Fortissimo Films will be presenting Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation (WCF) with a $50,000 cheque at a special reception at the Berlin International Film Festival tonight (Feb 8).

Both Scorsese and executive director of the WCF, Alberto Luna, will be in attendance, along with other distinguished guests.

Scorsese's WCF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of neglected films from around the world.

'Fortissimo greatly admires the initiative to preserve significant pieces of endangered cinema from around the globe, spearheaded by Marty through the work of the World Cinema Foundation,' said Fortissimo co-chairs Michael Werner and Wouter Barendrecht.

'His knowledge of international cinema is an inspiration for filmmakers young and old, and we are pleased to support the goals and activities of this foundation.'

The advisory board for the WCF includes such prominent filmmakers as Fatih Akin, Guillermo Del Toro, Stephen Frears, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Abbas Kiarostami, Wim Wenders and Wong Kar Wai.

The WCF invites supporters to make donations through its web-site: www.worldcinemafoundation.org.