ALEXANDER - LITVINENKO FILM TO BE SHOWN AT CANNES

LITVINENKO FILM TO BE SHOWN AT CANNES

A documentary about Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko is to be shown at Cannes film festival as a late entry.

Mr Litvinenko died in a London hospital last year after being poisoned. Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case is based on interviews from former KGB agents and follows the former spy up until his death after many days in hospital.

It is directed by Andrei Nekrasov, a friend of Mr Litvinenko, and is critical of the Russian authorities.

Mr Litvinenko died a painful death after bring poisoned with a fatal dose of the rare radioactive isotope polonium-210.

Before he died, a transcribed statement from Mr Litvinenko on his deathbed accused the Russian president Vladimir Putin of being behind the poisoning.

Moscow has since dismissed any such allegations and denies any involvement in Mr Litvinenko's murder.

On Tuesday the crown prosecution service (CPS) announced that it was charging another former Russian spy, Andrey Lugovoy, with Mr Litvinenko's murder.

The CPS confirmed that extradition measures would now be taken against Mr Lugovoy, although tensions between Britain and Russia have been further strained by the Russian authorities' refusal to extradite a Russian national.