Rome Film Festival names International Jury

22/07/09 - International Rome Festival president Gian Luigi Rondi and artistic director Piera Detassis, today announced the presiding jury for films competing in the Official Selection of the 4th annual film festival. The jurors joining acclaimed director and jury president Milos Forman, architect Gae Aulenti, and director Gabriele Muccino include: actress and president of the German Film Academy, Senta Berger; French screenwriter and member of the French Academy, Jean-Loup Dabadie; Algerian novelist, Assia Djebar; and Russian director Pavel Lungin.
Official Selection prizes include the Golden Marc'Aurelio for Best Film and two Silver Marc'Aurelio awards for Best Actor and Best Actress.

In commenting on his appointment as president of the jury, America director Milos Foreman said: "I am honoured to be president of the Jury for this year's Rome Film Festival. Italy has and will always be a powerhouse in the world of cinema."

The International Rome Film Festival consists of three sections: Official Selection, which showcases works by great directors and outstanding performances; Extra, which focuses on avant-garde cinema highlighting feature length works and documentaries with the addition of a new innovative project designed to connect the environment with cinema's support; and Alice nella Città section, which showcases the best in children's cinema.

Documentaries screened in the "Extra" section will be competing for a Silver Marc'Aurelio Award and will be overseen by Mario Sesti and presided over by Folco Quilici. Additional jury members include directors Francesco Conversano, Salvo Cuccia, Giovanna Gagliardo, Gianfranco Pannone, Franco Piavoli and Sherin Salvetti, the Vice President of Fox Channels (Italy).

Gianluca Giannelli will oversee the two juries competing in the "Alice nella città" section, which will be vying for Silver Marc'Aurelio awards. The juries are comprised of local Italian children in two age brackets -- 29 children (ages 8 - 13) and 35 children (ages 14 -18). Each jury will be handing out one award.

This year's Golden Marc'Aurelio Audience Award will be allocated on the basis of votes cast by spectators attending screenings of films in the Official Selection. The winner will be given a prize of 40,000 euros. In addition, the winners of the Silver Marc'Aurelio for Best Documentary and the "Alice nella città" section will all be awarded 10,000 euros.