Pinarayi Vijayan assures Kerala will screen all films banned by centre at IFFK
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that all films denied screening permission by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2025 would be screened at the event. The CM called the Centre’s decision unacceptable and an assault on creative freedom.
In a statement shared on Facebook posted on Monday, Vijayan said the refusal to grant permission for several films scheduled at the 30th edition of IFFK shows an attempt to curb dissent and silence diverse artistic voices. He assured that Kerala would not submit to what he described as censorship imposed by the Union government. The CM also reaffirmed that all films barred from screening would be shown at the festival.
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The state government, led by the Left Democratic Front, said the move amounted to suppression of creative expression under an authoritarian political framework. Vijayan said “enlightened Kerala” would resist such actions and ensure that filmmakers and audiences were not denied access to the works selected for the festival.
Among the films denied permission are four that deal with the Palestinian experience, Palestine 36, Yes, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, and All That’s Left of You. Notably, Palestine 36, an Arabic and English-language film, had already been screened as the inaugural film of the festival before permission was withdrawn.
Several other international and classic films were also barred, including A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry, Bamako, Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 classic Battleship Potemkin, Beef, Clash, Eagles of The Republic, Heart of The Wolf, Red Rain, Riverstone, The Hour of The Furnaces, Tunnels: Sun In The Dark (Địa Đạo: Mặt Trời Trong Bóng Tối), Flames, Timbuktu, Wajib, and Santosh.
Festival organisers said film titles are routinely submitted in advance to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for approval, as the ministry has the authority to deny screenings if films are considered harmful to India’s diplomatic relations. Kerala authorities said no specific reasons were communicated for rejecting the films.
The International Film Festival of Kerala is organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy under the state’s cultural affairs department and this year's edition began in Thiruvananthapuram on December 12, which is scheduled to conclude on December 19.
CPI(M) state secretary M A Baby said the attempt to block film screenings was aimed at derailing a globally respected cultural event organised by the Kerala government. He described the move as an expression of “neo-fascist tendencies” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and called on artists, filmmakers and democratic voices across the country to protest against what he termed a disgraceful act.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
