Premium US cable movie service Starz EntertainmentGroup (SEG) has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Carlos deAbreu's Hollywood Film Festival (HFF) kicking off with this year's event Oct 17to 23.

SEG will also host the closing night party of thefestival after the Hollywood Awards ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel inBeverly Hills on Oct 23.

SEG has presented two of its own productions at HFF inthe last two years - Bullets Over Hollywood in2004 and The Cutting Edge: The Magic Of Movie Editing in2005. This year, HFF will screen SEG's Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride: HunterS Thompson On Film which looks at the late journalist'sinfluence on contemporary culture.

This year, the festival will celebrate its tenthanniversary by expanding its film and events programme, as well as presentingits star-studded annual awards night which last year featured winners such asDiane Keaton, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, JakeGyllenhaal, George Lucas and Paul Haggis.

During the awards night,Screen International presents the Hollywood World Award for best internationalfilm of the year which last year went to Stephen Frears' Mrs HendersonPresents.