Nine films are still awaiting clearance and the Union government said the delay is linked to concerns that their screening could affect India's diplomatic relations.
Published Dec 18, 2025 | 11:07 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 18, 2025 | 3:06 PM
IFFK.
Synopsis: The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting granted screening permission for several international films that were earlier denied censor exemption for the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala. However, nine films are still awaiting clearance from the Union government. Union government sources said the delay is linked to concerns that their screening could affect India’s diplomatic relations.
The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting granted screening permission for several international films that were earlier denied censor exemption for the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), easing tensions surrounding the issue.
The cleared films reportedly include Palestine 36, Beef, Heart of the Wolf, Bamako, Battleship Potemkin, Red Rain, Riverstone, The Hour of the Furnace, Tunnels: Sun in the Dark and Timbuktu.
The Ministry directed the state to drop six films, citing the lack of mandatory political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The directive, routed through the Chief Secretary to the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, seeks to bar All That’s Left of You, Clash, Flames, Eagles of the Republic, Yes, and A Poet: Unconcealed from the festival. Notably, two of these films had already been screened before the order reached organisers.
The government has rejected the move, accusing the BJP-led Union government of exerting political pressure and attempting to derail the festival. Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian has maintained that all procedures were followed and instructed organisers to go ahead with the disputed titles.
IFFK officials say nearly 190 films were submitted for Central clearance on time, but several, including politically sensitive and Palestinian works, remain blocked despite being screened at other Indian festivals.
The 30th IFFK began on 12 December and will end on 19 December.
Union government sources said the delay is linked to concerns that their screening could affect India’s diplomatic relations. Sources in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said the Kerala government had been cautioned that it would be held responsible if films were screened without approval.
Under the Cinematograph Act, unauthorised screenings can attract imprisonment of up to three years, along with fines, seizure of film prints and arrest without warrant.
Notably, Battleship Potemkin, a nearly century-old classic that has been screened worldwide, was among the films initially denied permission.
Meanwhile, the Union government also cleared four foreign films, including Palestinian titles, even as criticism continues over procedural lapses and the broader debate on censorship, artistic freedom and the Union government–state standoff linked to IFFK 2025.
On Tuesday, Cherian had directed the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy to screen all 19 films that had been denied screening permission.
The minister instructed academy chairman Resul Pookutty and the secretary to ensure that the films are screened according to the original schedule without any disruption. Terming the Union government’s stance undemocratic and authoritarian, Cherian said such an approach undermines Kerala’s progressive cultural and artistic traditions.
The affected films included internationally famous movies and some that deal with politically sensitive topics, especially those about the Palestinian conflict.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman.)
