Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi often cites his handling of the L'Aquila earthquake disaster as a major success. (Luca Bruno/Associated Press)

Italy's culture minister will boycott the upcoming Cannes Film Festival to protest an Italian documentary that criticizes Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's relief efforts for survivors of the L'Aquila earthquake in central Italy last year.

Sandro Bondi declined an invitation to attend the festival on the French Riviera. On Saturday, just days before its opening, the minister issued a statement saying he was shocked that the film, Draquila: Italy Trembles, was included in the event.

He called the documentary "propaganda offending the truth and the Italian people."

Draquila, by Italian actress and filmmaker Sabina Guzzanti, takes the Berlusconi government to task over its handling of the earthquake in and around L'Aquila, where more than 300 people were killed and thousands remain homeless.

It will be screened outside the competition at the 63rd Cannes festival running May 12-23.

Clips of the film have been aired on television, and show Guzzanti impersonating Berlusconi and condemning the takeover by politicians of reconstruction projects in the earthquake zone.

Berlusconi hosted last year's G8 summit in L'Aquila in a show of solidarity with the victims, and he often cites his handling of the disaster as one of his government's successes.

'Drift to authoritarianism'

In an interview with online magazine Articolo 21, Guzzanti called Draquila "a reflection on Italy's drift to authoritarianism." She said the film aims to show the causes and consequences of the reconstruction process.

The film maintains that Berlusconi, 73, exploited the disaster to boost his popularity, and that homeless people were not consulted about the housing that was quickly built on the outskirts of the city.

It also focuses on the Civil Protection Service, which led the rescue and reconstruction operations. Investigations are currently looking into the awarding of contracts in the disaster zone.

Of the 120,000 people affected by the earthquake, more than 52,000 have yet to return home or move into new housing. Many are living in hotels along the Adriatic coast or in barracks at public expense.

Centre-left opposition leaders have criticized Bondi's decision to boycott the Cannes festival. "Berlusconi and his government are becoming increasingly intolerant of satire and freedom of expression," said Fabio Giambrone of the Italy of Values party.

Parliamentary culture commission member Flavia Perina said the boycott will generate more publicity for the film, Italian news agency Apcom reported.

With files from The Associated Press