DAMASCUS, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The 17th Damascus International Film Festival, which was first launched in 1979, celebrates its 30th anniversary on Saturday at Al-Assad for Culture & Arts Center in Damascus, with the participation of 275 films from 52 countries.

    A total of 20 Arabic and foreign movies are participating the Festival's contest, including two Syrian movies "The Gate of Heaven" by Maher Kedo and "Once More" by Jawdat Said.

    The opening movie is Peruvian movie "The Milk of Sorrow," the Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2009, and the closing movie is Chinese movie "Forever Enthralled" directed by Chen Kaige.

    The festival will have three panels of judges. The feature-length films panel will be chaired by Oscar-winner French director Regis Wargnier, the Arabic films panel will be chaired by Syrian writer Hassan M. Youssef, while the short films panel will be chaired by Swiss director Martin Gero.

    The events dedicated to renowned directors and movie stars will be held in the festival, including Italian director Federico Fellini, British director Stanley Kubrick, German director Fritz Lang, French actress Michele Mercier and French actor Alain Delon.