The Cannes Festival has launched anew initiative designed to showcase world cinema called Tous Les Cinemas DuMonde.

Open to Cannes Festival goersand the accredited public, the non-competitive programme will spotlight thecinematic talent of a different country for each day of the festival.

In 2005, its inaugural year,six countries will be selected to screen films or even use the dedicated spaceto organize a forum for debates and to welcome professionals.

The countries so fartentatively on board for 2005 include Morocco, Peru, Brazil and Austria. SergeSobczynski who works alongside festival general manager Veronique Cayla, willhead up the new initiative.

Sobczynski and his team willchoose the countries to be showcased and then work in concert with them todecide on which films to show. In all, there will be four or five screeningsper day.

A new 170-seat theatre is tobe housed within the International Village that runs behind the Palais andRiviera. Designed by architect Patrick Bouchain, it will be built in the styleof a circus tent that can be folded up and moved when necessary. According toBouchain, it should be quite a sight as it will be wrapped with a shinymaterial in order to keep the heat out.

Cannes president Gilles Jacoband Michel Vauzelle, president of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region signedan accord on Tuesday in Paris which will see the region invest Euros 400,000 inthe programme.

Jacob called the newprogramme, "the legitimate child of the region and the festival." The aim ofthe initiative is to, "encourage the growth of auteur cinema by illustratingthe richness and diversity of world cinema and the strength of young creativetalent," said the festival.