Luton's film lovers can be among the first in the world to see the hotly-anticipated new film from the director of smash hit Juno next week.

The organisers of Luton's own film festival, Filmstock, have scored a huge coup and secured a screening of Jason Reitman's Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, a month before its release in the US.

A satire based the novel of the same name by Walter Kirn, Up In The Air sees Clooney playing Ryan Bingham, a man who flies around the US firing people and notching up frequent flyer miles. But a personal crisis sees everything that is precious to him - namely his one millionth air mile - put in jeopardy.

Canadian director, writer and producer Reitman went along to Filmstock himself in 2006 when organisers Neil Fox and Justin Doherty screened his debut feature film, Thank You For Smoking.

And despite the stellar nature of his latest cinematic outing, he was more than happy for Luton to have it first when the pair got in touch with him again.
Neil Fox said: "His place in Hollywood is different post-Juno and it took time, but he came back. He remembered us, he loved his time here, and he wanted us to have the film.

"Barring a couple of other festival screenings, the Filmstock crowd will be among the very first people in the world to see this movie."

The ten-day Filmstock 11 festival begins officially on November 5, but organisers Neil Fox and Justin Doherty have decided to hold a mini-festival, Filmstock 10, on November 4, during which Up In The Air will be shown.

The event starts at 7.15pm at The Hat Factory in Bute Street. To reserve tickets email filmstock@mac.com