(L-R): US producer Jinko Gotoh, French documentary filmmaker Javier Angulo Barturen and French film editor Pascale Chavance said they stand by Lapid’s statement that The Kashmir Files (below) was ‘a vulgar and propaganda’ movie

Three members of the jury board of the just concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI) have said that “they stand by” the jury head, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, following his recent comments on The Kashmir Files. Lapid drew sharp reactions when he called it “a propaganda and vulgar movie that was inappropriate for an artistic and competitive section of such a prestigious film festival”.

In a joint statement issued through social media, BAFTA winner American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance and French documentary filmmaker Javier Angulo Barturen said, “We were not taking a political stance on the film’s content. We were making an artistic statement, and it saddens us to see the festival platform being used for politics.”

However, Sudipto Sen, the lone Indian in the jury, maintained that the remarks made by Lapid about the film were his personal opinion. “As a board member, I stand by that we didn’t award The Kashmir Files. We only awarded five films. This decision was unanimous. And we gave an official presentation to the NFDC and the festival authority. After that jury board’s work is done. Now after that if somebody goes in public and picks up one particular film and says something which is not expected, then that is his personal feeling. It has nothing to do with the jury board (sic),” Sen said.

-----------------------------

Three fellow International Film Festival of India (IFFI) jury members have come out in support of Nadav Lapid, the Israeli filmmaker who was in the eye of a storm for his remarks on The Kashmir Files.

In a joint Twitter statement, American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance and French filmmaker Javier Angulo Barturen, said, “We stand by his (Lapid’s) statement. And to clarify, we were not taking a political stance on the film’s content. We were making an artistic statement, and it saddens us greatly to see the festival platform being used for politics and subsequent personal attacks on Nadav,” the statement read.

Sudipto Sen, the lone Indian in the jury board, however, maintained that Lapid’s remarks were his personal opinion. “I stand by that we didn’t award The Kashmir Files. We only awarded five films. This decision was unanimous. We gave an official presentation to the NFDC and the festival authority. After that jury board’s work is done,” Sen said. “Now they (the three jury members) are not in the country. I am. So, I would’ve been the best person to defend that, but they did not include me. It means it’s not the jury board’s decision,” he added.

Lapid had termed the film “vulgar and propaganda” in his speech at the award ceremony during the closing night of the nine-day film festival, but later apologized to anyone he had offended. 

New Delhi: Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, whose criticism of ‘The Kashmir Files’ irked a section of the rightwing and made the Israeli diplomatic mission denounce the IFFI (International Film Festival of India) jury panel chief has offered a “total apology” to people if his comments have hurt or insulted people who suffered during the Kashmir exodus, but maintained his remarks were limited to the quality of the film.

“I didn’t want to insult anyone. My aim was never to insult the people or their relatives, who have suffered. I totally apologize if that’s the way they interpreted it...But at the same time, whatever I said and I said clearly that for me and my fellow jury members, it was and it is a vulgar propaganda movie that didn’t have a place and was inappropriate for such a prestigious competitive section.”

“I can repeat it again and again,” Lapid said speaking to CNN-News18. The award-winning film maker, who had referred to “The Kashmir Files” as a “propaganda, vulgar film”, said his remarks were neither a statement on the political situation in Kashmir, nor, in any way, a denial of the tragedy. “I have enormous respect for the tragedy, victims, survivors and for whoever suffers there. It (my remarks) was not at all about this. I’ll repeat these words 10,000 times if I have to say that I was not talking about the political issue, historical equation, or disrespecting the tragedy that happened in Kashmir. I was talking about the movie and that such serious topics deserve, in my opinion, a serious film. . . ,” he said.

Lapid also dismissed claims by fellow juror Sudipto Sen, who had distanced himself from Lapid’s statement and called it the director’s “personal opinion”.

“It wasn’t a personal opinion at all. We all thought that the movie used a series of manipulation, vulgar, violence because it was supposed to transmit a message that can cause hostility, violence and hate in the environment,” he said.

-------------------------------

Israeli filmmaker and International Film Festival of India (IFFI) jury head, Nadav Lapid, who courted controversy when he called The Kashmir Files a ‘vulgar propaganda’ earlier this week, in Goa, has apologized. In a recent interview, Lapid who called the film, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, “inappropriate for an artistic, competitive section of such a prestigious film festival” said that his aim was “not to insult anyone”. This comes some days after he defended his remarks and insisted “someone needs to speak up”.

In an interview with CNN News-18, Lapid expressed regret for inadvertently offending the sentiments of any community. “I didn’t want to insult anyone, and my aim was never to offend people or their relatives, who have suffered. I totally apologize if that’s the way they interpreted,” he said. He also claimed that the rest of the jury supported his stance; although, fellow juror (the only Indian on the jury), and director Sudipto Sen stated that the views endorsed by Lapid were entirely his own.

The cast of the movie and director Agnihotri, which was featured in the panorama section at IFFI, and Israeli ambassador Naor Gilon had criticised Nadav. Their reaction was acknowledged by the filmmaker who added that he understands Agnihotri’s anger at his comments, and stated that if anyone had said the same about one of his works, he would be furious too.

