, Peter Greenaway and Ingmar Bergman all set to light up the Croisette with their latest films.

According to international gossip - but absolutely without any sort of confirmation from the Cannes organisers - some four or five films have already been given firm offers.

There is a host of top name directors hurrying to finish their films in time for Cannes. Not all will make it. It is assumed that Quentin Tarantino with Kill Bill and Jane Campion with In The Cut will not have completed their pictures in time for the festival and that Bernardo Bertolucci' s The Dreamers is headed for Venice.

Question marks still hang over Wong Kar Wai's 2046, Emir Kusturica's Life Is A Miracle (aka Hungry Hearts) and The Weeping Field, the first part of veteran Greek director Theo Angelopoulos' trilogy.

Potential newcomers - at least to competition - could include China's Lou Ye, Iran's Samira Makhmalbaf, Thailand's Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and Korea's Kim Ki Duk

There is also a huge contingent of French films. Favourite among these are Francois Ozon's Swimming Pool, Andre Techine's Strayed and Bruno Dumont's 29 Palms, but with some 60 films submitted competing for what is usually four places this section, usually confirmed last, confirmations could go to the wire.

Apparently confirmed
A Talking Film Dir: Manoel Oliveira Int sales: Gemini Films
Alila Amos Gitai Int sales: MK2
I Want To Be Famous Dir: Amos Kollek Int sales: Wild Bunch

Competition likely
Life Is A Miracle (aka Hungry Hearts) Dir: Emir Kusturica. Int sales: Wild Bunch
Dogville Dir: Lars Von Trier Int sales: Trust
Le Temps Des Loups Dir: Michael Haneke Int sales: tbc
Le Divorce Dir: James Ivory
2046 Dir: Wong Kar Wai Int sales: Fortissimo Film Sales
At Five In The Afternoon Dir: Samira Makhmalbaf Int sales: Wild Bunch
Trilogy #1 Dir: Theo Angelopoulos Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
All Tomorrow's Parties Dir: Yu Li Kwai Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring Dir: Kim Ki Duk Int sales: Cineclick Asia
Saraband Dir: Ingmar Bergman Int sales: Svensk Filmindustri
The Tulse Luper Suitcases Dir: Peter Greenaway Int sales: Fortissimo

Possibles:
Japanese Story Dir: Sue Brooks Int sales: Fortissimo
The Heart Elsewhere (Il Cuore Al Trove) Dir: Pupi Avati Int Sales: Raitrade
Sarasoju Dir: Kawase Naomi Int sales: Nikkatsu)
Zorge Dir; Shinoda Masahiro Int sales: Asmik Ace)
Father & Son Dir: Alexander Sokurov Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Young Adam Dir: David MacKenzie Int sales: HanWay
Imagining Argentina Dir: Christopher Hampton (Myriad)
Ogu Dir: Lee Yoon-taek Int sales: Cineclick Asia
Wart (Arimpara) Dir: Murali Nair Int sales: NFDC
Neverland Dir: Marc Forster Int sales: Miramax
Casa De Los Babys Dir: John Sayles
Brown Bunny Dir: Vincent Gallo Int sales: Wild Bunch
Ricordate Di Me Dir: Gabriele Muchino Int sales: The Works
Piazze Della Cinque Lune Dir: Renzo Martinelli Int sales: Blue Star

Other sections
Purple Butterfly Dir: Lou Ye Int sales: Wild Bunch
Bright Future Dir: Kurosawa Kiyoshi Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Last Life In The Universe Pen-Ek Ratanaruang Int sales: Fortissimo
Two Angels Dir: Mamat Haghighat Int sales: Wild Bunch
The Miracle Edoardo Winspear Int sales: tbc

French fancies
29 Palms Dir: Bruno Dumont Int sales: Flach Pyramide Int
Strayed (Les Egares) Dir: Andre Techine. Int sales: Wild Bunch
Swimming Pool Dir: Francois Ozon Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
In The Company Of Men Dir: Arnaud Desplechin Int sales: Wild Bunch
Qui A Tue Bambi' Dir: Gilles Marchand Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Pornocratie Dir: Catherine Breillat Int sales: Flach Pyramide
Errance Dir: Damien Odoul Int sales: tbc
Marie Et Julien Dir: Jacques Rivette Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
La Petite Lili Dir: Claude Miller Int sales: tbc
Bon Voyage Dir: Jean-Paul Rappeneau Int Sales: Europa Corp
Les Invasions Barbares Dir: Denys Arcand Int sales: Flach Pyramide
Tiresia Dir: Bertrand Bonello Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Renee Dir: Catherine Corsini Int sales: tbc
Monsieur Ibrahim Dir: Francois Dupeyron Int sales: tbc
Raja L'Africaine Dir: Jacques Doillon Int sales: tbc
Un Homme, Un Vrai Dir: Larrieu bros Int sales: Flach Pyramide

Possible special screenings
Les Triplettes De Belleville (animated) Dir: Sylvain Chomet Int sales: Celluloid Dreams
Matrix Reloaded Dir: Wachowski Bros (Warner Bros) (US release 15 May)

Not ready
Kill Bill Dir: Quentin Tarantino (Miramax)
In The Cut Dir: Jane Campion (Pathe International)
The Dreamers Dir: Bernardo Bertolucci (HanWay)
Grimm Dir: Alex van Warmerdam Int sales: Fortissimo
Intolerable Cruelty Dir: Joel Coen Int dist: Universal
The Hulk Dir: Ang Lee (Universal)