The first arrivals: from Hollywood to the Far East, a global red carpet for the 8^th Rome Film Festival

On their way to Rome are: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Lawrence, Rooney Mara, Jared Leto, John Hurt, Sophie Turner, the Chinese stars Sean Lau, Nick Cheung, Louis Koo, Italian actors Elio Germano, Filippo Timi, Valeria Golino and many others

The Artistic Director of the Rome Film Festival, Marco Müller, has announced the names of the first talents who, from November 8^th to 17^th, will walk the red carpet of the Auditorium Parco della Musica. Confirming their arrival from the United States are, in addition to all the directors of the Official Selection, Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Lawrence, Rooney Mara, Jared Leto and his band “Thirty Seconds To Mars”, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Wallace Shawn (New York actor and playwright). Many others will be coming from Europe: English actor John Hurt, the extraordinary star of many cult films loved by audiences around the world, Sophie Turner, the star of the television series Game of Thrones, Douglas Booth, main actor in the BBC series Great Expectations, Damian Lewis star of Homeland, Gregg Sulkin, the young protagonist of television series such as As the Bell Rings and Wizards of Waverly Place. There will also be famous writers such as Julian Fellowes, author and screenwriter of the series Downton Abbey, and winner of an Oscar® for Gosford Park by Robert Altman; and from France the well loved author of “La Saga Malaussène”, Daniel Pennac.

As in previous editions, there will be many stars from Asia: on the red carpet Chinese actors Sean Lau, Nick Cheung, and Louis Koo, the stars of films made by some of the most important directors from the Far East (Benny Chan, Johnnie To, Dante Lam), model and actress Ni Hongjie; from Japan Toma Ikuta, the famous actor and singer, and Satoshi Judai. From Russia, one of the most beloved of stars, Leonid Yarmolnik, and Petr Fedorov, Maria Smolnikova, as well as the star of many successful television series, Yanina Studilina.

Italian cinema will be represented, among others, by Elio Germano, Filippo Timi, Valeria Golino, Isabella Ferrari, Claudio Santamaria, Alessandro Haber, Alessandra Mastronardi, Ricky Memphis, Giampaolo Morelli, Alessandro Roja, Serena Rossi, Francesco Scianna, Chiara Caselli, Daria Pascal Attolini, Salvatore Striano, Salvatore Ruocco, Carmine Paternoster, Peppe Lanzetta, Antonio Pennarella, Tony Laudadio, Renato Rossi (Howard Ross), Adriano Bellini (Kirk Morris), Sergio Ciani (Alan Steel), Mimmo Palmara, Giovanni Cianfriglia, Rosalba Neri.

Some directors and actors will meet the public in a series of on-stage conversations: they include John Hurt (November 9^th at 4.00 pm in Sala Petrassi), Jonathan Demme (November 10^th at 4.00 pm in Sala Petrassi), Álex de la Iglesia (November 10^th at 5.30 pm in Teatro Studio), Spike Jonze (November 11^th at 6.00 pm in Sala Petrassi), Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (November 13^th at 5.30 pm in Sala Petrassi), Checco Zalone (November 14^th at 5.00 pm in Sala Petrassi). The Asian action-movie maestro Tsui Hark will hold a master class, moderated by renowned French director Olivier Assayas. The Master class will follow the Maverick Director Award ceremony and the premiere screening of his latest film, Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon 3D (Saturday November 16^th at 9.00 pm, in Sala Sinopoli).