The Kashmir Files-IFFI Row: Undeterred by the widespread criticism of his comments against the Hindi film “The Kashmir Files”, Israeli director and IFFI international jury president Nadav Lapid said he stands by his remarks because he “knows that How to recognize propaganda as “a film”. is “crude, manipulative and violent”.
“Making bad films is not a crime, but this is a very crude, manipulative and violent propaganda film,” Lapid said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. According to the filmmaker, he felt it was his “duty” to speak his mind as the head of the international jury. “The truth is that I also could not help but imagine a similar situation that may one day soon happen in Israel, and I would be happy to have a foreign jury head in such a situation to say things from his point of view.” Will be ready.” them.
In a way, I felt it was my duty to the place that had invited me.”
The award-winning filmmaker on Monday criticized “The Kashmir Files”, which was screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on November 22 under the Indian Panorama section at the closing ceremony of the nine-day festival in Goa. ,
The Kashmir Files team stars including writer-director Agnihotri Anupam Kher And several BJP leaders, including Pallavi Joshi, Goa CM Pramod Sawant, as well as Nour Gillon, Israel’s ambassador to India and Kobbi Shoshani, Consul General to Midwest India, lashed out at Lapid.
Lapid, known for his anti-establishment views, alleged that “The Kashmir Files” had been “pushed into the official competition” of the festival. “We have come to know that the film was pushed into the official competition of the festival due to political pressure. I feel that as a foreigner who comes there, you have an obligation to say things that will offend the people living there. Might be a tough time for the In such contexts, I do not believe in secrets and whispers. If you were to stand on a podium and were asked to speak, what would you talk about? Only about the beaches, the things you saw and the food you ate?” the filmmaker said.
On the criticism he received from Israel’s diplomats in India, Lapid said his remarks were “political” but did not represent his country. Amid social media backlash and grassroots protests by Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu, the acclaimed director found support from Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and actress Swara Bhaskar.