In June, "The Screening Room" heads to Australia for the 55th Sydney Film Festival, one of the oldest film events in the world. This year, Sydney aims to increase its impact on the festival calendar by introducing an International Competition with entries from Europe, Asia, Latin America and the U.S. as well as home-grown fare. Director Baz Luhrman gives "The Screening Room" host Myleene Klass a sneak preview of his forthcoming epic "Australia", starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Rumored to have the biggest budget in Australian movie history, the hype surrounding the release is high. The show also hears from Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman and other stars from Australia and New Zealand as they talk about their pride in the impact the region has made on the world stage.

30 mins.

In April, 'The Screening Room' is a special program devoted entirely to Chinese actor, director, producer, martial artist and stunt performer, Jackie Chan. One of the best-known names in kung fu and action films worldwide, Chan is renowned for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. This special examines how Chan kicked and punched his way to international stardom from Hong Kong to Hollywood, producing and starring in over a hundred movies. His latest production, 'The Forbidden Kingdom', sees him square up against fellow Chinese actor Jet Li in a much awaited on-screen duel. 'The Screening Room' meets up with Chan in Los Angeles, where he discusses his career and his experiences on 'The Forbidden Kingdom'.

'The Screening Room' heads for Cairo in March to examine the Hollywood of Arab cinema. Egypt's film history dates back more than a hundred years and in its Golden Era, produced 150 movies per-year. This figure slumped to a mere eight per-year under government control during the 70s and 80s, but in the 90s, private money entered the arena leading to a period of relatively narrow formulaic film production. Three years ago, a new media giant burst onto the scene under the name 'Good News'; the company shattered production budgets, hired megastars on big salaries and tackled previous taboos such as religion and sexual relations. Its latest blockbuster is 'Baby Doll Night', a comedy about changes in East-West relations in the wake of 9/11, and 'The Screening Room' visits the set of the new movie with the head of 'Good News' before hearing from some top Egyptian directors as well as acting legends, Omar Sharif and Youssra. The show also reports on last month's Berlin Film Festival which was over-run by musicians! From Madonna premiering her directorial debut, to The Rolling Stones in Martin Scorsese's documentary 'Shine A Light' as well as a behind the scenes look at the band Gorillaz in 'Bananaz'. 'The Screening Room's host Myleene Klass brings viewers an aural treat in March.

In January, The Screening Room heads for Utah to attend Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, the finest showcase of famous faces swapping the world of big budget Hollywood films for the world of independent cinema.

Wynona Ryder and Robert De Niro are featured in films premiering at Sundance, along with a vast selection of notable documentaries from around the world. And we bring you the gruesome tale of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are supported by Alan Rickman (Professor Snape to Harry Potter fans) and Sacha Baron Cohen (aka Borat) in Tim Burton's brilliant R-rated slasher musical! We talk to the cast and Myleene dares to take a turn in the demon barber's chair. Not your usual hair and make-up!

Myleene Klass will be seen as she's never been seen before in November when she presents "The Screening Room" in 3-D!

3-D technology is enjoing a new wave of interest in the film world, buoyed by the release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3-D. The rock band U2 appeared in a three-dimensional concert at Cannes Film Festival in May and November sees the release of the new Warner Brothers movie "Beowulf", featuring Angelina Jolie and Anthony Hopkins. We'll be joining the cast on the carpet and looking behind the screen to find out how it all works. The Screening Room enters a new dimension - in November on CNN.

British cinema has long been known around the world for its historical dramas, its unique sense of humor and James Bond. Directors such as David Lean will be remembered for epics such as Lawrence of Arabia, which gathered seven Oscars, Sir Richard Attenborough with eight Oscars for his masterpiece "Gandhi." But that was a quarter of a century ago.

In the decades which followed, there was been no bigger British brand than Bond - until a new hero emerged in the unlikely shape of a schoolboy wizard named Harry Potter and a new bond was formed - one between film fans and devotees of the books of JK Rowling. The first five Harry Potter films have grossed 4.5 billion dollars at the box office and all five are in the top 20 biggest money-makers of all time.

Since the 90s, British humor has enjoyed an international audience, with Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones carried abroad by quintessential Englishman Hugh Grant.

Yet not all in the garden is rosy. Filmmakers complain loudly that the tax breaks offered in Britain make it hard to compete with other countries, the strength of the British pound against the dollar make the cost of using British expertise and facilities very expensive and the lack of British films in competition at Cannes this year - despite the presence of British director Stephen Frears as head of the jury - indicated a lack of creative output too.

Roll on a mere four months and on the surface the picture looks very different. The summer's biggest blockbusters - Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean - have both propelled their predominantly British casts into the spotlight once more, new films by directors David Cronenberg and Woody Allen are set and shot in London, Queen Elizabeth is enjoying a new Golden Age, and above all, the adulation for "Atonement" pouring from the pens of the film critics in Venice and Toronto for a quintessentially British film has raised the perennial hope of home-grown success at the Oscars.

This month, Myleene Klass takes her position on the red carpet to meet Robert Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep at the world premiere of "Lions for Lambs" at London Film Festival.

From Harry Potter to Miss Potter, Bond to Borat and Atonement to Zulu, The Screening Room brings you an A-Z of an industry which commands global respect - but sometimes falls short of the success deserved by some of the most skilled craftsmen and women in the cinematic art.

- Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and director Joe Wright talk about the movie of the moment: "Atonement."

- Michael Caine, Jude Law and Kenneth Branagh explain how Harold Pinter's screenplay transformed the remake of "Sleuth."

- Ken Loach, Stephen Frears and Ken Russell lead a host of talented British directors giving their views on British cinema - good and bad.

- Daniel Radcliffe and the Harry Potter crew stir the cauldron on the magic of young British acting talent.

This month Myleene Klass travels to the south of France as The Screening Room celebrates the 60th anniversary of Cannes Film Festival.

It's prestigious yet pretentious, brash but beautiful, and without doubt the most glamorous of them all. Some come to see films, others come to be seen, some for the screening, others for the preening.

Our cast list includes some of the biggest names in the business - Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon with the premiere of "Ocean's 13", Angelina Jolie launching her new film "A Mighty Heart", Michael Moore's new documentray "Sicko", Jude Law, Natalie Portman and singer-turned-actress Norah Jones with "My Blueberry Nights". Top drawer directors including Wim Wenders, Ken Loach, Stephen Frears, Roman Polanski and Wong Kar Wei, jostle for attention alongside a masterclass from Martin Scorsese and if that's not enough we'll have U2 in 3-D. Hardly room to mention Myleene's chat with Johnny Depp!

It's the age old question - major movie house or independent film? On the one hand a multi-million dollar budget with directorial handcuffs, on the other - creative freedom limited only by concerns over cash. The Screening Room tested the water at the year's first major film festivals - Sundance and Berlin - and found the boundaries are becoming - blurred.

"Blood Diamond" and "The Last King of Scotland" ensured Africa was the subject of much attention during last month's Academy Awards. But when the last Oscar is handed over and the Versace and Valentino returned to the closet, what remains for Africa beyond Forrest Whitaker's arresting acceptance speech?

Femi Oke reports from South Africa.

The rich history of the ancient Greeks has provided Warner Brothers with an even richer box office bonanza through their blockbuster movies "Alexander" and "Troy." And they're at it again this year with a story of Spartan warriors who make Alexander the Great seem like merely Alexander the Moderately Good. The gore is graphic and the graphics are gripping. I went to meet the finest of the "300".