Monica Bellucci

The 2007 Italian Film Festival, titled "Cinema Explores Italy," will be held in Shanghai from January 18 to 29. Thirty Italian classic movies made between 1960 and 2004 will be screened.

Italian star Monica Bellucci, who is best known for her roles as Mary Magdalene in "The Passion of the Christ" and the second and third episodes of "The Matrix," may come to China to promote the activity.

A press conference was held Thursday afternoon in Shanghai. Jointly hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China's ministry of culture, the film festival will also travel to Beijing the following month.

The Italian Film Festival will draw on the success of the "Year of Italy in China" in 2006.