Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion and Wes Anderson are among the signees of an appeal to stave off the impending threat that a substantial portion of Rome's movie theaters could be converted into shopping centers and supermarkets under proposed regional legislation.

Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion and Wes Anderson make an appeal to prevent Rome's theatres from being converted to shopping malls and hotels

A new Italian law could turn the city's theaters into shopping centers and supermarkets. Scorsese, Jane Campion, David Cronenberg, Wes Anderson, and more stand against it.

Steven Spielberg on Monday joined a drive led by Martin Scorsese and other creative greats to save Rome's cultural spaces and especially cinemas from being turned into malls, supermarkets and hotels.