Fugitive director Roman Polanski's latest film has been announced as a last-minute entry to the Cannes Film Festival line-up.

The movie, Based On A True Story (D'apres Une Histoire Vraie), will be screened out of competition and stars Emmanuelle Seigner as a Parisian author who meets a mysterious woman, played by Eva Green, at a book signing.

The film marks Polanski's return to the Croisette, four years after his latest film Venus In Fur competed for the Palme d'Or.

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It also comes weeks after a Los Angeles judge rejected the director's bid to end his long-running underage sex abuse case.


Polanski's lawyers requested for the case to be closed without the French-Polish director having to appear in court or serve any more prison time.

Image: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner and Roman Polanski at the Venus In Fur premiere in Cannes

Polanski was found guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl at actor Jack Nicholson's house in 1977, but fled the United States after serving just 42 days in jail.

The woman raped by Polanski took his side on his latest attempt to return to the US without risking jail time.

Samantha Gailey's lawyers revealed a letter in which she accuses prosecutors of not protecting her.

"You have treated me with contempt using a crime committed against me to further your own careers," she said.

Ms Gailey has said in the past she thinks the director's exile has been punishment enough and wants the proceedings to come to an end.

However, prosecutors insist he should return to the US to face justice and should not receive special treatment because of his fame.

Image: Olivier Assayas won the Cannes Palme d'Or with Personal Shopper last year

Polanski had been set to preside over France's Cesar Awards in February, but withdrew after the protests of feminist groups.

The director has always been welcomed in Cannes, having both Venus In Fur and The Pianist in competition.

Based On A True Story is co-written by Polanski and director Olivier Assayas, whose latest movie Personal Shopper, starring Kristen Stewart as an American in Paris, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes just last year.

Another new addition to the festival lineup is Force Majeure director Ruben Ostlund's drama The Square, starring Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West.