A retrospective of 1970sAmerican cinema, a focus on women directors and the latest films from DenysArcand and Robert Altman are among the highlights of the 25th Aspen Filmfest,which runs from Sept 30-Oct 5.

The Colorado event openswith Altman's ballet ensemble The Company and will close with Alejandro Agresti'saward-winning Spanish-language relationship drama Valentin.

Sydney Pollack's ThreeDays Of The Condor, Dennis Hopper'sEasy Rider and William Friedkin'sThe French Connection areincluded in the retrospective, which also features a panel discussion withFriedkin, Pollack, Richard Dreyfuss, Easy Rider cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and Paper Moon production designer Polly Platt.

The Independent By Natureprogramme will screen Arcand's Cannes prize-winning comedy-drama TheBarbarian Invasions, Sayles'sadoption drama Casa De Los Babysand Oscar-winning Italian director Gabriele Salvatores' mystery-drama I'mNot Scared.

Work by women film-makersincludes Czech director Alice Nellis' award-winning road movie SomeSecrets, Bronwen Hughes' Stander, an account of Apartheid and the police in South Africa,and Spaniard Isabel Coixet's romance My Life Without Me.

The documentary strandfeatures Tracy Droz Tragos' family quest Be Good, Smile Pretty, Enzo Mileti's account of Olympic hopefuls In Pipe Dreams and Wayne Ewing's Breakfast With Hunter, a portrait of the Gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson.

Sylvain Chomet'sacclaimed French animated feature The Triplets Of Belleville and Tom McCarthy's Sundance winner TheStation Agent take pride of place inthe New Voices programme.

The Station Agent star Peter Dinklage will receive the first everEmerging Artist Award for his role in the New Jersey-based comedy-drama andthere will also be a surprise preview of a directorial debut.