US film critic David Poland at the City Hall, Hamilton on April 21.

An Evening with John Madden will begin with cocktails in the lobby at 8.30 pm.

with the talk starting at 9 p.m.

Mr. Madden will travel to Bermuda just two days after his new picture `Captain Corelli's Mandolin', starring Nicholas Cage, Penelope Cruz and John Hurt, premiers in London.

Tickets, which cost $85 and include food and drinks, are on sale at the Visitors Service Bureau in Front Street, Hamilton from noon until 2 p.m. today (Thursday) and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and every day next week.

The Bermuda International Film Festival will present Mr. Madden with the first Prospero Award for Excellence in film.

Festival Director Aideen Ratteray said: "Mr. Madden has built a body of work that is fresh, exciting and worthy of celebration.

"It is quite a coincidence that our award is named after the conjurer from the Tempest and Mr. Madden's most famous work also has reference to Shakespeare.

"Like the sorcerer, Mr. Madden has an ability to conjure up magic.''