The world premiere of Woody Allen's Hollywood Ending will close next month's San Francisco International Film Festival, the event announced this week.

Expected to attend are George Hamilton, Mark Rydell and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who star in the comedy of Hollywood manners.

"It's our tribute to what Hollywood can do best - satirise itself," said Roxanne Messina Captor, executive director of festival organisers, the San Francisco Film Society.

The festival's 45th edition, which runs April 18 - May 2, will present Warren Beatty with the Akira Kurosawa Award for lifetime achievement in film directing.

Argentina's influential Fernando Birri, whose prolific career encompasses poet, political exile, teacher and filmmaker, is to receive the Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award.