Darren Aronofsky's Venice Golden Lion winner The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke will screen as a gala presentation and Vicente Amorim's Good will close the 44th Chicago International Film Festival, which runs from October 16-29.

Slumdog Millionaire gets a gala screening slot alongside the world premiere of Jada Pinkett Smith's The Human Contract, A Christmas Tale, Happy-Go-Lucky, Synecdoche, New York and Pride And Glory.

In total 116 features, 38 short and student films and 18 documentaries from more than 45 countries will screen as organisers unveiled the full line-up. New highlights include a Festival Village and the Green Screen sidebar celebrating the intersection of the natural environment and the artistry of film-making.

The entries includes Bent Hamer's Norwegian foreign language Oscar submission O'Horten and Matteo Garrone's Italian Oscar hopeful Gomorrah.

As previously announced, Rian Johnson's The Brothers Bloom will open the festival and Mike Leigh will receive a career achievement award prior to the screening of Happy-Go-Lucky. Sidney Poitier is the subject of the Black Perspectives tribute and reception and will receive a lifetime achievement award and rapper Common gets the Emerging Artist Award.

'For 44 years, we've been committed to taking you all across the globe to discover some of the most exciting cinema the world has to offer, right here in Chicago for two weeks only,' the festival's founder and artistic director Michael Kutza said. 'This isn't your typical Saturday night out at the movies - these are once-in-a-lifetime events.'

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