Protests erupt after 16 films barred from Kerala film festival; Delegates slam I&B ministry
The decision has been met with sharp criticism from festival organisers and political leaders. Marian Alexander Baby described the move as an "absurd and lunatic attempt to derail IFFK" and called it the "latest example of the neo-fascist tendencies of the extreme authoritarian rule" under the current national government.
Thiruvananthapuram: Major protests erupt after the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry deny permissions to screen 19 films at the 2025 International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in Thiruvananthapuram.
Prominent directors including Kamal, Adoor Gopalakrishnan has slammed the ministry’s decision to intervene in the screening at the IFFK.
The event, which began on December 12 and runs till December 19, is organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and typically draws thousands of delegates from across the globe. The list of barred films includes several titles focused on Palestine and the Spanish film Beef, resulting in schedule gaps and widespread criticism from attendees and organisers.
Among the films denied are Palestine 36, Yes, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, and All That’s Left of You, all of which address Palestinian themes. Notably, Palestine 36 was selected as the festival’s inaugural film and had already been screened.
Kerala’s Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian expressed support for the Palestinian cause at the festival's opening, where Palestinian Ambassador to India Abdallah M Abu Shawesh was present as a guest.
Organisers of the festival routinely submit film titles to the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry for approval in advance. The Ministry retains the authority to withhold permission over concerns such as potential diplomatic sensitivities. However, in this case, the organisers reported an absence of any formal explanation for the denials.
"No reasons were provided for denying permission for the screenings, said a senior official at the IFFK meet to News9.
In addition to the Palestine-focused films and Beef, other disallowed titles include A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry, Bamako, Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 classic Battleship Potemkin, Clash, Eagles of The Republic, Heart of The Wolf, Red Rain, Riverstone, The Hour of The Furnaces, Tunnels: Sun In The Dark, Flames, Timbuktu, Wajib, and Santosh.
I&B ministry decision faces sharp criticism
The decision has been met with sharp criticism from festival organisers and political leaders. Marian Alexander Baby described the move as an "absurd and lunatic attempt to derail IFFK” and called it the "latest example of the neo-fascist tendencies of the extreme authoritarian rule” under the current national government.
Public opposition to the ban has taken the form of protests at festival venues. The Democratic Youth Federation of India, affiliated with the CPI(M), staged a demonstration to protest the ministry’s decision. Calls for a response from the artistic and wider democratic community followed, with one former minister saying, "Artists, filmmakers and all democratic-minded citizens must raise their voices against this disgraceful move,” urging collective action against the ministry’s directive.
Despite the disruptions, organisers emphasised that film approval is a routine process and that all titles had been submitted for clearance as required.