Al Pacino has screened a seven-minute preview of his in-progress project entitled Salomaybe' during opening day of the Rome Film Festival.

Pacino also announced he would like to bring the completed film back to the Rome festival next year. 'It's coming along, and maybe next year we could bring it here,' the actor said to Mario Sesti, Rome's L'Altro Cinema/Extra section artistic director, at a press conference.

Pacino is writing, directing and acting in Salomaybe', which has been in production for three years. The film is inspired by Oscar Wilde's Salome, and the screening received a warm reception from the packed theatre at Rome's Auditorium Parco della Musica.

Salomaybe''s producer Barry Navidi told Screen Daily that he'd describe the less than $5 million project an 'on-the-go' work.

'This is his baby. He financed Looking for Richard, that's why he has control of when he's going to finish [this film],' Navidi said in reference to the three years the project has been in production. 'He creates the script as we go, he shoots as he needs, and he edits as we go. Salomaybe' is eighty percent complete and should be ready in spring 2009.'

Pacino is the latest in a series of top-tier Italian-American actors and directors that have given their support to the Rome Film Festival.

Previous editions have featured Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese and last year Francis Ford Coppola unveiled his return to filmmaking after ten years, Youth Without Youth, at Rome.

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