Michael Winner could be returning to Bognor Regis

The controversial film director has been invited to be a special guest of next year's International End of the Pier film festival based in the town.

Festival founder Bryan Gartside said the occasion would be the ideal chance for Mr Winner to view Bognor more positively than his recent negative article in the Daily Mail.

Mr Gartside has received a promise from Mr Winner's assistant that the director is interested in taking part in the 2009 festival. It is taking place between April 24 and May 3 at venues in Bognor and throughout the south east.

He envisages the appearance forming the centrepiece of the week-long celebration of the work of low budget independent film makers from around the world along with a showing of Mr Winner's most famous film, Death Wish.

Mr Winner's assistant Ruby Snape wrote to him: "If you are serious about showing Death Wish and possibly other films of Mr Winner's and if you are interested in him giving his talk 'My life in movies and other places' followed by Q and A, please let us know and suggest a firm date.

"Mr Winner will most certainly consider it."

She stated that Mr Winner was always happy to take part in such events but she warned he received more than a hundred invitations a year and could not attend every one.

She also ruled out an appearance by Mr Winner at the festival's opening black tie gala.

Mr Gartside said taking part in the festival would allow Mr Winner the chance to view Bognor differently, as well as allow local people the opportunity to see his most famous work.

"This will give Mr Winner the chance to make some amends for his comments about the town. He just can't come down here for two hours, slag the town off and go back home.

"He can have no idea of what the town is like. Anyone could do that for any town. We work hard in the town, as do other organisations, at workshops to provide young people with skills they can use to improve their lives.

"The amount Mr Winner no doubt got paid for his article would have helped fund those workshops and achieved something positive rather than the negative criticism he produced," Mr Gartside stated.

If Mr Winner does accept, he will be following fellow film director Ken Russell and famous actress June Whitfield who were the special guests at the past two festivals.

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