In another sign of change, the Venice festival will boastits own Directors' Fortnight section this year.

The section is to be headed by journalist and Courmayeurprogrammer Giorgio Gosetti with the backing of the Italian DirectorsAssociation. Gosetti will resign from his post as head of promo agencyAudiovisual Industry Promotion from the end of the month.

"We don't have the same revolutionary background as theQuinzaine in Cannes, but there is a real need for a different, director-drivensidebar free of obligations," said Gosetti. He said that the sidebar has anunderstanding with the Quinzaine and will seek a similar "twinning" with theForum section of the Berlin festival.

Gosetti expects to programme about ten feature films and isconsidering an ensemble of shorts on the final day. "We don't have much time toput this together and for this year only we will concentrate on a line-up offilms representing the new Europe of 25 countries."

He was at pains to emphasise that the Director's Fortnightis being organised with the blessing of the Venice festival, but is runseparately. "This was Marco Mueller's suggestion. We will co-ordinate with theMostra on things like print movement, information and use of screening rooms.But it is unlikely that we will show our films in the palazzo and we will beseparate in badging terms," said Gosetti.

The selection is likely to be unveiled within a couple ofdays of the official selection announcement.