VeteranUK director Ken Russell is to be feted with a retrospective including theworld premiere of his latest film Hot Pants at this year's OldenburgInternational Film Festival (Sept 7-11).

Themaverick filmmaker will come to the festival which has been dubbed the"German Sundance" for the screening of such films as Women In Love,The Devils, Altered States and Lisztomania.

Amongthe titles already confirmed for the festival programme which focuses on Germanand international independent production are Rodrigo Garcia's Golden Leopardwinner Nine Lives, Luke and Andrew Wilson's romantic comedy The Wendell BakerStory, Marcos Siega's satirical tragicomedy Pretty Persuasion and PaulProvenza's The Aristocrats as well as Marion Lipschitz's documentary TheEducation Of Shelby Knox.

Thefestival audience will choose the winner of the German Independence Award fromamong the international titles shown, while an international jury, including director Harry Kuemel, UK producer Michael Riley and Wild Bunch's Lucie Kalmar, will decideon the winner in the Award's "Best German Film" category from fournominated films: Catharina Deus' Die Boxerin, Siegfried E. Kamml's BlackoutJourney (the festival's opening film), Till Franzen's Die Blaue Grenze, andIsabelle Stever's Gisela.