The 53rd International Film Festival of India or IFFI Jury head’s remarks in Goa at its concluding session on the highly controversial film – The Kashmir Files – have triggered yet another storm. The question that is subsequently thrown up is whether there is ample space in India under the current dispensation for free, frank articulation of individual thoughts and opinions that challenge the one-sided narrative of right-wing politics and its apologists on the screen or the stage.
Noted Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who headed the IFFI jury, called the film a ‘propaganda’ and a ‘vulgar movie’. His words need to be closely examined as they were chosen carefully and deliberately. For, Lapid confessed he is usually fond of delivering speeches extempore and is allergic to reading out a written speech. Even so, he preferred a written text seemingly to pre-empt distortion of his words on an issue that might make him a target of a rabid vilification campaign.
Lapid was horrified to find the film included in the international section of the festival which is regarded as the ‘front window’ of any festival of high repute. He wanted to be ‘precise this time.’
It would be a travesty of truth to impute any ulterior political motive to Lapid as a pro-BJP film director has sought to do, branding him as a pro-Palestinian Israeli Jew. His main concern was the artistic and social merit of the controversial film. That is why he thanked the director and head of the programming of the festival for its “cinematic richness, diversity and complexity.” He explained the reasons for his serious misgivings about The Kashmir Files. There were 15 films in the international competition which is always regarded as the front window of such festivals. According to him, out of them 14 had “cinematic qualities and evoked vivid discussions.” But, he continued “we were, all of us, disturbed and shocked” by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. “That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for a competitive artistic section of such a prestigious film festival,” he said in the presence of Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.
Lapid made it clear as well that he had no compunction to “share openly these feelings here with you on stage.” His logic for such candid remarks is that “the spirit of having a festival is to accept also a critical discussion which is essential for art and for life.”
Lapid is a filmmaker of high repute. He has 13 films to his credit as a director. His film – Synonyms – won the Golden Bear award at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in 2019. Born in Tel Aviv, Lapid made his directorial debut in 2011 with the feature film Policeman, which won the special jury prize at the Locarno International Film Festival that year. In 2016, he was chosen as a member of the International Critics’ Week’s jury. His latest feature, Ahed’s Knee, was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last year, when it shared the Jury Prize with another film.
A prominent director of Bollywood, known for his leaning towards the BJP, has demanded stringent action be taken by the government against Lapid for his ‘derogatory’ remarks on the film. He even questioned the decision of the I&B ministry for selecting him to be the jury head. Minister Anurag Thakur made a clever move by tweeting the words of the Indian member of the jury, Sudipto Sen, who said Lapid’s remarks were made in his personal capacity. None of the remaining members of the jury -American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance and French documentary filmmaker, critic and journalist Javier Angulo Barturen – have, till now, distanced themselves from Lapid’s remarks. When Lapid read out his speech none of the jury members challenged his claim that he was speaking on behalf of all the members of the jury.
There is hardly any doubt about the political intent of including the film with the Gujarat Assembly election a few days away. It is likely that any praise of the film at the international section of the festival would have been used to polarise the electorate as the BJP is on a sticky wicket. But, Lapid has unwittingly poured water on it. Hence pro-BJP Bollywood elements are seemingly being deployed to vent their ire against Lapid despite his high credentials as a filmmaker of international standing.
As the BJP is on an overdrive to find ways and means to discredit Lapid, it must realise that not everyone can be counted on to sing praises only. Lapid, as a freethinking filmmaker, has thrown a tiny pebble and disturbed the beehive. All the bees now seem ready to sting him.
Sadly, while the party in power at Centre tries damage control by going on a counter offensive, India has been at the receiving end in recent times at international forums over issues of religious intolerance and persecution of minorities and critics. This impression about India will unfortunately last even when the hot seat goes to someone else.