Only five of the 23 movies entered in the official competition at the Venice Film Festival are American. There are also are four each from Italy, France, the rest of Europe and Asia, as well as two from the Middle East. Organizers of this 66th edition of the world-famous film fest will reveal the final, 24th pick Saturday. These two dozen pics will contend for the Golden Lion, with the winner to be announced at the festival's conclusion Sept. 12. Last year's champ was "The Wrestler," which earned Oscar nominations for Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei.

The only Golden Lion winner to compete as a best picture nominee at the Oscars in the last decade was "Brokeback Mountain" in 2005. Deciding the top choice at Venice this year will be a jury headed by that film's Oscar-winning director, Ang Lee. Lee also won the Golden Lion in 2007 for "Lust, Caution." Also on the jury are French actress Sandra Bonnaire, star of the 1985 Golden Lion winner "Vagabond" and 1995 best actress champ for "La Ceremonie"; three directors, Italian Liliani Cavani, American Joe Dante and Indian Anurag Kashyap; and Italian singer-songwriter Luciano Ligabue.

Leading off the American contenders is the new Michael Moore documentary "Capitalism: A Love Story." Moore won the 2002 feature documentary Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine" and contended two years ago for "Sicko." In 2004, "Fahrenheit 9/11" bowed out of the doc race to vie for one of the five best picture slots to no avail. With the number of Oscar nominees for best picture doubled this year to 10, could there be a place for a well-received documentary about such a timely subject?

Also in contention is "The Road," the much-delayed film version of the bleak 2006 novel by Cormac McCarthy ("No Country for Old Men"). The post-apocalyptic drama -- adapted by Olivier-winning playwright Joe Penhall ("Blue/Orange") and directed by John Hillcoat ("The Proposition") -- stars Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises") as a father who takes to the road with his son (newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee) after the loss of his wife. She is seen only in flashbacks and played by Oscar winner Charlize Theron ("Monster").

Werner Herzog helms "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans," which draws on certain elements from the 1992 cult classic "Bad Lieutenant." Oscar winner Nicolas Cage ("Leaving Las Vegas") stars as a drug-addicted detective working both sides of the law in a post-Katrina New Orleans. Herzog contended for the Golden Lion in 1991 for "Cerro Torre" and was an Oscar nominee last year for his feature documentary "Encounters at the End of the World."