The largest film festival in the US will screen 440 films and runs from May 15-June 8.

The One I Love is the closing night screening and Quincy Jones will receive a lifetime achievement award. Richard Linklater’s Boyhood is the centrepiece screening.

The festival will feature 44 world, 30 North American and 14 US premieres. Twelve films will compete in each of the New Directors, New American Cinema and Documentary competition categories

“Film is more than entertainment,” said artistic director Carl Spence. “The life-changing nature of the collective experience of cinema and the stories moving pictures can tell are SIFF’s inspinration and mission every year as we put together the festival.

“This year, SIFF continues to be a festival of discovery, with more than 100 new directors making their debut. Richard Linklater was one of those filmmakers back in 1990 with the premiere of Slacker; it’s fitting to have him return for our anniversary with his masterwork Boyhood – unlike any other film I’ve seen.”

The line-up includes Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Laura Dern in The Fault In Our Stars; Kim Basinger, Richard Jenkins and Cam Gigandet in 4 Minute Mile; Trent Reznor and Billy Corgan in Beautiful Noise; and Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Miranda Otto and Mia Wasikowska in The Turning.

For further details click here www.siff.net/festival-2014.