With a total of five films, France is especially well represented in the official competition of the 26th Montreal World Film Festival, which runs from Aug 22 to Sept 2.

Competing against the five French films - four of which are international co-productions - are four films from Spain and three films from both Italy and Germany.

In all, 26 films will compete at the festival, the only FIAPF-recognised A Category competitive festival in North America, with the event showcasing a total of 406 films from 75 countries.

Among the competing films is the Canada-France co-production La Turbulence Des Fluides (pictured), which will open the festival. From Quebec director Manon Briand (2 Seconds), the film revolves around a seismologist whose life is transformed while she investigates a small town where the tide has mysteriously stopped.

At a press conference on August 6, the festival also announced programming for its World Cinema, Cinema of Tomorrow: New Trends, Latin American Cinema, Focus on Japanese Cinema, African Horizons, World Greats and Films for Television sections.

The MWFF will present a total of 216 feature films, 33 medium-length films, 159 shorts, 250 world and international premieres and 85 North American premieres.

Full Competition Line-up

In Nowhereland (Hiçbiryerde) Turkey - Germany / 2001 Dir. Tayfun Pirselimoglu

The War (Voina) Russia / 2002 / Dir. Alexei Balabanov

The Stoneraft (La Balsa De Piedra) Netherlands - Spain / 2002 / Dir. George Sluizer

The Council Of Egypt (Il Consiglio D'egitto) Italy - France - Hungary / 2001 / Dir. Emidio Greco

The Lighthouse Keeper's Son (Serafin Svjetionicarev Sin Serafin) Croatia - Austria / 2002 / Dir. Vicko Ruic

The Best Day Of My Life (Il Più Bel Giorno Della Mia Vita) Italy /2002 / Dir. Cristina Comencini

The Deserted Station (Istgah-E Matrouk) Iran / 2002 / Dir. Alireza Raisian

Casomai / Italy / 2002 / Dir. Alessandro D'Alatri

My First Miracle (Mein Erstes Wunder) Germany / 2002 / Dir. Anne Wild

I Am Dina / Norway - Denmark - Sweden - Germany - France 2002 / Dir.Ole Bornedal

Inochi / Japan / 2002 / Dir. Tetsuo Shinohara

Step By Step (Un Honnête Commerçant) Belgium - Luxembourg / 2002 / Dir. Philippe Blasband

O Delfim / Portugal - France / 2002 / / Colour / 83 min / Dir. Fernando Lopes

Salome / Spain / 2002 / Dir. Carlos Saura

Speak To Me Of Love (Parlez-Moi D'amour) France / 2002 / Dir. Sophie Marceau

Peau D'ange / France / 2002 / Vincent Perez

La Turbulence Des Fluides / Canada - France / 2002 / Dir. Manon Briand

The Last Train (El Ultimo Tren) Uruguay - Spain - Argentina / 2002 / Dir.: Diego Arsuaga.

Carol's Journey (El Viaje De Carol) Spain / 2001 / Dir. Imanol Uribe

Blue Car / US / 2002 / Dir. Karen Moncrieff

Igby Goes Down / US / 2002 / 97 min / Dir. Burr Steers

Heavenly Grassland / China / 2002 / Dir. Mr. Saifu & Mrs. Mailisi

I'm The Father (Vater) Germany / 2002 / Dir. Dani Levy

Leaving Metropolis / 2002 / Dir. Brad Fraser

Rapsodie Chilienne / Chile/ 2002 / Dir. Raul Ruiz

On The Other Side Of The Bridge (Am Anderen Ende Der Brücke) / China - Austria / 2002 / Dir.. Hu Mei

SHORT FILMS

Har Roz Bar Jedar In Hamhameh (Everyday On The Line Of Chaos) Iran / 2002 / Dir. Arezoo Arzanesh
Undercover France / 2002 / Dir. Olivier Ayache-Vidal
Mitologia (Mythology) Bulgaria / 2002 / Dir. Boris Despodov
Blue Skies Canada / 2002 / Dir. Ann Marie Fleming
Kitty New Zealand / 2002 / Dir. Patrick Gillies
A Demi Mot (Between The Lines) Belgium / 2001 / Dir. Marc Levie
The Quality Of Mercy (La Vertu Du Pardon) United States / 2002 / Dir. Stephen Marro
J'attendrai Le Suivant... ( I'll Wait For The Next One...) France / 2002 / Dir. Philippe Orreindy
The Summer House (La Maison D'ete) United States / 2001 / Dir. Joel Sadilek
Fagelmannen (The Birdman) Sweden / 2002 / Dir. Arvid Unsgaard
Saturday Ireland / 2001 / Dir. Paul Farren
Il Sorriso Di Diana (Diana's Smile) Italy / 2001 / Dir. Luca Lucini
Angeli Canada - Denmark / 2002 / Dir. Lejf Marcussen
Stiltwalkers Canada - Netherlands / 2002 / Dir. Sjaak Meilink
Loon Dreaming Canada / 2002 / Dir. Iriz Pääbo
La Pirouette (Pirouette) Canada / 2002 / Dir. Tali
Una Seconda Occasione (A Second Chance) Italy / 2001 / Dir. Anselmo Calotta