Panaji: Jury chairman of the International Competition section of the International Film Festival of India on Monday slammed the inclusion of controversial Bollywood film ‘Kashmir Files’ in the category.
“We were, all of us, [jury members] disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, Kashmir Files, that felt to us like a vulgar propaganda movie inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival,” said Israeli screenwriter Nadav Lapid in the closing ceremony.
He said the rest of the 14 films in the section were of good quality.
Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, a right-wing sympathiser, was screened in sections India Panorama and International Competition in the IFFI.
The aim of the Indian Panorama, organised by National Film Development Corporation and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, is to select feature and non-feature films of "cinematic, thematic and aesthetic excellence". Indian Panorama, the flagship component of IFFI, was introduced in 1978 as part of the festival's umbrella to promote Indian films along with the country's rich culture and heritage with the help of cinematic art.
The 53rd edition of the nine-day festival was inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on November 20.