The annual movie gala will showcase around 200 handpicked movies from 54 countries in 15 different categories in select theatres in the city.
Malayalam actor Mohanlal will be the chief guest at the inaugural, in which a number of dignitaries like union minister Sashi Tharoor, K Muraleedharan MLA and city Mayor K Chandrika will be participating, state Film Acadamy officials said here.
The inaugural even will screen legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock's silent drama "The Ring" with the background of live orchetstra.
Australian indigenous films, top-angle Cinema, theater film, Hitchcock's silent films and movies on adolescence are some new categories in this edition of the festival, which will screen 14 movies under 'Competition Section', 76 in World Cinema' category and seven under the 'Indian Cinema Now' section.
Vietnam would be the 'Country in Focus' this year.
The category 'Malayalam Cinema Today' would have films including 'Indian Rupee' directed by Ranjith, 'A Document of Separation' by Madhupal, 'In Recent Times' by Arun Kumar Aravind, 'Chayilliam' by Manjo Kana.
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The 'Retrospective category' would have select movies of classsic masters like Akira Kurasawa, Paul Cox, S Pierre Yameogo, Alain Resnais, Helena Ignez, Hitchcock and Sharada.
Noted Australian filmmaker Paul Cox would be the jury chairman of the present edition.
The Best film will bag the "Suvarna Chakoram" (Golden Crow Pheasent) award with a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.
The festival will conclude on December 14.