The animated feature Up is one of nine films that will compete for a new award for 3D movies at the Venice Film Festival in September. (Disney/Pixar/Associated Press)

Nine films, including Pixar productions Up and The Hole, will compete for a new award for 3-D moviemaking at the 66th Venice Film Festival this September.

All the contenders for the Persol 3-D award, established this year to embrace the emerging wave of innovative 3-D filmmaking, are from the U.S.

The list includes:

• Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D by Eric Brevig.
• Monsters vs. Aliens by Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon.
• My Bloody Valentine by Patrick Lussier.
• Battle for Terra by Aristomenis Tsirbas.
• Coraline by Henry Selick.
• Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience by Bruce Hendricks.
• Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs by Carlos Saldanha.

The Hole, a thriller about two kids who move to an old house with a mysterious hole in the basement, is having its world premiere at Venice, which is honouring Pixar this year in a special program.

Animation king John Lasseter is to be awarded with a special Golden Lion.

3-D is being embraced by the film industry for its potential to get people back into cinemas.

The award is to be announced Sept. 12. The previously announced jury for the award includes Italian 3-D filmmaker Nadia Ranocchi and U.S. film critics Scott Foundas and Dave Kehr.

In a separate announcement, Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov has been named as the final member of the competition jury chaired by Ang Lee.