Fox, Bender, Lindelof & Cuse at Rome Festival

Thanks to J Davis for the heads up.

MILAN -- The third Rome Fiction Fest has unveiled another varied international lineup, with a fair sprinkling of Hollywood product.

Steve Della Casa, artistic topper for the second year, said the TV drama fest, designed as a sister event to the Eternal City's RomeFilmFest, was "all about the product" and not just a chance for some backslapping.

But in a nod to nostalgia, headlining celeb will be lunar legend Buzz Aldrin. To mark the 40th anniversary of his epoch-defining jaunt to the moon, the fest will premiere Richard Dale's TV movie "Moonshot. The Flight of Apollo 11," in collaboration with The History Channel, on July 6 in the Auditorium Conciliazione.

Unspooling in the nearby Cinema Adriano plex, are Antonello Grimaldi's local drama "The Monster of Florence," based on a true-life serial killer, plus the latest series of U.S. hits "Grey's Anatomy" and "C.S.I: Crime Scene Investigation."

In the competish, Peter Travis' political thriller for Channel 4, "Endgame" and Ralph Hemecker's New Orleans-set drama "Midnight Bayou" with Faye Dunaway are in the running for best TV movie award.

HBO's polygamy drama "Big Love," and John Landis' "Fear Itself" are up for the best full-length series prize.

New to this year's fest is the RomaTvScreenings feature, which aims to "showcase all the best Italian TV product."

The Hollywood contingent includes Matthew Fox, alias Dr. Jack Shephard from hit drama "Lost," as well the series' executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who've scooped this year's Special Prize.

Both Lindelof and Cuse will also join "Lost" colleague Jack Bender in a masterclass designed at pin-pointing what makes a international hit series.

As last year, a special midnight sesh will show teen and horror fare.

The fest, which is backed by Italy's TV producers' association APT and top generalist broadcasters RAI and Mediaset as well as paybox Sky Italia, will run from July 6-11.

Source: Variety