DESCRIBING THE controversial movie The Kashmir Files as \u201cpropaganda\u201d and \u201cvulgar\u201d, Israeli filmmaker and a jury chief at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Nadav Lapid, said he was \u201cshocked\u201d and \u201cdisturbed\u201d by its inclusion in the competitive section.<\/p>\n
Sharing the jury report during the closing ceremony of the 53rd edition of IFFI in Goa, Lapid said: \u201cUsually, I don’t read from paper. This time, I want to be precise. I want to thank the director and head of the programming of the festival for its cinematic richness, the diversity and complexity\u2026There were 15 films in the international competition \u2014 the front window of the festival. Fourteen out of them had the cinematic qualities\u2026and evoked vivid discussions. We were, all of us, disturbed and shocked by the 15th movie, The Kashmir Files. That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lapid was the jury chairman of the International Competition section of IFFI. The writer-director, whose film Synonyms won the Golden Bear award at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in 2019, said: \u201cI feel totally comfortable to share openly these feelings here with you on stage since the spirit that we felt in the festival can surely accept a critical discussion which is essential for art and life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lapid delivered his remarks before a number of dignitaries, including Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, as well as prominent actors such as Asha Parekh, Akshay Kumar, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rana Daggubati.<\/p>\n
Tel Aviv-born Lapid made his directorial debut in 2011 with the feature film \u201cPoliceman\u201d, which won the special jury prize at the Locarno International Film Festival that year.<\/p>\n
He shares an old connection with the IFFI as his 2014 film \u201cThe Kindergarten Teacher\u201d’s actor Sarit Larry was awarded the Best Actor Award (Female) at the festival. This movie was also featured in the 2014 Cannes Film Festival’s International Critics’ Week. In 2016, Lapid was chosen as a member of the International Critics’ Week’s jury.<\/p>\n
Lapid’s latest feature \u201cAhed’s Knee\u201d (2021) was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last year, when it shared the Jury Prize with ‘Memoria’.<\/p>\n
Other members of the jury for the International Competition at IFFI were American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance, French documentary filmmaker, critic and journalist Javier Angulo Barturen, and Indian director Sudipto Sen.<\/p>\n
Released on March 11 this year, \u201cThe Kashmir Files\u201d, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, ran to packed halls. The film is based on the \u201cexodus and killings\u201d of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley in the 1990s and was endorsed by a number of Union Ministers and granted tax-free status in most all BJP-ruled states. At the time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the movie had rattled the \u201centire ecosystem\u201d that claims to be the torchbearer of freedom of expression but does not want the truth to be told.<\/p>\n
But critics of the film said it presented a one-sided narrative of events and raised concerns over communal polarisation. Agnihotri did not respond to a request from The Indian Express seeking comment on Lapid’s remarks. Incidentally, the 53rd edition of the festival also held a special screening of \u201cThe Kashmir Files\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Spanish Film \u201cI Have Electric Dreams\u201d, directed by Costa Rican Valentina Maurel, won the Golden Peacock for the Best Film at the festival. Iranian writer and director Nader Saeivar was awarded the Silver Peacock for Best Director for \u201cNo End\u201d, a portrayal of Iran’s socio-political system.<\/p>\n
Vahid Mobasseri, lead actor of \u201cNo End\u201d, was awarded the Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Male), and Daniela Mar\u00edn Navarro, the lead of \u201cI Have Electric Dreams\u201d, the Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Female). Praveen Kandregula received a special mention for the Telugu film \u201cCinema Bandi\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n