ICONIC filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s widow will open the city’s first film festival tomorrow evening.

Christiane Kubrick will appear at the opening ceremony at Café Rouge on Friday, March 8, which marks the official start of the event and falls on Internationals Women’s Day.

She was married to Stanley in 1958 after meeting him on the set of his film Paths of Glory and they moved to England in the 60s, choosing to settle at Childwickbury Manor just outside St Albans.

Christiane trained as an actress before pursuing a career in painting and went on to become a highly accomplished artist. Her work was featured in two of Stanley Kubrick films, A Clockwork Orange and Eyes Wide Shut.

Leoni Kibby, film festival director, said: “Kubrick is such an iconic name and we are honoured to have Christiane open our festival.”

One of the late director’s producers and Christiane’s brother, Jan Harlan, will be closing the festival on Sunday, March 10, with his film Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures, which is narrated by Tom Cruise.

The German producer worked on A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut, and he will give a talk on film-making at the upcoming festival.

Jan said: “This lovely city of St Albans is anaemic when it comes to film culture – and this is the city where Stanley Kubrick lived for 20 years.

“I applaud the efforts of Leoni and her team of organisers and will certainly take full advantage of the rich offering.”

Other famous names over the film festival weekend include legendary stuntman Roy Scammell, who was the stunt double for Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only, and for Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye.

Roy also doubled as Michael Caine in The Italian Job and drove the iconic red mini through the streets of Turin for the legendary chase scenes in the film.

He will be looking back over his life as a movie stunt man at a talk on Friday evening.

For more information on the film festival’s events and guest speakers visit http://www.stalbansfilmfestival.com/