The International Film Festival of Rome has unveiled the first titles for its upcoming third edition, which runs Oct 22-31 in the Italian capital.

8 (Huit), a composition of eight shorts by Jane Campion, Gael Garcia Bernal, Jan Kounen, Mira Nair, Gaspar Noe, Abderrahmane Sissako, Gus Van Sant and Wim Wenders that address the malaise and challenges our planet faces today, will be unveiled as a world premiere in the Cinema 2008 competition section.

8 is backed by the United Nations in alignment with their aim to cut hunger in half; 191 countries support the production.

That title will be flanked by the Rithy Panh-directed Franco-Cambodian title Un barrage contre le Pacifique, most likely as a European premiere. The film is based on a Marguerite Duras novel and stars Isabelle Huppert.

Saul Dibb's Toronto-bound The Duchess with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes and Uli Edel's Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (international premiere) about Germany's terrorist group the Red Army Faction - starring Alexandra Maria Lara and Bruno Ganz - will screen in the Gala/official section (previously called Premiere now called Anteprima).

Films in Anteprima and the Cinema 2008 section are eligible for the prize for best film worth $119,000 (euros 75,000) voted on by a seven-member international jury.

A second prize for the same amount, the Gold Marco Aurelio Award - will be voted on by all cinemagoers.

In world premiere, Bob Marley: Exodus 77 by Anthony Wall will be presented in L'Altro Cinema (formerly Extra) as will Effedia - sulla mia cattiva strada by Teresa Marchesi about Italian singer Fabrizio De Andre.

As previously announced, this section will host events dedicated to Al Pacino (a three-film retrospective and Q&A) as well as events with Michael Cimino and David Cronenberg.

Cronenberg will un-wrap his multimedia work Chromosomes at Rome's Palazzo degli Esposizioni art gallery.

Alice in the City - dedicated to cinema for youth will present Lol in world premiere by Lisa Azuelos with French actress Sophie Marceau while Kenneth Glenaan's Summer with Robert Carlyle (European premiere) is also secured for the line-up.

Alice will also dedicate an event to five of Italy's best-known film animators.

Finally, Rome's Focus on Brazil will host Brazilian singer and musician Caetano Veloso who will perform after the documentary Coracao vagabundo by Fernando Grostein Andrade, that is dedicated to him and which feature appearances by Michelangelo Antonioni and Pedro Almodovar.

Rome will also be hosting an homage to the late commedia Italiana master Dino Risi with a showcase of his most important films.

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