18. IDSFFK ends without showing the “banned” competition films

Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to filmmaker Nina Sabnani during the closing ceremony of the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

The 18th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) ended without screening on Wednesday for seven films, including five in the competition section, which were denied exemption from censors by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Although former IDSFFK jury members urged the Kerala State Academy Chalachitra to allow the jury to watch the five films selected for the competition category, the state government decided not to screen the films as the Kerala High Court on 28 September denied permission to temporarily screen the films. The former members of the jury claimed that the I&B Ministry merely denied permission to screen these films in public and that the “denial” did not extend to any private screening of the jury behind closed doors. The filmmakers’ collective, who had earlier planned to boycott the awards, decided to attend as the government said directors of “banned” films would be invited on stage and honored at the closing ceremony. At the closing ceremony inaugurated by Chief Minister VDSatheesan, film directors including Spandan Banerjee, who directed the documentary Parliament Street, Afiya Khalid and Rizwan Rahman, who directed Sanitized Republic: Cast(e) & Contracts, Sankaraa, who directed The Mali and the Parasite, Bipuljit Basu, who directed Sharanya, who directed Redlight from Search of Prasun Delight. Goswami and Raunak Shivhare, who made Shimmering Odyssey, were called and seated on stage. Mr. Satheesan said the government would make arrangements to exhibit the films once the court approved them. “We have filed a case in the High Court. Unfortunately, we have not received any injunction. We have repeatedly requested the Union ministry against this as it is an intrusion into the curatorial freedom of artists. But as a state government, we have to deal with the sanction of the Union government. We will fight for the sanction. We are with these creators,” he said. I hope that one day you will get the opportunity to screen the films here. Close Close – Filming of the political UBU directed by Kamal KM won the award for the best long documentary. The film also won the Kumar Talkies Award for Best Editing in a Documentary. Sugandhi Gadadhar’s My Other Diary won Second Best Documentary and Ameya Gore’s Going Solo won the Special Jury Mention. Friends of Jilipibala Debalina Majumderová won the award for the best short documentary. Ashutosh Jare’s Coal Diggers of India won the second best short documentary award. Srishti Garg’s Lunar Birds received a special mention from the jury. Shekhar Bapu Rankhambe’s Bhintila Paath won the Best Short Feature Award. Sahadeb Das’s A Mouse and a Man won the award for second best short feature film. Darwin Annakumar’s Maram Marankothi won the Special Jury Mention in this category, Naseem Azad won Best Cinematography for Paradise Fall and Shubhangi Bhujbal won Best Actor for An Oyster Life. Muhammed Jaseel K.’s Marrah won the Best Campus Film award and Vishnu Pushkaran’s Ozhukku won the Special Jury Mention.

Published – 30 Sep 2026 22:36 IST