Months back, all was sweetness and light, with the leftwing mayors of the two cities claiming the Venice festival, 63 this year, and Rome's would complement each other.

The minister of culture, Francesco Rutelli, pooh-poohed fears the festivals would be at each others' throats.

"Two major festivals will only increase interest in this area. . ." he said. "A rising sea raises all the boats."

If that sounds like hot air, it was.

Under its combative director Marco Muller, Venice fights like a Venetian lion to hang on to its top ranking alongside Cannes and Toronto. So Muller lined up a festival composed of nothing but world premieres. And he openly dissed the Romans, saying their films were ones he discarded.

"An incredible offence to all cinema and international filmmakers, " fumed the joint directors of Rome's festival in reply. What seems to have irritated Muller most was a coincidental cut in the government grant to the Venice event by around 2m. The row was only defused when Rutelli and prime minister Romano Prodi rushed unannounced to Venice during the festival, promising Muller money for the new festival headquarters.

The organisers of the Rome affair, notwithstanding the presence of Nicole Kidman, star of the opening film, Fur, insist their event is very different from Venice's. It is intended as a citizens' festival, they say, with a jury of ordinary cinemagoers and cinemas showing festival films at bargain prices.

But it remains to be seen whether Italy is big enough for both of them.