Kerala’s minister for culture Saji Cherian said on December 16 that the state government has defied the Union government’s ban on 19 films at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) and is going ahead with their screening. Films screened at the IFFK do not require a CBFC certificate, but they require a censor exemption.
The Union government had not granted censor exemption to any of the 19 films. Eventually, a few of those films were granted the exemption. They include Once Upon A Time In Gaza, Eagles Of The Republic, Inside The Wolf and Tunnels: Sun In The Dark. Among the films listed for cancellation were four from Palestine, one from Israel, several from Egypt and Vietnam, two from Mauritius, and some Spanish films from Peru, Columbia and Argentina. The two Indian films in the list were Santosh and Flames.
The 30th IFFK started on December 13 and will go on up to December 20 in Thiruvananthapuram.