America’S most iconic film-maker, and funnyman, Woody Allen is being celebrated in this year’s Oxford Film Festival.

Starting on Sunday May 13, the six-day festival will screen such classics as Annie Hall, Manhattan, Love and Death, Hannah and Her Sisters, Bananas and Play It Again Sam.

Sponsored by the Oxford Mail and the Phoenix Picturehouse cinema in Walton Street, the festival, now in its sixth year, will highlight the writer, director and performer’s early films from the 1970s.

Jeremy Smith, entertainments editor for the Mail, said: “His films genuinely changed the face of comedy. Or, to put it another way, were laugh-out-loud funny from start to end.”

Suzy Sheriff, manager of the Phoenix cinema, pictured above with Mr Smith, agreed. She said: “These early films are wonderfully fresh, genuinely funny and wonderfully evocative of the Seventies. All of them are classics and for many people represent Woody’s finest decade.”

Since his first screenplay in 1965 for What’s New Pussycat?, Allen has been nominated 23 times for an Academy Award, including winning Best Director for Annie Hall.

For festival details and how to buy tickets, call the Phoenix on 01865 316570.