New controversy is scheduled in Italy around the documentary Bella Ciao, about the riots at last year's G8 meeting in Genoa, which will screen in Cannes' Critics Week. The film, which was co-directed by the outgoing head of RAI 2, Carlo Freccero (under alias), was repeatedly rejected for broadcast by RAI management, and has never been seen on Italian TV.

The documentary is named after an Italian WWII resistance song which became an anthem of the Italian G8 protesters following the death of 23-year-old Carlo Giuliani, who was shot by Italian police during heavy rioting.

"It's a dynamic film which reconstructs two days of riots and violence between police and demonstrators, through images taken from five or six cameras and a lot of footage which RAI cameramen saved but which never went on air after the G8 meeting," said Marco Giusti, who co-directed the film with Freccero and Roberto Torelli.

Giusti said that RAI had initially claimed the film was "too partisan" to air on the program it was intended for. "They rejected it again after that, but didn't give any more explanations," he said.

Another G8 documentary has also received a slot at Cannes: Italian director Francesca Comencini will show her political biopic "Carlo Giuliani, Ragazzo," in the festival's official selection.