Rome seeks new film festival director

The president of the Rome Film Festival announced his resignation this week, leaving the board of directors to come up with a replacement. Italy's ANSA news service said multiple names have already surfaced as possible successors to Gian Luigi Rondi, who stepped down Friday. "I sacrificed myself for the sake of a (festival) installment that risked not taking place," Rondi said in his announcement. Possible replacements include the festival's artistic director, Piera Detassi, and Paolo Ferrari, a former head of Warner Brothers Italy. A possible front-runner is Marco Muller, a former director of the Venice Film Festival. ANSA said Muller was given a public endorsement in December by Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno.