Kerala Government Stands Firm Against Attempts to Kill Film Festival, Says CM
Pinarayi Vijayan slams attempts to stifle film festival.
The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala concluded on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Thiruvananthapuram's Nishagandhi Auditorium, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launching a sharp critique against the Union Government's alleged efforts to undermine the event through censorship and interference. Vijayan asserted that the state successfully countered moves to "kill the film festival" by proceeding to screen films denied exemptions, thereby upholding delegates' rights to view acclaimed international works.
Vijayan described the denial of censor clearances to 19 films, including an entire Palestine package and classics like Battleship Potemkin, as deliberate authoritarian actions rather than bureaucratic oversights. He highlighted the banning of the Spanish film Beef—centered on hip-hop music—as evidence of misplaced sensitivities, and condemned visa refusals for invited artists from Turkey and Azerbaijan based on political assessments, calling such practices a national embarrassment.
Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian echoed the defiance, stating that the festival's identity was defined by its refusal to yield to threats or conspiracies aimed at censoring global cinema. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting artistic freedom and supporting survivors in related cases, emphasizing that Kerala has a history of screening films without mandatory certifications when necessary.
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The ceremony also celebrated cinematic achievements, with Japanese director Shô Miyake's Two Seasons, Two Strangers winning the Suvarna Chakoram for Best Film. Other honors included Rajata Chakoram for Best Director to Carina Piazza and Lucía Bracelis (Before the Body), Best Debut Director to Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi (Shadowbox), and multiple awards for Malayalam films like Thanthapperu and Khidki Gaav.
Mauritanian-Malian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako received the Lifetime Achievement Award, expressing gratitude and recalling his ties to Kerala through the late Shaji N. Karun. Iranian jury chairperson Mohammad Rasoulof and veteran Saeed Akhtar Mirza were also felicitated, as Vijayan stressed reclaiming cultural spaces from communalism amid ongoing challenges to democratic expression.
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