Rebel film fest to 'retrieve freedom' begins in Panaji

Panaji: Protesting Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students, who were denied opportunity to showcase their films at the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here, launched their two-day parallel screening here on Tuesday.
The ‘Retrieving Freedom- Goa Chapter’ was launched at Nossa Senhora de Piedade Institute near the IFFI venue amid tight security.
FTII students and alumni screened 10 films on the first day to raise awareness about their protests since June demanding removal of Gajendra Chauhan as the institute’s chairman.
The students had to drop recently made films after North Goa District Magistrate sent the institute a notice a day earlier seeking details about the films being screened and whether they had Censor Board certification.
Chennai-based filmmaker RV Ramani suggested a parallel film festival be a permanent event each year during IFFI.
“How can students’ films be left out. Film festivals are primarily for students. It is like having a wedding or a big meal and keeping the children out.”
Filmmaker Saeed Mirza, who was among those who attended the parallel event, said the students section at IFFI was deliberately left out at the last minute.
“A film festival is a ramp for students to showcase their art. They are not asking for reservations or drugs,’’ he said. “They want a debate about basic things like their syllabi.”
Mirza said he found it odd how filmmakers were talking about problems in other societies but are silent when it comes to own.
“How can filmmakers be disinterested in their own art? God help a country which has silenced its students.’’
FTII student Kislay, who was arrested at the opening ceremony of IFFI for carrying placards, said they were being treated like suspected terrorists.
The students were detained and interrogated for wearing FTII t-shirts and badges.
FTII alumni Prateek Vats said they were not doing anything criminal and were only trying to screen films.
He said he found it ironical that films at IFFI showcased problems around the world while pressing issues in India were being ignored.
Vats said IFFI is part of FTII course but the students were being barred from entering the festival venue for frivolous things like wearing the institute’s shirts and badges. “Suppression has reached its peak, after five months of protests.”
Aaam Aadmi Party’s Valmiki Naik termed IFFI “the intolerance film festival of India’’.
Filmmaker and critique Lyle Pearson, a delegate at IFFI, skipped the festival for half a day to join the parallel event. “I came in their support.’’