Cinema festival guests include David Lynch, Ian McKellen and Vanessa Redgrave.

Organisers of the Rome Film Fest have announced the "first sneak previews" of the 12th edition of the festival, scheduled between 26 October and 5 November at the capital's Auditorium Parco della Musica.

The American filmmaker David Lynch, whose career ranges from Mulholland Drive to Twin Peaks, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and meet the festival audience.

Other leading cinema figures taking part in the Close Encounters section include Shakespearean actor Ian McKellen - known to many as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings saga; Canadian director Xavier Dolan; cult writer Chuck Palahniuk; and the celebrated British actress Vanessa Redgrave whose 50-year career on the stage and screen includes films such as Blowup, Julia, and Driving Miss Daisy.

The first movies announced for the 2017 Rome Film Fest include Logan Lucky by Steve Soderbergh and NYsferatu by Andrea Mastrovito, while the programme also features a retrospective on The Italian School, the restoration of three Italian classic films, a contemporary art installation and a conference on international film criticism.

For more details see website.