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Richard Fox, Warner Bros. exec VP, international, will be honored with the Italian Republic's Commendatore of the Order of Merit title in recognition of the Hollywood major's commitment to local film production in Italy.

Fox, who has been overseeing Warner Bros.' local-language operations in more than 20 countries since 1992, will be presented with the honor on Monday in Rome's Palazzo Chigi, the office of the Italian prime minister.

Warner Bros., Hollywood's most active participant in Italian production, has spawned several local titles in recent years that have been hits at home and also traveled widely, including Michele Placido's "Romanzo Criminale," Daniele Luchetti's "My Brother Is an Only Child" and Silvio Soldini's "Days and Clouds."

Significantly, Warner Bros. Italy prexy Paolo Ferrari also heads Italy's motion picture association, Anica.

Previous recipients of this title, bestowed for lasting contributions to Italian society, include Giorgio Armani, Pedro Almodovar and Giuseppe Tornatore.