WOODY ALLEN - WOODY ALLEN OFFERS FRENCH SUPPORT

Legendary director WOODY ALLEN is fronting a new film to help boost France's image in America - and he plans to show off his appreciation of French fries and French kissing.

LET'S FALL IN LOVE AGAIN - which will also feature ROBERT DE NIRO, jazz musician WYNTON MARSALIS and writer GEORGE PLIMPTON - comes after France's opposition to the US-led war with Iraq.

Americans were infuriated by the snub, numbers of transatlantic visitors to the European nation dropped 15 percent - and some restaurants and cafes in the States even renamed French fries, "Freedom fries".

Now ANNIE HALL movie maker Allen hopes the film will rekindle the love affair between America and France.

He says, "Recently there has been a lot of controversy between the two countries, and I would hope that now they could put all that behind them and start to build on what really has been a great, great friendship.

"And I will not have to refer to my French fried potatoes as freedom fries and I will not have to freedom kiss my wife when all I want to do is French kiss her. So let's pull together now."

Allen, who has worked with the French tourist office before, has a long affinity with the European country.