CLASSIC movies 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien are to be screened this weekend at an outdoor Sci-Fi film festival at Jodrell Bank.

The screenings will be accompanied by newly-commissioned film projected, weather permitting, onto the surface of the Lovell telescope.

The Watch the Skies! festival takes place on Friday and Saturday, alongside talks from specialists at Jodrell Bank on space probes, extra-terrestrial life and exploration of the invisible universe.

The weekend includes two exclusive world premieres and commissions from Manchester-based Soup Collective and US acclaimed electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never.

Watch the Skies! is a flagship event in the BFI project SCI-FI: Days of Fear and Wonder, when more than 570 Sci-Fi screenings and events will be offered through the BFI Film Audience Network, screening at least 419 titles at 124 locations nationwide.

2001: A Space Odyssey will be shown on Friday, which will include a special AV commission for projection onto the Lovell telescope from Soup Collective, which produce films and promos for the likes of Elbow, The Verve and Editors.

Before Saturday’s screening of Alien there will be the world premiere of a new live soundtrack from acclaimed Warp Records artist Oneohtrix Point Never for the film Magnetic Rose – an anime short film.

For ticket details visit www.abandonnormaldevices.org/wts.