Former Locarno and Rotterdam festival director Marco Mueller is poised to be crowned artistic chief of the Venice Film Festival, during a Biennale board meeting that will take place today (March 4) at 5pm.

Venice organisers said on Thursday that several names are still in the running, although according to local reports, Mueller has emerged in recent weeks as the clear favourite. Meanwhile, actor Giancarlo Giannini, who had previously also been tipped for a leading role in the festival, now appears to be out of the race.

Today's meeting will be the first time the new Biennale board has met since its new president, Davide Croff, was appointed earlier this year.

Current director Moritz de Hadeln is still currently holding the reins of the festival, as his contract was extended until March to "allow for a smooth transition."