Film buffs queue up at the Kairali theater premises on Wednesday to watch Flames, which was denied permission by the center but was screened on the state government’s decision. | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
After unprecedented scheduling problems that caused the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to grant censor exemptions to 19 films, the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) appeared to be back to normal on Wednesday, screening films like The Poet, Eagles of the Republic and Flames that had been canceled in the previous days.
The Kerala government on Tuesday ordered the Chalachitra State Academy to screen the films, despite the department’s refusal to grant a censor exemption. According to Academy sources, the Union ministry granted exemption to several more films on Wednesday, leaving only six more films to be screened. However, there was some confusion in the evening as the academy did not proceed with the screening of one of the six remaining films to be cleared.
Amid public outrage over the EU government’s rejection of a censorship exemption, the film festival’s former artistic director claimed on Wednesday that procedural errors on the part of organizers led to the fiasco and warned against accusations of political targeting.
Deepika Suseelan, who was the artistic director of the 27th edition of the festival, attributed the ministry’s decision to the Chalachitra Academy’s delays in sending films for approval.
For the December festival, the list of films that need a censor exemption, along with synopses and other documents, must be submitted by the first week of November at the latest, she said. However, academy officials said the denial of the exemption was apparently political and not procedural, as only a few films were held back.
Meanwhile, KSCA chairman Resul Pookutty’s absence during the event due to prior commitments abroad raised eyebrows, with noted film directors saying it was disappointing. Film director and former KSCA chairman Kamal said the situation without the festival chief could have been avoided. Filmmaker Bijukumar Damodaran said that this is the first time that IFFK is being held without a chairman or art director. (With inputs from PTI)
Published – 17 Dec 2025 21:02 IST
