Eight films to compete and more than 40 pre-premieres to screen in Paris event running July 2-13.

The Paris Cinema Festival announced details of it ninth edition on Tuesday, unveiling a packed line-up ranging from a retrospective of 1980s Japanese erotica to Iranian director Jafah Panahi’s clandestine films to pre-premieres of some 40 films due for release in France in the autumn.

“As always Paris Cinema has drawn together an inventive and diverse programme,” Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe told a packed press conference at the city town hall. “I am particularly pleased to announce the festival will be screening the clandestine films of Jafah Panahi, an honorary citizen of our Paris, in a sign of Paris’ support for the Iranian People’s struggle for freedom.”

Running July 2-13, the Paris Cinema Festival will open with Maiwenn’s Cannes Jury Prize winner Polisse [pictured] and close with Dominik Moll’s The Monk (La Moine) in the presence of the director plus star Vincent Cassel.

Eight films will screen in the competition, focused on up and coming directors, including Marie Losier’s The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye, which won a Teddy Award for best documentary in Berlin; Critics’ Week opener Declaration of War, Locarno Silver Leopard winner Curling and Directors Fortnight screener Sur La Planche.

The pre-premiere section features more than 40 films due for release in France in the autumn ranging from international titles Cars 2, Hop!,We Need to Talk about Kevin and Melancholia to French fare such as Free Men (Les Hommes Libres) and France’s first live action 3D movie Behind the Walls.

Industry events include the Paris Project co-production platform, running July 4-7. The platform, which is attended by some 350 professionals, will announce the projects on July 13.

There will also be a one-day meeting devoted to France’s nascent 3D live action cinema scene as well as an exploration of the relationship between filmmaking and the internet, featuring a screening of David Dusa’s Flowers of Evil (Fleurs du Mal) on French video sharing website Dailymotion.

Franco-British actor Michael Lonsdale, who was feted by Delanoe with a special Paris city award during the news conference on Tuesday, is among the festival’s honorary guests.

Tribute will also be paid to Isabella Rossellini, Mexican director Gael Garcia Bernal, Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski and animation director Michel Ocelot. There will also be a retrospective on the work of the late Don Siegel.

Elsewhere in the festival programme, Mexican cinema is being feted with directors Gael Garcia Bernal, Nicolas Pereda and Nicolas Echevarria due to attend.

The traditional night-long screening marathon La Nuit Du Cinema includes a retrospective of 1980s Japanese erotica, Philippine 1970s jungle action films and a programme devoted to female vampires pictures.

The Festival will close on July 13 with a Cine-Karaoke night, which last year attracted more than 3,000 people.

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