New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) denied permissions to four films set in the Gaza Strip, Turkey, Hungary and Bhutan for screening in the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in November, 2023 in Goa.
According to a report published in The Hindu, the four films which were denied permissions are — A Gaza Weekend, a satire directed by Basil Khalil set in a post-epidemic Israel where the Gaza strip becomes the safest place in the Levant; Dormitory, directed by Nehir Tuna, a drama about a teenager sent to a residential Islamic seminary by his father; Explanation for Everything, a Hungarian drama directed by Gábor Reisz that won the Orizzonti award for best film at the 80th Venice Film Festival; The Monk And The Gun, Bhutan’s official entry to the Oscars directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji — the records from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revealed.
For film festivals, the government waives the requirement for a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
According to the policy for certification of films for film festivals notified in January 2006, “In order to consider the request for exemption from the process of certification for films to be screened in festivals, the following documents shall be sent by the Director of the Festival addressed to Joint Secretary (Films) along with the request for exemption: (i) List of films to be screened in the festival, (ii) Synopsis of each of the films, (iii) Composition of the Preview Committee, which should comprise persons who are related to the film industry or are critics/writers connected with film, (iv) Report of the Preview Committee certifying that the films have been recommended for exhibition at the festival, (v) Certificate from the Director of the Festival to the effect that the screening of such films would be limited to delegates (definition of delegates would include film-makers, media students, critics, film theorists, film lovers and all those associated with the production and business of film and members of the press duly registered with the festival authorities as well as its jury), (vi) Certificate from the Director of the Festival to the effect that the festival is non-commercial in nature.”
Notably, The Monk and the Gun, a satire featuring mock elections in Bhutan was screened in the Bengaluru International film festival (BIFFes) held from February 29–March 7, 2024. The film was also shown at the Jio Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) Film Festival held from October 27–November 5, 2023 and won the Audience Choice Award in the festival.
As per The Hindu, Dorji’s film is set to be released theatrically in India and the trailer of the film is being shown in cinemas across the country after the CBFC granted permission for the same. Hence, it is unclear why the the ministry denied permission for its screening in IFFI.
