IFFK 2025 in crisis as lack of censor certificates stalls screenings

The 12th IFFK is in crisis over the failure to obtain censor exemption certificates, forcing the cancellation of 19 film screenings. The move has stalled classics, drawing sharp criticism from directors Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Kamal.

The 12th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has run into a crisis following the failure to obtain censor exemption certificates, leading to the cancellation of multiple film screenings in Thiruvananthapuram. According to organisers, screenings of seven films scheduled over the last two days were stalled due to the absence of the mandatory exemption certificate. At present, 19 films have not received permission for screening.

In film festivals, movies without a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate are usually screened after obtaining a special 'exemption certificate' from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. However, the non-availability of this certificate has triggered the current disruption at IFFK.

Directors Slam 'Sheer Ignorance'

The director Adoor Gopalakrishnan expressed his displeasure over the banning of classic films like 'The Hour of the Furnaces' and 'Battleship Potemkin' in IFFK 2025. While talking to ANI, Gopalakrishnan said, "Films like 'Battleship Potemkin', 'The Hour of the Furnaces' are the classics of cinema. I studied those films in my school days, in my film institute days. So, it's like a joke to ban it because almost all of us have these films at home. We keep it as a textbook. So, you cannot stop."

The director described the decision as the "sheer lack of understanding" of the cinema by the organisers. He continued, "To advertise one's ignorance like this is very bad for the government, very bad for the people. They should reconsider the ban on these films, and their decisions should not be based solely on the titles. So, the whole thing is based on a sheer lack of understanding of the medium of cinema. So, they should have some humility to learn. It looks like it is sheer ignorance, nothing else."

The film director Kamal also expressed his disappointment and anger with the ban of films like 'Battleship Potemkin.' "Very disappointing and very much angry with this ban. They have banned the movie Badger Chip Potamkin. Why? Classic. The history of the cinema starts from Badger Chip Potamkin. So, that film they are banning. Why?" said Kamal while talking to ANI.

Organisers Seek Resolution

Screenings of several films, including the internationally acclaimed classic 'Battleship Potemkin', have been affected, causing inconvenience to delegates and audiences attending the festival. Organisers are reportedly in talks with the authorities to resolve the issue at the earliest. (ANI)

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