According to presstv.com, the award-winning director will be joined by Hanna Schygulla (Germany), Igor Minaev (Ukraine), Michel Ciment (France) and Patrick Ferla (Switzerland).

Widely considered as Iran+s premier female director, Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, has won numerous international awards and received an Honorary Degree for her contribution to World Cinema and the Iranian culture and society from London+s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

This year+s Fribourg film festival will also careen Bani-Etemad+s We Are Half of Iran+s Population in its Special Screenings section along with films from Cuba, China and France.

The 47-minute movie pictures Iranian women talking to Iran+s 2009 presidential candidates as half of the country+s population, who deserve equal rights with men.

The Swiss festival will also screen Tehroun by Franco-Iranian filmmaker Nader. T. Homayoun in its feature-length competition section.

Born in Paris and graduated from the FEMIS sectional completion, Nader T. Homayoun has made seven films including a long documentary. Tehroun is his first feature-length production.

The 24th FIFF will be held from March 13 to 20, 2010 in Switzerland.