Nanni Moretti

Moretti said he wants his festival to be "joyful but serious."

"It should not only address the more radical cinephiles, but all those who have a passion," he said.

The 54-year-old Moretti was brought in last year, but his appointment caused some controversy even leading him to briefly resign as some of the festival's organizers reportedly opposed the choice.

He said he eventually decided to return because of a "sense of responsibility."

"With my commitment and my face, I hope I can bring on the festival the attention if deserves," Moretti said.

The festival in the northern Italian city that hosts the Fiat automaker has launched some Italian directors and is well-respected in the Italian industry. But it lacks glitz and has never grabbed the attention of Venice or even the 2-year-old Rome film festival.

The festival runs through Dec. 1. Among those attending is Wim Wenders, whose work will be seen in a retrospective.

Moretti is a leading leftist intellectual in Italy. As a director, he won top honors at Cannes in 2001 with his film "The Son's Room" the story of a family dealing with the loss of a son.

His latest movie, "Il Caimano" (The Caiman), is a fierce critique on former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and modern-day Italy, and was released last year shortly before general elections.

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