At Hamptons fest, you never know who'll show up

Every year the Hamptons International Film Festival releases a list of expected guests. And this year's is a doozy.

Among the actors are James Franco, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, Paul Giamatti, John Turturro, Frances McDormand, Marcia Gay Harden and Freida Pinto. Filmmakers include Oscar-winning documentarians Davis Guggenheim and Alex Gibney, plus directors Neil LaBute, Julian Schnabel, Doug Liman, and Joel and Ethan Coen.

The official wording is "expected to attend," which is not the same as "confirmed." Last year organizers trumpeted the arrival of Ethan Hawke, Neve Campbell and Emma Stone, none of whom showed. Scheduling conflicts were cited, though wishful thinking probably played a part.

This year, the festival's 18th, might be different. The festival is clearly jockeying for a spot on the Oscar campaign circuit, screening potential heavyweights like Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" (starring Franco), Schnabel's "Miral" (with Pinto) and Liman's "Fair Game," about outed CIA agent Valerie Plame (starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn). Many are studio films, and stars are more likely to show if the studios are pushing them.

But this is still a film festival, and the lineup is broad and adventurous. Among the highlights are Gibney's documentary "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer"; the latest from edgy indie filmmaker Cam Archer (the title isn't printable here); and the opening night U.S. premiere of "Barney's Version," an adaptation of Mordecai Richler's novel (starring Giamatti). The closing night film is Darren Aronofsky's highly anticipated "Black Swan," with Natalie Portman.

The festival runs Oct. 7-11. For info, go to hamptonsfilmfest.org.