THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The organisers of International Film Festival of Kerala 2025 won’t show three films after very strong objections to six from the ministry of external affairs, which warned on Thursday of legal action if they were screened, state-run Chalachitra Academy (festival organiser) chairperson Resul Pookutty said at a press conference here.The six films that did not get censor exemption for the festival are ‘All That’s Left of You’, ‘Yes!’, ‘Eagles of the Republic’, ‘A Poet’, ‘Flames’ and ‘Clash’. But three of these – ‘Eagles of the Republic’, ‘A Poet’ and ‘Flames’ – had already been screened as the state govt had said it would show all films regardless of permission after many were denied censor exemption.Pookutty told reporters they decided not to screen the films after MEA said doing so would not be good for the safety and security of the country. The ministry said “they would have to evoke other sections if the organisers violated it. So, without political consultation, the academy decided on its own not to screen these movies,” he said.The festival will conclude on Friday.Pookutty said none of the films had received exemptions initially, and they were then given exemptions in batches. Clearance came eventually for all except six movies, he said.The venues for some films had to be changed because of initial confusion about whether they could be screened at all.