-------------------------------

Meanwhile, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has already moved on from the war of words, says, “Seriously, I don’t even care about what he says or doesn’t. Mere liye baat khatam ho gayi hai. I have come to shoot (for his next) in Pune, and I am getting so much love for the film. People have come and thanked me for making the film, so, I don’t need an endorsement from a foreigner. What does he know about my country... My only answer is Hrithik Roshan’s dialogue [from the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara; 2011] Jab tak (sorry) dil se na nikle, it is not an apology.”

New Delhi: After sparking a political row with his comments criticizing ‘The Kashmir Files’ as a “propaganda” film, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid has said he stands by everything he said because “in countries that are increasingly losing the ability to speak the truth, someone needs to speak up”.

At the closing ceremony of the 53rd edition of IFFI (International Film Festival of India) this week, Lapid had said that he and his fellow jurors were “disturbed and shocked” by the inclusion of ‘The Kashmir Files’ in the artistic competition segment of the film festival since it was “a propaganda, vulgar movie”. Indian juror Sudipto Sen, however, distanced himself from Lapid’s comments calling them his “personal opinion”.

Lapid was also slammed for his remarks by Israeli ambassador to India Naor Gilon, Consul General Kobbi Shoshani and former Israel ambassador to India Daniel Carmon.

An unfazed Lapid clarified that his comments did not “express one position or another on the conflict in Kashmir”. He said he spoke because he felt it his “duty” to speak his mind as the president of the international competition section jury since he “knows how to recognize propaganda disguised as a movie”, and because while it was not a crime to make bad films, what Vivek Agnihotri had directed was “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 Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. “The truth is that I also couldn’t help but imagine a similar situation that might happen one day soon in Israel, and I would be happy that in such a situation the head of a foreign jury would be willing to say things as he sees them. In a way, I felt it was my duty to the place that invited me,” he said.

The director of ‘The Kashmir Files’ Vivek Agnihotri, however, had defended his film. In a statement, he also threw an open challenge to all “intellectuals, urban naxals and even the Israeli filmmaker who made these remarks to prove if any scene, dialogue or event shown in the film is false”, promising to quit filmmaking if they find any falsehood in the film.

Lapid said he was not surprised by the outrage over his comments. “Since this is a film that the Indian government encourages, I assume that the government there is not happy about it. But is a country only about its government? I assume not. What I said is not comfortable for the Government of India, nor for the government in the making in Israel, which the ambassador there represents,” he said.

The award-winning filmmaker also alleged that the jury had learnt that ‘The Kashmir Files’ was “pushed into the official competition” of the festival “due to political pressure”. “You have an obligation to say the things that the people who live there may have a harder time saying,” the Paris-based filmmaker said.

----------------------------

Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who earned the ire of many social media users after he called The Kashmir Files a “propaganda and vulgar film”, has opened up about his controversial comments during the closing ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival (IFFI), held in Goa.

Speaking to Y-Net, Lapid said he was aware that “the event was connected to the country and people praise the government”.

“It is not an easy position, because you are a guest and are treated very nicely. Then you come and attack the festival. There was apprehension and discomfort; I didn’t know what the dimensions would be. Let’s put it this way: I’m happy to be on my way to the airport now,” said the filmmaker.

Addressing the trolling he faced on the net Lapid shared, “In countries that are increasingly losing the ability to speak the truth, someone needs to speak up. When I saw this movie, I couldn’t help but imagine its Israeli equivalent, which doesn’t exist but could.”

Amid the IFFI row, filmmaker Vivek Agnithotri, who directed the film in question, announced what seems to be the sequel to the film, titled - The Kashmir Files Unreported. Speaking to Aaj Tak, Agnithotri said, “I am determined now and I am making an announcement. We have many stories, anecdotes and truths. But now, I have decided that I will bring out the whole truth.”

New Delhi: Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s disparaging comments over the inclusion of “The Kashmir Files” in the competitive section of the International Film Festival of India that concluded in Goa on Monday triggered a strong backlash with even Israel’s envoy to India, Naor Gilon, calling them “insensitive and presumptuous”.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant, director of the film Vivek Agnihotri and its lead actor Anupam Kher also slammed Lapid, even as the political opposition latched onto Lapid’s remarks, as the chairman of the jury, as validation of their views that the movie was “BJP-backed propaganda”.

As Lapid’s comments ballooned into a political firestorm, the Israeli mission swung into damage-control mode. Ambassador Gilon said Lapid should be “ashamed” of abusing India’s invitation to chair the panel at IFFI and the trust, respect and warm hospitality bestowed on him. He said, “I’m no film expert but I do know that it’s insensitive and presumptuous to speak about historic events before deeply studying them and which are an open wound in India.”

At a joint conference with Kher, Israel consul general Kobbi Shoshani said the film was not propaganda and “carried a very strong message”.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 53rd edition of IFFI, the government’s marquee film festival, Lapid addressed an audience including Union ministers Anurag Thakur and L Murugan, Asha Parekh, Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati, and said that he and his fellow jurors were “disturbed and shocked” by the inclusion of “The Kashmir Files” since it was “a propaganda, vulgar movie”.

