US film maker Francis Ford Coppola will make a star appearance at a festival of American film in Deauville, northwestern France, in September, organisers said on Tuesday.

The director of classics including "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now", now 72, will be the guest of honour and will take part in a public discussion at the festival in September, festival director Bruno Barde told reporters.

"He is a very humble man who loves cinema but does not want to give lessons in cinema," Barde said, unveiling to reporters the programme of the festival which runs from September 2 to 11.

Also appearing at the festival will be the US actress and film maker Shirley MacLaine, 77, star of Billy Wilder's classic 1960 movie "The Apartment", and another American Hollywood star, Danny Glover.

This year's festival, the 37th edition of a major date in film-loving France's cinematic calendar, will also focus on the work of the classic US director Blake Edwards, maker of the Pink Panther movies.

The festival jury, which will assess the 12 films in competition, will be headed by Olivier Assayas, the French film maker hailed for his long film about Carlos the Jackal, released last year.