The bilingual epic saga 'kisna'directed by Subhash Ghai, would be the opening film of the Gwangju International Film Festival (GIFF) of South Korea on August 26.

The Festival organizers have invited Director Subhash Ghai and actor Vivek Oberoi for the screening.

The film, which released in January this year, was a damp squib at the box office. But, Mr Ghai said the film would remain his dearest project. ''Kisna has been my most challenging project. I am overwhelmed by the appreciation it has received at various film festivals across the world'', he said in a statement here.

Mr Ghai said GIFF is one of the most acclaimed festivals in South Korea with films being screened from all over the world. ''In the 5th year since its inception, GIFF has managed to attract noted filmmakers of diverse cinema across the globe. The festival offers learning opportunities to enrich and enhance the cinema as an art and show moviegoers what cinema is all about.

Kisna starred Vivek Oberoi and introduced Isha Sharwani and British actor Antonia Bernath who appears on the Tatler magazine, a widely recognized magazine in the UK on the list of 20 faces to look out for.

The screening of Kisna at the GIFF on August 26 coincides with the worldwide release of Ghai's latest production ''Iqbal'' directed by Nagesh Kuknoor.