The 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) has run into a major hurdle after the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting denied censor exemption to 31 films scheduled to be screened at the festival. The decision has put the screenings of the affected films in doubt ahead of the festival, which is set to begin in Thiruvananthapuram on September 25.
The films denied exemption include 18 titles from the festival’s official selection, nine from the International Non-Fiction section, three from the Festival Winners section and one film from the Nepal Package. Malayalam film, Globeis also among the titles affected.
Unlike theatrical releases, films screened at festivals such as IDSFFK do not require a regular censor certificate. However, because they are not certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), organisers have to obtain an exemption from the Union Ministry to screen them.
347 films submitted for exemption
The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has submitted a list of 347 films to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting seeking exemption from certification requirements. The submission included synopses outlining the subjects and themes of the films.
The ministry subsequently asked for more detailed material on some of the titles, following which detailed synopses and screeners of 40 films were submitted for review. Of these, 31 have now been denied exemption.
Among the films affected are Parliament Street, Sanitised Republic: Cast(e) and Contracts, Globe, Memories of a Window, Birds of War, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk and Our Land.
Kerala government seeks reconsideration
Kerala Culture Minister PC Vishnunadh has called on the Centre to reconsider its decision. He also said the Union ministry had not provided reasons for denying screening permission to the 31 films.
The development comes ahead of the 18th edition of IDSFFK, one of Kerala’s prominent documentary and short-film festivals. The denial also echoes last year’s International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), when 19 films were initially denied exemptionthough some were subsequently cleared.
What are some of the films that were denied exemptions?
The films affected cover a wide range of social and political subjects. Sanitised Republic: Cast(e) and Contracts follows sanitation workers at Delhi hospitals who continued working through the Covid-19 pandemic and later lost their jobs, examining contractual labour and the caste dimensions of sanitation work. Parliament Street explores the relationship between public and personal memories and one of Delhi’s most recognisable landmarks.
The list also includes films dealing with international conflicts and political upheaval. Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk documents life in Gaza through video calls between filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassouna, while Memories of a Window looks at protests in Iran through footage recorded by civilians. Birds of War draws from years of personal archives belonging to a Lebanese journalist and a Syrian activist, tracing their lives against the backdrop of revolution, war and exile. Malayalam film Globemeanwhile, focuses on tribal life in Attappady.
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