The fallout from the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry’s refusal to grant censor exemption to 19 films at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) continued on the final day of the festival.
On Thursday, the screenings of six films were canceled – Yes, Eagles of the Republic, Duel, Flames, Poet: Unconcealed Poetry and All That’s Left of You. Despite the ban, the state government on Tuesday directed the Kerala State Academy, Chalachitra, to screen all films as scheduled. The Academy screened some of these films over the past two days. The Union Ministry also cleared 13 other films during this period.
Resul Pookutty, chairman of the State Chalachitra Academy, told a press conference on Thursday evening that the academy has decided to back off from screening the remaining six films in view of the I&B Ministry’s announcement on Wednesday that strict provisions of the Cinematography Act, 1952 will be used against the authorities for continuing the screening.
“Decision of the Academy”
“With the political support I got from the government, I was ready to show myself. But after being alerted by the I&B ministry, we at the academy took a decision not to be seen as a threat to the country’s external relations by screening some of these films. It was purely an academy decision,” Mr. Pookutty said.
He said the ban was the result of bureaucratic chaos at the Center rather than political chaos.
Regarding the controversy over his absence from the capital during the festival, he said that even though he was away on business, he spent all his waking hours coordinating various aspects of the festival, including handling visa matters, notably visiting Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, the chairman of the jury, as well as communicating with the I&B Ministry regarding the ban.
Published – 18 Dec 2025 22:58 IST
