Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid has been a vocal critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestine and the politics there, but his comments at IFFI about the Kashmir Files haven’t gone well even with those who didn’t like the film.
The closing ceremony of IFFI Goa 2022 courted controversy as jury head Nadav Lapid called The Kashmir Films a ‘vulgar, propaganda’ film (Photo: Poster of The Kashmir Files movie)
By Latha Srinivasan: During the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa 2022, jury head Nadav Lapid called director Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files a ‘vulgar, propaganda’ film which should not have been included in the film festival itself. A huge row has now erupted and a big debate as well as to whether Lapid’s comments were firstly, appropriate on that platform and secondly, as a film festival jury member, whether he should be making political statements instead of judging the film on its technical merits.
The Kashmir Files was one of the highest grossing films this year, making more than Rs 350 crore at the global box office. The movie is based on the life of Kashmiri Pandits and their exodus from Kashmir during the insurgency period.
Even at the time of release in March 2022, the movie was embroiled in a controversy with some panning it for spreading false news. However, many Kashmiri Pandits who were forced to flee Kashmir during that period supported the film vociferously on social media, stating that it depicted the truth.
Irrespective of which side of the debate you are on, the fact is that The Kashmir Files evokes a strong emotion in the audience – either love or hate or otherwise and people connected to the film in one way or another. Now, isn’t that the whole point of cinema?
Politics in cinema is not a new theme and movies reflect reality. Right from Hollywood to Indian cinema, films depicting the issues of their time have been made over decades and the reality is that politics does have a strong hold on filmmakers.
ALSO READ | Iffi jury head calls The Kashmir Files ‘propaganda, vulgar film’, Israel consul disagrees
So, does it mean that all films with a political viewpoint are political and propaganda? No. In the history of cinema worldwide, the most important films have been those that are socio-political. And a film with a political statement is just that – a film with a political statement. It’s left to the viewer to decide, debate and form an opinion for themselves.
Now comes the question of film festivals and juries. Filmmaker Constantin Gavras, better known as Costa-Gavras, has been head of film juries like the Berlin Film Festival and when he was asked about judging films, he said he was there as a viewer and a jury member should ‘be free of any ideological or aesthetical ideas.’
He also added, “When I go to the cinema I sit and I say, now make me happy, make me furious, make me laugh, make me cry. Those feelings are the best moments in a movie.”
A film jury or member making a political statement about a film seems to reflect a more personal agenda rather than the purpose of the jury itself – to judge films based on merit and decide those worthy of awards.
Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid has been a vocal critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestine and the politics there, but his comments at IFFI about the Kashmir Files haven’t gone well even with those who didn’t like the film.
Many netizens have tweeted against him, calling his choice of words ‘inappropriate’. They went further to ask if Schindler’s List or The Pianist were also propaganda films.
IFFI is the official film festival of the Government of India and Lapid decided to take a political stand on stage in the presence of senior Indian ministers. And the subsequent political fallout is a given. The Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon tweeted on November 29 that Lapid should be ashamed of his comments and added, “As a son of a holocaust survivor, I was extremely hurt to see reactions in India to you that are doubting Schindler’s List, the Holocaust and worse. I unequivocally condemn such statements. There is no justification. It does show the sensitivity of the Kashmir issue here.”
The entire controversy in India over Lapid’s remarks clearly shows that there are sensitive issues in every country and a film jury member should refrain from bringing their personal opinions/ ideologies to a stage which is meant to dissect, debate, and appreciate cinema.
A film festival is meant to showcase cinema and cinema is an art that transcends all barriers and allows storytellers the freedom and right to tell the stories they want in the manner they want.
ALSO READ | The Kashmir Files: The view from the Valley
