Aspen Filmfest announced that Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates will come to Aspen when the festival honors Rob Reiner with this year's Independent by Nature Award on Friday, September 30 at the Wheeler Opera House. Ms. Bates created an indelible impression as Annie Wilkes in Misery, directed by Mr. Reiner. She received both an Oscar and Golden Globe for her performance. She is also featured in Mr. Reiner's latest film, Rumor Has It, starring Jennifer Aniston, Mark Ruffalo and Shirley MacLaine. Following an awards presentation and film clips program highlighting Mr. Reiner's directing career (This Is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and more), Ms. Bates will join Mr. Reiner on-stage for a conversation and audience questions. The theater presentation will be followed by the annual tribute dinner benefiting Aspen Filmfest's year-round youth education programs. Aspen Filmfest runs September 28 - October 2 in Aspen, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. The complete program will be available at www.aspenfilm.org starting September 9. Tickets go on sale to the general public September 21.

Ms. Bates joins a roster of Aspen Filmfest's special guest appearances. Groundbreaking director Bob Rafelson (Five Easy Pieces, The Postman Always Rings Twice) will teach a master class on Saturday, October 1. That evening, also at the Wheeler Opera House, actors Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) and William H. Macy will present their latest collaboration, Transamerica, a debut independent feature executive produced by Mr. Macy and starring Ms. Huffman in an unusual role for which she received Best Actress accolades at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Other film guests confirmed to date include a trio of documentary filmmakers. Hank Rogerson will be on hand for screenings of his film, Shakespeare Behind Bars, the story of a troupe of hardcore felons producing and performing Shakespeare's The Tempest (September 29 in Aspen; September 30 in Glenwood Springs.) William Nessen will present a brand-new exposé, The Black Road - Inside Aceh's Struggle for Independence on Friday, September 30 in Aspen. A print journalist with Aspen ties, Nessen made world headlines three years ago when he was arrested and imprisoned by the Indonesian military for associating with Aceh's insurgent movement. His new documentary provides a rare front line account of the Aech conflict. Kalsang Dolma provides a rare glimpse into contemporary Tibet with What Remains of Us. Over the course of four courageous trips to Tibet, she smuggled in a contraband message from the Dalai Lama and recorded the reactions of Tibetans from all around the country. Due to the sensitive political nature of its content, this film can only be presented in special circumstances like festivals.