Miramax'stop executive in Italy, Fabrizio Lombardo, will now switch to a "bigger-picturerole" for the company, serving as a personal European investment advisor toco-chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Lombardo'snew role means that London-based senior vice president of production GinaGardini will now become Miramax's primary executive liaising with the Italianfilm and television community.

The fact that Gardini will now split her time between UK and Rome - rather than re-locate full time - begs questions about the future of Miramax Italia, the production and distribution outpost set up in Italy three years ago.

Ina statement, Miramax said that Lombardo's transition to a European corporateinvestment consultant fulfilled company's plans to bolster its presencethroughout Europe by seeking strategic opportunities.

CommentedHarvey Weinstein: "Fabrizio has been an invaluable asset to Miramax in Italy,from building an ongoing presence to helping us further our relationships withkey players in the Italian entertainment industry, he has become someone wehave come to rely on."

AddedLombardo, "Working to further bring the Italian culture to the world throughfilm is something that I personally value and look to continue in my newposition."

Duringhis tenure as senior vice president of Miramax International, Lombardo helpedexpose the Miramax brand to high level European corporate circles withcompanies such as media giant Publicis.

Hebegan his relationship with Miramax in 1997 when they first screened theAcademy Award winning Life is Beautiful and purchased it for worldwidedistribution outside of Italy.

Lombardo is credited with steeringthe production of Gangs of New York to Rome's CinecittaStudios. Additionally, he wasinvolved in Miramax's acquisition of several Italian films including La Stanza del Figlio (Son's Room), La Meglio Gioventu (Best of Youth) and Gabriele Salvatores' Io Non Ho Paura (I'm Not Scared), Italy's entry for this year's AcademyAwards.

Lombardo was also part of the team thatacquired Pinocchio, aswell the English-language remakerights to Ettore Scola's Ceravamo Tanto Amati (We All Loved Each Other so Much), which is to be directed by the risingnew talent, Gabriele Muccino.

On the production side, Lombardo executiveproduced the Oscar nominated Malena and is currently working on bringing to Italy the production ofthe English language film Renato's Luck for Miramax, which is written and directed by AlejandroArgesti.