SOPHIA LOREN - ROME FILM FESTIVAL ORGANISERS PLAY DOWN LOREN SPAT

ROME FILM FESTIVAL ORGANISERS PLAY DOWN LOREN SPAT

LATEST: Organisers of the Rome Film Festival insist next year's (07) event will be dedicated to SOPHIA LOREN, after she was reportedly furious at being snubbed for the inaugural cinema showcase this month (OCT06). The festival, which opened last weekend (14-15OCT06), has been graced by the likes of NICOLE KIDMAN, MONICA BELLUCCI and SIR SEAN CONNERY, but the 71-year-old actress' invitation was overlooked. Rome Mayor WALTER VELTRONI says, "We had already decided to make Sophia Loren the star of the second edition of the festival, so there should be no controversy. "We didn't invite her this year because we hoped she would be the guest of honour next year, just as Sean Connery was this time."