Thiruvananthapuram, As the famed International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) returns with a bang after the Covid pandemic, its 27th edition will be held here from December 9 to 16, and this time, Serbia will be the Country in Focus.

Six Serbian films are slated to be screened in this category including Milos Pusic's 'Working Class Heroes' which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival this year.

Along with that, Oscar nominated director Stefan Arsenijevic's vividly crafted and performed drama 'Far As I Can Walk' is a contemporary refugee story. The film won top prize at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, 2021.

Srdan Golubovic's compelling drama 'Father, Oasis', again a festival favourite, directed by Ivan Ikic, Hadzi-Aleksandar Djurovic's 'Cross in the Desert' and family drama 'The Beheading of St John the Baptist' by Sinisa Cvetic which was in Competition at Moscow International Film Festival this year, all figure in the section.

IFFK is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Over the years, the IFFK has become a delight for film buffs who come from far and wide.

The eight-day fest conducts the screening of films in the categories International Competition, Malayalam Cinema Today, Indian Cinema Now, World Cinema, Country Focus, Retrospectives of major filmmakers, Contemporary Focus, Homages and various curated packages. Coupled with film screenings, platforms like Open Forum and workshops are also organised for the delegates to interact with film fraternities from all over the world. The annual Aravindan Memorial Lecture is a major event in the Festival.