AceShowbiz -

Taking the highly anticipated flick far from the States, DreamWorks has fixed on its decision to hold the worldwide premiere of "Transformers" in Taormina, Sicily, Italy on June 21 during this year's Taormina Film Festival running June 16-22, the event's artistic director Deborah Young revealed Tuesday, May 29.

"We think the decision to premiere 'Transformers' in Taormina shows a renewed interest in the festival, and it illustrates the strong ties between this Mediterranean festival and American cinema," so Young said while remarking that the screening would represent the first time a major U.S. film of that stature premiered at the 53-year-old Taormina event.

Director Michael Bay, along with several cast members and Paramount Pictures execs, reportedly will arrive on the small town by helicopter in an elaborate ceremony before the June 21 screening.

A live-action version of the popular franchise and toy line, "Transformers" finds Earth lying in the middle of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance. DreamWorks has set July 4, 2007 as the release date of the action sci-fi in North America after launching the flick in Australia and New Zealand on June 29 and July 2, respectively.