Bradford is on the verge of being put on the world stage thanks to film producer Lord Puttnam.

Lord Puttnam, the Oscar-winning producer of Chariots of Fire, The Killing Fields and Midnight Express, will be in the city on May 9 to head up the Department of Trade and Industry's Innovation Event.

The event, which is normally filmed in London and transmitted to sites around the UK, will be staged live at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television and beamed around Britain.

He will give a keynote address called Creating the Unlimited Company, as part of a week called A Celebration of Innovation 2000. It is hoped a video film on Bradford's heritage and future prospects will be shown during the event. The film is being made to support 2020 Vision being spearheaded by Bradford Council.

It is also expected that national media interest will promote the district. This would include the BBC World Service, putting the city in the global spotlight.

Lord Puttnam is chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees and makes frequent visits to the city. He is also earmarked as a keynote speaker at the Yorkshire International Business Convention due to take place on June 9 at Harewood House near Leeds.

The DTI event is being hosted by Bradford Breakthrough whose chief executive, Tim Hindley, said: "This is a real coup for Bradford. Previously, the city was one of the regional venues for the DTI event over the past few years and Bradford Breakthrough has organised them all.

"When we went to discuss this year's event we were able to put a strong case for Bradford to be the host centre and Lord Puttnam agreed to head it up.

"There will also be a chance for members of the audience to ask questions and a media personality is being lined up as presenter of the programme.

"We are also hoping that Lord Puttnam will be given a tour of one of our innovative businesses during the week which we expect will attract interest.

"Bradford is a city with a bright future in technology and we want people to know about it."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.