The repercussions of the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry’s denial of censor exemption to 19 films at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) continued to play out the final day of the festival.
Screenings of six films – Yes, Eagles of the Republic, Clash, Flames, A poet: Unconcealed Poetry, and All That’s Left of You were cancelled on Thursday. The State government had on Tuesday, in defiance of the ban, directed the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy to screen all films as per schedule. The academy had screened some of these films over the last two days. During this period, the Union Ministry also cleared 13 more films.
Resul Pookutty, chairperson of the State chalachitra academy, said in a press conference on Thursday evening that the academy decided to step back from screening the remaining six films considering the I&B ministry’s notice on Wednesday that stringent provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952 will be used against the authorities for going ahead with the screenings.
‘Academy’s decision’
“With the political backing I got from the government, I was ready to show. But after the I&B Ministry’s notice, we took a decision in the academy so that we are not seen as jeopardising the country’s external relations with the screening of some of these films. This was purely the academy’s decision,” said Mr. Pookutty.
He said that the ban was the result of a bureaucratic logjam at the Centre rather than a political one.
On the controversy over his absence in the capital during the course of the festival, he said that even though he was away on work, he had spent all his waking hours in co-ordinating various aspects of the festival, including the clearing of visa-related issues, especially regarding the visit of Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, jury chairperson, as well as the communication with the I&B Ministry regarding the ban.
Published – December 18, 2025 10:58 pm IST
