Thiruvananthapuram: The dispute between the Centre and Kerala over film screenings at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has escalated again, with the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting issuing directive to the state chief secretary asking that six titles be barred from the programme. Officials cited the absence of “political clearance” from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as the reason.

The Chief Secretary has passed on this directive to the Chalachitra Academy. The films flagged by the Centre are ‘All That’s Left of You’, ‘Clash’, ‘Flames’, ‘Eagles of the Republic’, ‘Yes’, and ‘A Poet: Unconcealed’. All six were selected for exhibition at the 2025 edition of IFFK, which runs in Thiruvananthapuram from December 12 to 19. Among the six banned films, ‘Eagles of the Republic’ and ‘A Poet’ had already been screened yesterday.

The Left-led government has earlier instructed organisers to proceed with every approved selection, openly challenging the BJP-led Centre.

This year’s festival includes global titles such as ‘Battleship Potemkin’, ‘Bamako’, ‘The Hour of the Furnace’, ‘Wajib’, ‘Once Upon a Time in Gaza’, and a cluster of Palestinian films. Several of these have featured in international circuits and some are already available on streaming platforms.

19 films initially denied

According to festival officials, 187 applications were filed with the Union government for screening approval and none missed deadlines. Of those, 154 films were cleared initially and four more received approvals later. Nineteen remained blocked, including Palestinian works and films previously played at other Indian festivals.

Kerala Minister for Cultural Affairs, Saji Cherian, alleged political pressure, saying the Centre was attempting to “sabotage” the event. He directed the Academy to show all 19 disputed titles, insisting there was no procedural lapse in the submissions.

Legal stakes under Cinematograph Act

Festival organisers face legal exposure if they proceed without Central certification. The Cinematograph Act allows the police to make arrests without warrant and provides for confiscation of prints. It also prescribes penalties of up to three years’ imprisonment for screening uncertified films.

Senior Kerala ministers have accused the Centre of acting “out of fear” and following a political script. They warn that continued interference could jeopardise the next edition of the festival. The Centre has not responded publicly to those claims.

IFFK – a long-standing platform for politically charged cinema – now finds itself at the centre of a national confrontation: artistic freedom on one side, federal control and diplomatic clearance on the other.