IT'S AN event across the English Channel packed with glitz, glamour and famous movie stars - but this year the Cannes Film Festival will feature a talented group from much closer to home.

A documentary about musicians and managers from a Hampshire band has been selected to be shown at the high-profile event.

In the film featuring gothic punk band Dead Jack, from Titchfield Common, local film-maker Kris McManus has captured a raw, edgy glimpse of the hopes, dreams and background of his own life as well as two of the band members, Chris Miller, 22, and Dan Foy, 18.

Now they and the rest of the five members of Dead Jack can't wait to meet all the big-name actors when the film is screened at the 58th festival in May.

Kris, 28, of Warsash Road, said making the band's video To Die For ended a creative dry spell for his film making: "I met the band through my girlfriend and they persuaded me to do their music video for them. While we were making it I had all these ideas flowing and a documentary looking at the lives of three of us started to emerge.

"It is very truthful and probes into all of our lives and how we got here and what we want in the future. Now it's been selected to be shown at Cannes and I must admit I'm nervous about it. We all want to get noticed out there."

Kris, who also works as a photographer, has big hopes of becoming a successful film director, and is hoping that he can network with as many people as possible in Cannes.

Band manager and lead guitarist for Dead Jack Chris Miller is also working hard to get recognition for himself, lead singer Dan, rhythm guitarist Martin Fahy, 19, drummer Maz Whitaker, 18, and bass player J Fahy, 22.

He and Kris have formed their own organisation, Outlaw Promotions, which has already had lots of interest from other bands wanting to make music videos.

FACTFILE:

The Cannes Festival is in its 58th year, taking place on May 11 and 12.

The event's roots date back to 1932 when the first competitive international film festival was held in Venice.

When it was felt winning films were being influenced by politics in 1939, a new location for the festival was sought and Cannes offered to fund a dedicated venue.

In 1954, Suzanne Lazon put forward an idea that the festival awards themselves should incorporate a palm leaf motif, as the trees were already an icon of the city. Legendary French director Jean Cocteau, a friend of Lazon's, did a quick sketch of a leaf and the following year the festival's top prize, the Grand Prix International, was renamed the Palme d'Or.

The film festival has seven major sections including the competition itself, Un Certain Regard - the main showcase section - or in Cinefondation, which features 15 short to medium-length films selected for the festival from film-schools worldwide.

The Golden Palm overall winner for last year's festival was Michael Moore for Fahrenheit 9/11 - a documentary on the September 11 attacks.

In 1993, New Zealand's Jane Campion became the first female director to receive the Palme D'or for her film The Piano.