The 2004Hollywood Film Festival will open on Oct 12 with the world premiere of WendyApple's film editing documentary The Cutting Edge and closes on Oct 17 with the USpremiere of Shainee Gabel's family drama A Love Song For Bobby Long starring John Travolta and ScarlettJohansson.

All in all 16world premieres and 24 US premieres are among the line-up, with centerpiecepremieres for Marc Forster's J M Barrie drama Finding Neverland, Michael Clancy's funeral comedy Eulogy, David Gordon Green's thriller Undertow, and Dylan Kidd's romantic comedy P.S.

Festival founder and executive director Carlos de Abreuand his team received more than 2,100 submissions from around the world - up30% since last year. The event closes with the Hollywood Film Awards on Oct 18where honorary awards go to Travolta for lifetime achievement, Newmarketpresident Bob Berney for leadership, Mel Gibson for producing, Michael Mann fordirecting, Leonardo DiCaprio and Annette Bening for acting, and Jamie Foxx andKeira Knightley for breakthrough performances, among others. The evening willalso see the inaugural Hollywood European Award and Hollywood World Award whichare sponsored by Screen International.

This year'sline-up of films at the festival includes Matthew Leutwyler's horror tale DeadAnd Breakfast, JimmyNickerson's fantasy adventure Forbidden Warrior, Greg Lombardo's dating comedy Knots, Peter Stepin's Russian celebritydairymaid documentary The Rule Of Vera, and Andre Van Duren's Dutch family drama Young Kees.

The festival isalso presenting the Hollywood Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Festival showcase ofhorror films in alliance with Film Threat, which includes a presentation of theHollywood Horror Film Award to filmmaker Don Coscarelli, whose directingcredits include Bubba Ho-tep, The Beastmaster and Phantasm.

"This year's Hollywood FilmFestival continues its tradition of honouring the very best talent within ourcommunity," festival co-chair Paula Wagner said in a statement.

"It is a celebration of allaspects of Hollywood filmmaking and the artists who help to create its lastinglegacy on our culture."