This year's 55th Sydney Film Festival will host some of the world's most dynamic and renowned filmmakers. From 4-22 June, the festival program will include 16 World Premieres, 135 Australian Premieres and a stunning array of red-carpet galas at Sydney's majestic State Theatre.

Highly anticipated will be Dreamworks Animation's Kung Fu Panda direct from its screening at the Cannes Film Festival. Leading 'voice' Jack Black, Po the Panda, and CEO of Dreamworks Animation Jeffrey Katzenberg will be walking the festival's red carpet on Monday 9 June.

Headlining the Official Competition galas will be UK Director Mike Leigh at the festival's Opening Night Gala on Wednesday 4 June. Happy-Go-Lucky, for which Sally Hawkins was awarded Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival this year, is one of the 12 films in the inaugural Official Competition which is supported by the New South Wales government and features a $60,000 cash prize generously provided by SFF Principal Sponsor, Hunter Hall Investment Management.

The glamour continues with an Awards Event at Sydney Opera House on Monday 16 June, featuring the announcement of the Official Competition as well as the presentation of The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films.

The festival will host its Closing Night Gala on Saturday 21 June with the Australian Premiere Marjane Satrapi's and Vincent Paronnaud's Academy Award-nominated animation Persepolis.

The festival program is divided into numerous strands, so that festival-goers can pick and choose between the likes of World Views, Red Hot Docs, Kids' Films, Sounds on Screen and Apocalypse Again.