Thirty famous Italian films including movies by directors Fellini and Antonioni will screen in Beijing and Shanghai late this month, as part of an Italian film world tour titled "ITALIANA: A Festival of Contemporary Italian Cinema."

The collection of films, spanning the period 1951 to 2003, includes Cannes Palme d'Or and Oscar winning "La dolce vita" (The Sweet Life) directed by Federico Fellini, "Le Amiche" (The Girlfriends) directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, and Palme d'Or winning "Il gattopardo" (The Leopard) directed by Luchino Visconti, according to the Chinese organizer, the China Film Archives (CFA).

The Venice Silver Lion winning "Lunga Vita alla Signora" (Long Live The Lady) directed by Ermanno Olmi, Berlin Silver Bear winning "Detenuto in Attesa Di Giudizio" directed by Nanni Loy, "Il ladro di bambini" (The Stolen Children) directed by Gianni Amelio, Palme d'Or winning "La stanza del figlio" (The Son's Room)directed by Nanni Moretti are also on the list.

Some of the films belong to the 'new realism' genre, which focuses on social reality, others are 'modernist' films in which the expression of individual psychology and sensibility is paramount, said Bi Yuchen from the CFA.

"The Italian organizers selected the films on the basis of both whether the directors and the cast are typical in Italy and whether they show the dreams, hopes and lives of Italian people," he said.

The films will be shown at the Beijing-based Art Cinema of the CFA, Beijing New Century Cinema, Shanghai Film Art Center, Shanghai Stellar Cinema, Shanghai Cathay Theater and Shanghai UME International Cineplex from Jan. 17 to 31, according to the CFA.

The festival will head for Spain, France, the United States and Latin America when it finishes its tour in China, the Italian Embassy to China said on its website.

Editor：sicy