London Film Festival unveils line-up, Blanchett to be honored

Actress Cate Blanchett poses on the red carpet as she arrives for the screening of the film "Sicario" in competition at the 68th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, May 19, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - The BFI London Film Festival revealed its line-up on Tuesday, opening with star-studded early feminist movement drama "Suffragette" and closing with a biopic about Steve Jobs. Meryl Street, Helena Bonham Carter and Carey Mulligan will walk the red carpet for the European premiere of "Suffragette", a drama about the women who fought for the right to vote in Britain, at the Oct. 7-18 event. The festival's 59th edition, which will screen 238 fiction and documentary features, with films such as war drama "Beasts of No Nation", also showing at this week's Venice film festival, and Cannes winner "Son of Saul" vying for the top prize. The line-up for the official competition also includes Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski's "11 Minutes" and Mexican director Jonas Cuaron's "Desierto", which will have its European premiere at the festival. "Trumbo" starring "Breaking Bad" actor Bryan Cranston as blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and "The Lady in the Van" starring Maggie Smith will also have their European premieres. "Steve Jobs", a film about the life of the late Apple co-founder starring Michael Fassbender and directed by "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle, will close the festival. Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett will be honored with a British Film Institute Fellowship. (Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)