Director Kim Ki-duk’s latest film “Pieta” is to make its world premiere at the 69th Venice International Film Festival in the competition line-up.

A total of 18 films, including Kim’s, have been selected to compete for the coveted Golden Lion during the festival, including Brian De Palma’s thriller “Passion” and Terrence Malick’s romance “To the Wonder.”

Three of Kim’s films have been featured at the festival in previous years: “The Isle” (2000), “Address Unknown” (2001) and “3-Iron” (2004). He won the festival’s Best Director prize in 2004 for his drama “3-Iron.”

“Pieta” tells the story of a heartless man whose job is to threaten debtors to repay his clients. The plot of the film develops as the man ― who has no living family members ― one day receives a visit from a strange, middle-aged woman claiming she is his long-lost mother. The film features actor Lee Jeong-jin and actress Jo Min-soo.

Kim disappeared from the Korean film scene after the release of “Dream” in 2008, claiming that his assistant director Jang Hoon “betrayed” him by signing up with ShowBox, one of the major movie production houses in Korea.

He won a coveted sidebar prize at Cannes last year, for his wrenching cinematic self-portrait “Arirang.” The movie featured his perceived failings as a director after going through many traumatic events and “betrayals” by his colleagues in the film industry.

Meanwhile, three Italian films have been included in this year’s competition line-up: Macro Bellocchio’s “Sleeping Beauty”; Daniele Cipri’s “It was the Son”; and Francesca Comencini’s “A Special Day.” The section also includes films from France, the Philippines and the United States.

A total of 60 films will be shown in Venice this year. Another Korean film, “The Weight” by director Jeon Kyu-hwan, has been included in the line-up of the Festival’s autonomous sidebar section.

The Venice Film Festival runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)