Thiruvanananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan will inaugurate the 13th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) at the Nisagandhi open air auditorium here on December 12.

Retrospective of Fernando Birri would be an attraction at the festival, K R Mohanan, chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, organisers of the festival, told PTI.

‘Laila’s birthday’, a film directed by Palestine director Rashid Masharawi would be the inaugural film.

A total of 182 films from 53 countries would be shown at the festival, which had attained international recognition getting into the calendar of Federation of International Film
Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) years back.

There would be 14 films in the competition section, which included two Malayalam films also.

Movies of Satyajit Ray, Andrej Waida, Ingmar Bergman and Luis Bunuel, among various others would also be screened at the festival.

A total of 145 foreign guests, comprising directors, actors and producers, would attend the festival. Delegates and media could reserve tickets two days in advance online for particular shows, he said.