Award winning film writer and cult director Danny Boyle has been announced as the headlining star at this year's SOUNDTRACK festival.

Boyle, who has enjoyed international success for his work, including 1996's cult classic Trainspotting and 2002's dark thriller 28 Days Later, will be honoured in the festival programme, including screenings of choice titles in his eclectic back catalogue, and hosting an ‘audience with...' master class.

Boyle, who has received critical acclaim for the inspired and original use of music in his films, is the perfect choice to headline the festival, celebrating the creative relationship between the two.

SOUNDTRACK consultant, filmmaker, author and broadcaster Mark Cousins said:

"No British filmmaker has better understood how music energises and underscores film than Danny Boyle. He emerged in a trancy, dancy musical moment and made classic films as varied as Trainspotting and Sunshine that express that moment. He understood what is rapturous about music and injected that rapture into his filmmaking. His use of music as varied as Underworld and Iggy Pop not only helped structure his films, but changed the way film in the west looked at music. No filmmaker since Martin Scorsese or, perhaps, Quentin Tarantino, has so completely combined the worlds of film and music. That's why we invited him to the inaugural SoundTrack and that's why we are delighted that he will be there to do a masterclass, to explain his approach and to introduce his films."

The announcement of Boyle's participation is another reminder of the ambitious international pull in the festival's debut year.