Rolling Stones to walk London film fest red carpet

The Rolling Stones are likely to be a big draw at the 56th London Film Festivalin Octoberas the iconic band is expected on the red carpet for the worldpremiere of the documentary Crossfire Hurricane.

The Stones, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, were notably absent from the London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies in August.

Brett Morgen directed Crossfire Hurricane, a documentary that pulls togetherhistorical footage and commentary from band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, and former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor.

It is one of 225 films in the London Film Festival lineup announced by festival director Clare Stewart on Wednesday.

Midnight's Children to compete

The festival revised its prizes in 2012, with the competition lineup to include the European premiere of Canadian directorDeepa Mehtas Midnights Children.

Midnights Children, based on Salman Rushdies Booker Prize-winning novel about a group of children born on the eve of Indias independence, is among 12 films selected to compete for the best film prize.

Others include:

• Martin McDonagh's Seven Psychopaths, a followup to In Bruges.
• Jacques Audiards Rust and Bone, starring Marion Cotillard.
• Pablo Larran's No, set in Chile under military dictator Augusto Pinochet.

The festival has introduced a first feature competition and a British newcomerprize,and also offers the Grierson Award for documentaries.

Dustin Hoffman as director

Dustin Hoffmans directorial debut Quartet, about aging opera singers in a specialized retirement home, gets a gala screening. Its British cast, including Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Michael Gambon, is expected on the red carpet.

Ben Afflecks Argo,about the CIA operation to rescue six Americans hiding out in the Canadian Embassyduring the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, also gets a gala.

High-profile British films include Paul Andrew Williamss Song for Marion, starring Gemma Arterton and Vanessa Redgrave and Ben Lewins The Sessions, starring John Hawkes and Helen Hunt.

Another significant change to the festival structure is the grouping of films by themes such as Love, Debate, Dare, Laugh, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Sonic and Family as a guide to help festival-goers find films that will appeal to them.

As previously announced, the festival will open with the European premiere ofTim Burtons stop-motion 3D animated fantasyFrankenweenie and close with Mike Newells lavish new adaptation of Great Expectations.

The London Film Festival runs Oct.10-21.