No Italian film was listed on Thursday among the contenders for the Palme d'Or award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. "It's one of those years, there are years like that," said festival chief Thierry Frémaux. "But Italy is always in our hearts", he said. "This year Italy is present in a less strong way," he said.
Fremaux recalled that last year Italy had three contenders for the Palme d'Or: Nanni Moretti, Paolo Sorrentino and Matteo Garrone. "But Italy is dear to our hearts, as shown by the (festival) poster, which shows the Capri villa that forms the backdrop for Jean-Luc Godard's classic film Contempt.
Among the Italian offerings in the other sections of the festival, Stefano Mordini's 'Pericle il Nero' (Pericles the Black) is competing in Un Certain Regard.
Based on the novel by Giuseppe Ferrandino, it stars Valeria Golino and Riccardo Scamarcio.
Steven Spielberg, Julia Roberts and Jodie Foster are among the stars expected at this year's festival.
The Palme d'Or line-up includes the latest works of Pablo Almodovar and Ken Loach.
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