Romantic finale to film festival

Born Romantic stars Jane Horrocks (right) and is set around London

Salsa's sultry sounds and rousing applause set the tone for the London Film Festival's grand finale on Thursday night.

London salsa club movie Born Romantic has been selected for the closing night gala, which also includes a prizegiving ceremony for the festival's two main awards.

The Fipresci trophy is decided by international members of the film industry and goes to the festival's best first or second feature.

Salsa dancing acts as a release for Born Romantic's confused characters

The Sutherland trophy is awarded to a director by the British Film Institute to the most innovative and original debut feature.

The gala rounds off a bumper 40th year for the London Film Festival. A record number of films have been shown - almost 200.

Taking into account the extended programme, ticket sales have been at an all-time high.

"We have had a brilliant time with many screenings being sold out, including most of the evening performances and Saturday matinees," said festival director Adrian Wootton.

Hot tickets

British comedy Born Romantic has been one of the hottest tickets.

It is directed by First Time Love creator David Kane and features homegrown talent Jane Horrocks and Ian Hart.

They are just two of an ensemble cast playing three topsy-turvy couples who escape by strutting their stuff in one of the capital's Latin music bars.

David Kane had a hit with First Time Love

Many of the films up for the Fipresci and Sutherland trophies have also added to the festival's success.

Fourteen films have been shortlisted for the Fipresci. They include acclaimed Iranian movie Blackboards.

The film won the jury prize at Cannes for its imaginative slice-of-life treatment of the volatile situation around the Iran-Iraq border.

Brittle French comedy Uneasy Riders has been praised for its no-nonsense depiction of people with disability.

Set in a home in for the disabled, it focuses on 50-year-old former activist René.

Enraged by life in a wheelchair, René demands the right to be able to make love again - much to the despair of his carer Julie.

Directors

Also shortlisted is Sexy Beast from Jonathan Glazer, starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley and Amanda Redman.

Kingsley plays a vicious mind game in Sexy Beast

The movie is a novel, at times humorous, take on the gangster movie fad.

Sexy Beast is also of one the films in contention for the Sutherland trophy.

Judges whittled down the original shortlist of 12 features to a final list of three.

Competing with Glazer for the award is Alejandro Springall for moving Mexican film Sanititos.

It tells the story of a mother who goes in search of her dead daughter, believing she has been sold into prostitution.

Finally, US director Kenneth Lonergan is nominated for You Can Count on Me - about a grown-up brother and sister attempting to reconcile their radically different lifestyles and values.