Kerala film festival faces delays as 31 films await central censorship clearance

The 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), scheduled to take place in Thiruvananthapuram from September 25 to 30, faces uncertainty regarding 31 of its films. These films have yet to receive censorship exemptions from the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister P. C. Vishnunath stated that the Kerala State Film Academy has re-sent a letter to the central ministry requesting approval. While 347 films were submitted for exemption and most have been cleared, the ministry has neither approved nor formally rejected the remaining 31 films, providing no reason for the delay.

The pending films include notable documentaries such as ‘Parliament Street’, ‘Sanitized Republic: Cast and Contracts’, ‘Globe’, ‘Memories of a Window’, ‘Birds of War’, ‘Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk’, and ‘Our Land’. The group of unapproved films includes 18 officially selected works, 9 international non-fiction entries, 3 festival winners, and one film from a Nepal package.