THE man who wrote the script for Martin Scorsese's classic films Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, will be the star guest at a brand new annual festival in Nottingham.

Paul Schrader, who also wrote the screenplays for The Last Temptation Of Christ, City Hall and American Gigolo - which he also directed -- will be attending Screenlit at the Broadway Cinema, June 29 to July 5 along with David Morrissey and Jimmy McGovern.

The week-long event is designed to celebrate the art of writing for film and TV.

It will include the screening of new films, including the UK premiere of Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel and the award-winning Unmade Beds by UK-based Argentinean filmmaker Alexis Dos Santos.

This first year also sees the launch of ScreenLit's Lifetime Achievement Award in Screenwriting which will be given to Paul Schrader, who will present a Screenwriting Masterclass.

"Schrader's decades as a screenwriter have been defined by an unflinching commitment and a deeply ingrained love of cinema and its rich history," said festival director Linda Pariser.

"We can think of no better recipient to launch this new annual award."

Among the other screenwriters, directors and authors appearing are Frank Cottrell Boyce, Michael Eaton, James Harkin, Guy Hibbert and Miranda Seymour.

Other screenings include Jack Cardiff's 1960 film adaptation of DH Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, partly filmed on location in Nottingham. It premiered at the A.B.C Elite Cinema on Upper Parliament Street and gained seven Oscar nominations.

Novelist Adam Thorpe, whose new book Hodd is a dark twist on the Robin Hood story, will read from the novel.

Adrian Wootton, now CEO of Film London, returns to Broadway to present a talk chronicling the career of The Big Sleep author Raymond Chandler.

Broadway Cinema has secured three-year funding for ScreenLit from the Greater Nottingham Partnership.

Chief executive Steve Mapp said:

"There's a rich and continuing heritage of writing from Nottingham and the East Midlands which makes it so appropriate for Broadway to launch this new international festival celebrating writers' seminal contribution to film, TV, books and new media.

"I'm very excited about ScreenLit's first year which is packed with film premieres, guests and workshops for emerging talent."

For more information and booking details go to www.broadway.org.uk/festival

SIMON WILSON