ROME: Slovenia and Italy are expected to finalize a bilateral agreement on film coproduction that would extend cooperation, currently on a regional level, to the national level.

LEIPZIG: DOK Leipzig, which runs through 4 November 2012, marks the centennial of Poland’s first puppet animation film with a retrospective of its creator, Władysław Starewicz, and a special programme on Polish puppet animation.

PRAGUE: The Czech Senate has passed a bill that controls the volume of advertising on TV.

IDF's Ex Oriente programme features two master classes on its closing day in Jihlava.

MALTA: The Malta Film Commission (MFC, www.mfc.com.mt) has reached an agreement with the British Film Institute to return to Malta the first four films shot in Malta, filmed between 1925 and 1931, the MFC has announced.

LIMASSOL: The 2012 International Short Film Festival of Cyprus (www.isffc.com.cy), which concluded on 20 October, bestowed its 1st Prize for Best National Film and an award of 5,000 EUR to Anna directed by Spiros Charalambous.

JIHLAVA: Ex Oriente continues it partnership with the Jihlava IDFF, but with a lower profile, offering a week-long workshop that begins on 22 October 2012.

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MALTA: Malta will receive 500,000 EUR for help in creating a skilled film industry, with EU funds awarded to the Malta Film Commission (www.mfc.com.mt), which announced the news.

SOFIA: The Bulgarian Parliament will vote on an amendment limiting the volume for broadcasting commercial advertisements on TV and radio.