Centre rejects Kerala's claim that 31 films were denied festival screening
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New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday rejected the Keralam government's claim that permission had been denied to 31 films scheduled to be screened at the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), saying no film had been denied screening permission.
The ministry said six films had been asked to provide more detailed synopses and that, depending on their subject matter, some films had been sent to various sectoral authorities for review.
The clarification came after Keralam Culture Minister PC Vishnunadh alleged on Sunday that the Union government had not provided reasons for withholding permission for 31 films at the festival.
Vishnunadh had said the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had only sent the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy a list of films that had been granted permission. He said the ministry had sought detailed synopses for several films and that the requested material was sent the following day.
The 18th IDSFFK is scheduled to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from September 25 to 30.
Films screened at festivals do not require a regular Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate, but those without certification require an exemption from the Union government for festival screening.
According to reports, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy had submitted a list of 347 films to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry seeking exemption from certification requirements. The ministry subsequently sought detailed synopses and screeners for 40 films. The Academy had said 31 of those films had not received clearance.
Among the films whose screening status had been questioned were Sanitised Republic: Cast(e) and Contracts, which focuses on sanitation workers employed at hospitals in Delhi during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Parliament Street, which explores public and personal memories associated with the Delhi road of national importance.
The list also included Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, a documentary that explores life in Gaza through video calls between filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna.
The Union government's clarification came after Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said he was shocked by reports that 31 films had been denied permission. He described the reported decision as a concern for freedom of expression and urged the Centre to reconsider it.
The latest clarification from the ministry, however, said no film had been denied permission and that the screening status of some films remained under review.
The development comes after a similar dispute at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in December 2025. The Keralam government had then directed organisers to proceed with the full screening schedule despite the Centre not initially granting permission for several films.
At the time, the state government accused the Union government of adopting an approach it described as "anti-democratic" towards Kerala's progressive art and cultural tradition. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had initially not granted permission for 19 films, including four dealing with Palestine, but later cleared five of them, including two Palestine-related films.