Every year, the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival brings a swarm of undiscovered movie talent and big Hollywood names to the capital, and this year is no different, with acting legends Tim Roth, Gabriel Byrne, Frank Langella and Danny DeVito, directing heavyweights Olivier Assayas, Costa-Gavras and Joss Whedon, and screenwriting big hitters Robert Towne and Tobias Lindholm all coming to town. And that’s on top of 130 feature films, shorts, masterclasses and special events happening over 11 days from February 14th to February 24th. Pick your jaw up off the floor and start digging into those wallets and booking your time off movie fans. This is going to be whopper.

The festival is kicking off at the Lighthouse tonight with emerging Irish actors Killian Scott and Kelly Campbell, who both feature in films in the festival, set to launch the festival programme.

The always highly anticipated Jameson Cult Film Club will this year feature the classic LA Confidential, with Danny DeVito in attendance for a unique interactive event screening. Tim Roth will showcase his gentle side at the opening gala, a screening of compelling family drama Broken, directed by Rufus Norris and written by Irish screenwriter Mark O’Rowe, both of whom will attend the screening along with Roth. Buffy the vampire Slayer creator, Cabin In the Woods writer and Avengers Assemble writer/director Joss Whedon will be showcasing his latest writing/directing feature with his take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, while Frank Langella takes on the title role of a retired jewel thief in Robot & Frank (he plays Frank, not the Robot. That would be Peter Sarsgaard).

Irish features lined up include The Hardy Bucks Movie, Kieron J Walsh’s black humourous Jump, Mary Harron’s visually lush The Moth Diaries starring Sarah Bolger, documentary maker Kieran Evans’ powerful debut feature Kelly + Victor, and the intriguing Irish co-production Call Girl.

Acclaimed European filmmakers Olivier Assayas (Apres Mai/Something in the Air), Costa-Gavras (Capital), Pascal Bonitzer (Looking for Hortense / Cherchez Hortense) and Tobias Lindholm (A Hijacking) are all set to be in town with their associated films, with a broad and diverse range of award winning films from across the world, including Kim Ki-duk’s Venice winning Pieta, Taviani Brother’s Berlinale winner Caesar Must Die, Foreign language Oscar nominee Beyond the Hills (Cristian Mungiu) and Rob Savage’s Raindance winning first feature Strings also set to show.

Tickets go on sale at midnight tonight, and if previous years are anything to go by, it’s well worth your time staying up past your bedtime to get those very sought after tickets, as they tend to disappear in a flash.

The full programme is available for your perusal from 7pm tonight at www.jdiff.com, with tickets on sale from midnight. Tickets can be booked in person at the Festival Hub in Filmbase from 24th January, or at Ticket Offices in Cineworld or the Light House from 4th February. And make sure to keep your eyes on entertainment.ie for all the breaking news as official online media partners of the festival.