North Korea will host an international film festival in its capital next month, which the communist nation says is designed to promote exchanges and cooperation between world filmmakers.



The 14th Pyongyang International Film Festival is scheduled to open on Sept. 17 for a weeklong run under the theme of "Independence, Peace and Friendship," according to the organizing committee.



It consists of the Feature Film Competition, the Documentary and Short Film Competition, Special and Informative Screenings, and Film Exchange, the committee said on its website.



Many films from around the world will be shown that include "Bend it like Beckham," "Mr. Bean," "The March of the Penguins" and "Bride and Prejudice," it added.



North Korea has traditionally shown keen interest in film-making, apparently for propaganda purposes, even kidnapping popular South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee and famous director Sin Sang-ok in the late 1970s. The North's late leader Kim Jong-il was known to be a film fanatic.



The North began the international film festival in 1987 and has been holding the event once every two to three years.



It has designated Koryo Tours, based in Beijing, as the official tour agency to attract foreign tourists.



A seven-night tour program, priced at around US$2,000, includes the opening ceremony, film screenings, meetings with movie makers, and visits to film studios and locations as well as tours of downtown Pyongyang and the truce village of Panmunjom. (Yonhap)