A BLACKBURN movie-maker's graphic new film has sparked a huge outcry at the Cannes Film Festival because of scenes containing "real" sex.

But former Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School pupil Michael Winterbottom has also been branded "Blackburn's best hope of an Oscar" by critics following the release of his picture - 9 Songs.

The filmmaker - who claims his movie is a love story, rather than porn - showed the film's stars Keiran O'Brien and Margot Stilley having sex on camera to show how the course of a relationship is played out in the bedroom.

"Michael likes to make his films as real as possible," said a spokesman for his company Revolution Films.

"Obviously this film is going to be controversial because it contains so many sex scenes.

"But it doesn't show sex in an exploitative way. It just shows two people in a relationship and that's what people do in relationships - they have sex."

The 10-day Cannes Film Festival is the third largest worldwide media event after the Olympic Games and the football World Cup. It attracts 30,000 movie professionals, with stars at this year's event including Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino.

Michael, who has also directed Jude and 24 Hour Party People, finished filming 9 Songs last week following a two-month shoot in North London.

It was not completed in time to qualify for the Cannes Festival competition, but is being screened there this week to gauge critics' initial reactions.

Michael flew into Cannes at the weekend in time for the initial screening.

Commenting on the Oscar rumours, his spokesman said: "Certainly not with this film, but Michael's a young filmmaker and certainly one to watch."

The date of 9 Songs' UK release has not yet been decided.