ROME ? Here is a list of the films competing for the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival.

A 24th "surprise film" is to be announced during the festival running from Wednesday to September 12.

? "Baaria" by Giuseppe Tornatore - Italy

? "Soul Kitchen" by Fatih Akin - Germany

? "La Doppia Ora" by Giuseppe Capotondi - Italy

? "Yi Ngoi" (Accident) by Cheang Pou-Soi - China, Hong Kong

? "Persecution" by Patrice Chereau - France

? "Lo Spazio Bianco" by Francesca Comencini - Italy

? "White Material" by Claire Denis - France

? "Mr. Nobody" by Jaco van Dormael - France

? "A Single Man" by Tom Ford - US

? "Lourdes" by Jessica Hausner - Austria

? "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" by Werner Herzog - US

? "The Road" by John Hillcoat - US

? "Ahasin Wetei" (Between Two Worlds) by Vimukhti Jayasundara - Sri Lanka

? "El Mosafer" (The Traveller) by Ahmed Maher - Egypt

? "Levanon" (Lebanon) by Samuel Maoz - Israel

? "Capitalism: A Love Story" by Michael Moore - US

? "Zanan-E Bedun-E Mardan" (Women Without Men) by Shirin Neshat - Germany

? "Il Grande Sogno" by Michele Placido - Italy

? "36 Vues du Pic Saint Loup" by Jacques Rivette - France

? "Survival of the Dead" by George Romero - US

? "Life During Wartime" by Todd Solondz - US

? "Tetsuo the Bullet Man" by Shinya Tsukamoto - Japan

? "Lei Wangzi" (Prince of Tears) by Yonfan - China, Taiwan, Hong Kong