LONDON, November 6: London's 41st annual film festival opens today amid tales of broken promises, back-biting and political intrigue that threatens to overshadow the movies themselves.The 18-day festival's roster of some 200 films mixes arthouse cool with Hollywood glitz, showcasing films about neurotic writers, twisted teenagers and swinging suburbanites.But, behind the scenes looms a real life showdown that has all the makings of a knock-down, drag-out drama or, at the very least, a gritty documentary. The feud pits the festival's organisers, the British Film Institute (BFI), against the event's former director, who was dismissed by the BFI last year.At issue is whether the London Film Festival, (LFF), one of the largest non-competitive film fests in the world, should join the ranks of ``A-grade'' competitive events like Venice, Berlin and Cannes.Competitive film festivals attract world premiers, celebrity jurors and high-profile prizes - all crucial in generating ``buzz'', that ineffable excitement that makes or breaks films.As a non-competitive event lacking in world premiers, the LFF bills itself as a ``festival of festivals'', presenting to movies that have already been launched elsewhere.``We can cherry-pick to a certain extent, and we feel that we've got a very strong programme,'' said Adrian Wootton, making his debut this year as festival director.Wootton and the BFI argue that a prize-packed LFF would have difficulty competing with established A-grade events, particulary because its timing in November comes so late in the year.Also, they say competitive status would turn the LFF into an industry event, complete with the bidding frenzies, media circuses and often tacky razzmatazz that characterise events like Cannes.``We're an audience festival,'' Wootton said, ``Most A-grade competitive festivals are primarily about the industry and not about audiences.''
