Thirteen films and three documentaries - hailing from France, Spain, Russia, Canada, Germany, Italy, UK, Lebanon, United States, Poland, Mexico make up the programme for this year's Venice Days sidebar, announced Tuesday.

Italy tops the entries this year with three features and two documentaries to include political satirist Sabrina Guzzanti's A Lobster's Perspective (Le ragioni dell'aragosta). The director focuses on poor fishermen in Sardegna, looking at the industry crisis through one fisherman who is also an ex-Fiat factory worker and unionist.

Other notable titles include Russian horror entry Cargo 200 by Alexy Balbanov and French/UK/Lebanon production Under The Bombs (Sous les Bombes), the second work by director/reporter Philippe Aractingi who shot the film during the 2006 siege on Beirut and adapted his script to fit reality.

The films in this non-competitive sidebar are eligible for the Europa Cinemas Award, which provides distribution in the Europa Cinemas circuit as well as five 5 Technicolor copies of the film. Venice Days first works are eligible for Venice's Lion of the Future worth $138,092 (Euros 100,000). This year, Siae, Italy's author and editor association will give a new award through the sidebar to a personality that best represents Italian cinema abroad.

The four-year-old event is headed by Italian critic Fabio Ferzetti who took over the reins from Giorgio Gosetti - one of the founders of the Rome Film Festival.

The Venice Film Festival runs Aug 29-Sept 8 and the full line-up will be announced on Thursday.

Venice Days features
Andalucia by Alain Gomis (France/Spain)
Cargo 200 by Alexy Balabanov (Russia)
Continental Un Film sans Fusil by Stefane Lafleur (Canada)
Head Under Water (Freischwimmer) by Andreas Kleinert (Germany)
Non Pensarci by Gianni Zanasi (Italy)
Plum Rain (La Pluie des Prunes) by Federic Fisbach (France)
Le ragioni dell' Aragosta by Sabina Guzzanti (Italy)
Under The Bombs (Sous les Bombes) by Philippe Aractingi (France/UK/Lebanon)
Superheroes (working title) by Ed Radtke (US)
Tricks (Sztuczk i) by Andrezej Jakimowski (Poland)
Un Basier, S'il Vous Plait - Emmanuel Mouret (France)
Valzer by Salvatore Maira (Italy)
La Zona by Rodrigo Pla (Spain/Mexico)

Venice Days documentaries
Vita e opere di Luciano Bianciardi by Massimo Collola and Alberto Piccinini (Italy)
Nacido Sin by Eva Norvind (Mexico)
Viaggio in Corson el Cinema di Carlo Lizzani by Francesca del Sette (Italy)

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