MUMBAI: The 18th Damascus International Film Festival will kick off on 12 November. The seven-day festival includes 14 cinematographic events, the most prominent of which is the Turkish cinema event.

The festival will include 222 feature-length films, 24 of which will enter the official competition, in addition to 92 short films, with the participation of more than 160 actors, directors and producers from 46 Arab and foreign countries. 

The feature film competition including 24 films consists of Vladimir Menshov (Russia), Anamaria Bonaiuto (Italy), Anamaria Marinca (Romania), Helma Sanders-Brahams (Germany), Jacques Fieschi (France), Kerem Ayan (Turkey), Moufida Tlatli (Tunisia), Najdat Anzour (Syria), Nicole Guillemet (USA), Sandra Nashaat (Egypt), Ward El Khal (Lebanon) and Mahmoud Abdelwahed (Syria).

The short film competition including 92 films consists of Raymon Butros (Syria), Alice Kharoubi (France), Marzia Tedeschi (Italy), Olivier Gicart (Belgium) and Pernille Munk Skydsgaard (Denmark).

Syrian Enana Dance Group will perform several dance pieces are taken from the most prominent international and Syrian films at the opening ceremony of the festival.

Other events and activities such as the round table activity which focuses on the role of the Arab film festivals in developing film production and promotion are also included.