Oliver Stone rolls to Taormina

ROME -- Oliver Stone, Monica Bellucci and Franco-Tunisian film producer Tarak Ben Ammar will be feted by the 57th Taormina Film Festival, which will feature a mix of Hollywood fare, international titles and a focus on the Maghreb region. Reflecting the Arab Spring turmoil, the Sicilian event -- which has taken on a North African and Middle Eastern bent under artistic director Deborah Young -- will focus on Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria as guest countries this year. A timely panel titled "Maghreb Revolution," about sweeping societal and film industry changes underway in the region will include Tunisian helmer Mourad Ben Cheikh ("No More Fear"); Moroccan helmer Leila Kilani ("On the Plank"); Egyptian helmers Ibrahim El Batout ("Hawi") and Mohamad Diab ("678"); and Tunisian producers Ben Ammar and Habib Attia. Stone, Bellucci and Ben Ammar will be handed Taormina Arte Awards during galas in the fest's ancient Greek theater. Palestinian helmer Elia Suleiman ("The Time That Remains") will also be honored with a nod from the Roma-Mediterraneo foundation dedicated to dialogue between cultures. As previously announced, "Kung Fu Panda 2" will open the fest June 11 in the Greek theater with voice star Jack Black and DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg expected in tow. Also unspooling on Taormina's giant outdoor venue will be the international launch of HBO's "Cinema Verite" by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini; Stone's "Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut," and British comedy "Killing Bono," by Nick Hamm, among other titles. The fest closes June 18.

Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118037854?categoryid=4076&cs=1&cmpid=RSS%7CNews%7CLatestNews

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