THE 10th Burnley Blues Festival - the longest running blues festival of its type in the country - now boasts an extra attraction.

It may not be Cannes or Hollywood but Burnley is to host a film festival devoted to the blues to run alongside the main music extravaganza which is being sponsored by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

The Film Festival will run from Saturday, April 11, to Monday, April 13, and will feature 11 feature-length and short films about blues greats.

The showpiece will be the European premiere of "Can't You Hear The Wind Howl?", a film about legendary bluesman Robert Johnson.

Johnson was described by Eric Clapton as the greatest folk-blues guitarist who ever lived and the film includes 19 songs written and performed by him. It was rumoured that Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads of Mississippi Highway 61 and Highway 8 in return for his talent!

But he was killed in true blues style in 1938 when a jealous husband poisoned his bottle of whisky.

Johnson is played by blues artist Keb Mo and the film is narrated by Lethal Weapon star Danny Glover.

All the films will be shown at the Apollo Cinema in Hollywood Park, Burnley, with tickets priced £3 and further discounts for five-day festival ticket holders.

Film festival co-ordinator Nina Anderson said: "With the festival having been a sell-out last year and this year being the 10th anniversary, I'm really excited by the new ideas to expand the event and provide blues enthusiasts with even more to see and do.

"With the kind support of Apollo Multiplex Cinemas and the Lancashire Evening Telegraph we hope this film festival which we hope will attract not just blues fans but also other music and film enthusiasts as well."

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