Ron Mann’s long-awaited Altman documentary, about the legendary American director, has been selected to screen at the upcoming 71st Venice International Film Festival.

The Canadian director will see his ninth documentary screen out of competition in the Venice Classics sidebar, where Mann will also be on the festival jury for best debut film.

Mann’s film chronicles the life of the late Robert Altman, best known for classic movie titles like M*A*S*H, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Player and Gosford Park.

The film was made with the cooperation of Altman’s wife, Kathryn Reed Altman, and has already been shown in June at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.

Altman will also screen on August 1 at Bell Lightbox in Toronto.

The documentary features guest appearances by Robin Williams, Julianne Moore, Lily Tomlin, James Caan, Elliott Gould, Sally Kellerman, Keith Carradine, Bruce Willis, Philip Baker Hall, Lyle Lovett and Paul Thomas Anderson.

The film marks Mann’s debut appearance at Venice.

Altman is produced by Sphinx Productions, in association with EPIX, The Movie Network and Movie Central, and has financing from the OMDC, Rogers Cable Network Fund and the Rogers Documentary Fund.

The film is set to be released in Canadian theatres this Fall by Films We Like.