The 55th Edinburgh International Film Festival, Lizzie FranckeŠs last as Festival Director, has a strong British showing once again. The festival will feature world premieres for Udayan PrasadŠs Gabriel And Me written by Billy Elliot's Lee Hall, as well as for Film Four's The Warrior and two digitally-shot BBC features directed by Danny Boyle.

The event, which runs August 12-26, will open with Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie, and Mike Nichols' Wit, starring Emma Thompson, has been chosen to close.

The festival screens several films that have been acclaimed at other international festivals ths year: Michael Apted's Enigma; John Cameron MitchellŠs Hedwig And The Angry Inch; the Coen brothers' The Man Who Wasn't There; Wisit Sasanatieng's Tears Of The Black Tiger; Terry Zwigoff's Ghost World; Scott McGhee and David Siegel's The Deep End; and Roman Coppola's CQ. CoppolaŠs pop promos and commercials are also the subject of a festival retrospective and so is Werner HerzogŠs documentary output.

The pair of Boyle digital video productions - Strumpet and Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise - were both shot by Dogme 95 cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle from scripts by Jim Cartwright, the writer behind Mark HermanŠs Little Voice. They join numerous other high-profile UK films at Edinburgh this year including Lucky Break, Peter Cattaneo's follow up to The Full Monty; FilmFour's Crush, starring Andie MacDowell; Dom Rotheroe's My Brother Tom, Kirsten Sheridan's Disco Pigs, Joel Hopkins' Jump Tomorrow; and Andrew Kotting's This Filthy Earth.

Among the international selections, Catherine Breillat's A Ma Soeur (Fat Girl) receives a UK premiere, as do Claire Denis' Trouble Every Day, Todd Solondz's Storytelling, and Tsai Ming-Liang's What Time Is It There? Other Cannes favourites receiving their UK premieres are Atanarjuat The Fast Runner and Danis Tanovic's No Man's Land.

The Late Night Romps section includes Japanese shocker Battle Royale and a new print of Todd Browning's 1932 classic Freaks.

Film talent confirmed to be heading up to the Scottish capital for the festival's Reel Life interview section includes Sean Penn, whose three directorial efforts, The Indian Runner, The Crossing Guard and The Pledge are all screening; Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet; Henry Bean, whose Sundance winner The Believer will be seen for the first time in Britain at Edinburgh; acclaimed cinematographer Robby Mueller; celebrated composer Angelo Badalamenti; and Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro, whose Spanish Civil War-set The Devil's Backbone receives a UK premiere. Currently in talks to attend are Wit director Mike Nichols and Crush star Andie MacDowell.