The Dublin International Film Festival has announced a significant expansion of its programme for its second edition which takes place from 12-22 February next year.

Supplementing principal sponsorship from local distiller Jameson are home entertainment chain XtraVision, ice-cream manufacturer HB and media partner The Irish Times. The Arts Council, which provided a small but crucial start-up grant for the festival last year will announce its grant allocations for 2004 in coming weeks.

In addition to the expansion of its programme content and duration the festival will screen films at all four of Dublin's city centre film complexes, including the newly relaunched 17-screen UGC multiplex. Opening, closing and gala presentations will be held in the 700 seat Savoy 1 cinema while the Screen Cinemas, also owned by the Ward Anderson Group, will host the majority of the festival screenings. Irish made, directed and set films will form a distinct programme strand at the Irish Film Institute.

Films confirmed so far include Marco Tullio Giordana's The Best of Youth; Siddiq Barmak's Afghan drama Osama, co- produced by Irish producer Julie LeBrocquy; Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, writer/director Billy Ray's first feature Shattered Glass; Vadim Perelman's adaptation of the novel by Andre Dubus III, House of Sand and Fog; Tom McCarthy's The Station Agent; and Emile Gaudreault's Montreal-set comedy, Mambo Italiano.

The full programme will be published in late January 2004 by which time the festival should be able to announce which of the many invited actors and directors will be in attendance to present their films in February.