-------------------------------------

New Delhi: With the row over Israeli director Nadav Lapid’s remarks about Kashmir Files turning into a political storm, its ambassador to India, Naon Gilon said that while the friendship between India and Israel is “very strong” and “will survive the damage” inflicted by Lapid’s remarks, the filmmaker should reserve his criticism for the government in Israel.

At the closing ceremony of IFFI, Lapid had said, “There were 15 films in the international competition—the front window of the festival. Fourteen out of them had the cinematic qualities. . . and evoked vivid discussions. We were, all of us, disturbed and shocked by the 15th film—‘The Kashmir Files’—that felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”

“I feel totally comfortable to share openly these feelings here with you on stage since the spirit that we felt in the festival can truly accept also a critical discussion, which is essential for art and for life,” he added.

Former Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon also unequivocally condemned Lapid’s statements. The Israeli director’s comments left the political spectrum divided. Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said Lapid had misused the IFFI platform to heap insult on the horrors faced by the Kashmiri Pandit community, but was countered by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who backed Lapid’s charge and said ‘The Kashmir Files’ was “propaganda by one party against another”.

“A party and the government were busy with publicity… but the maximum number of killings in Kashmir occurred after this film was released. Kashmiri Pandits and security personnel were killed,” Raut said.

Congress’ Shashi Tharoor waded in, too, saying the inclusion of the film had “embarrassed the nation before the world”. “It is widely known that ‘The Kashmir Files’ . . . has received official and unofficial backing from the ruling party (sic) and its minions in the film establishment, since it serves the purpose of fomenting the Islamophobia that some in the Sangh Parivar are happy to promote,” he said.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said Lapid’s comments “were on the quality of the film”. “It is obvious for anyone to understand that Nadav Lapid had at no point denied the Kashmiri Pandit exodus or dismissed it,” she said.

The Israeli filmmaker was pilloried and branded a “supporter of Palestine” on social media, and even faced a police complaint against him in Goa for outraging “Hindu sentiments”.

While there were no comments from most of his international juror colleagues, Indian filmmaker Sudipto Sen said Lapid’s remarks were no reflection of the jury’s views. “As jurors, we are assigned to judge the technical, aesthetic quality and socio-cultural relevance of a film. We don’t indulge in any kind of political comments on any film and if it is done, it is completely in a personal capacity,” Sen said.

The filmmaker’s controversial comments exposed the “left vs right” fault-lines and led to questions over his appointment as jury chair at IFFI. There was considerable consternation and dismay among a section of pro-Hindutva handles which questioned the event organizers over their failure to run a thorough background check into Lapid’s well-known “anti-establishment, Palestine-supporting” antecedents, and also the fact that he remains a deeply polarising figure back home.

-------------------------------------

The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri said he will quit filmmaking if intellectuals, including Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, are able to prove that events depicted in his film are false. “What’s surprising is how an event organized by the government of India was used to support the narrative of terrorists who want Kashmir’s separation from India and how many Indians living in India used it against the country?” he asked.

-------------------------------------

Kashmiri Pandits, whose parents were killed by terrorists in the Valley, lashed out at Lapid for terming The Kashmir Files a “propaganda movie” and “vulgar”. They demanded that Lapid be immediately deported. Vikas Raina, son of Ashok Kumar, who was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen, said, “Does he know my pain? My father was brought down from a bus and sprayed with a volley of bullet. ”

-------------------------------------

Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, the jury head of the 53rd IFFI, on Monday, described The Kashmir Files as “propaganda”. At the closing ceremony, Lapid said, “All of us were disturbed and shocked by The Kashmir Files. It felt to us like a propaganda and vulgar movie that was inappropriate for an artistic and competitive section of such a prestigious film festival. ” Lapid’s comments invited reactions from the film’s crew and Israeli officials, among others.

Naor Gilon opposed Lapid’s statement on Twitter, writing that “it’s insensitive and presumptuous to speak about historic events before deeply studying them. . . The connection you make between your criticism of #KashmirFiles and your dislike to what is happening in Israeli politics was quite evident. . . My suggestion. As you vocally did in the past, feel free to use the liberty to sound your criticism of what you dislike in Israel but no need to reflect your frustration on other countries. ”

Lapid’s 2019 film Synonymes (2019) won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, while his 2021 film, Ahed’s Knee, was awarded the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Fest. He’s also been a part of several international film fest juries, including at Cannes and Berlin. A vocal critic of Israel’s current political climate, Lapid once said in an interview, “The Israeli collective soul is a sick soul... It’s not special to Israel. This sickness or nature is characterized by young Israeli men muscular, smiling, who don’t raise any questions. They have a totally dichotomist vision of existence : Us versus all others.”

-------------------------------------

Just when it looked like all the controversies around The Kashmir Files had subsided, the film was firmly put back in the jarring spotlight after the jury head of the recently concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI) deemed it “vulgar”, and an unfit choice for the festival’s competitive section.

Though Israeli director Nadav Lapid claimed that his co-jurors shared his opinion that the film that “disturbed and shocked” them “felt like a propaganda”, co-juror Sudipto Sen distanced himself from the stance. “It is his personal opinion, because, officially, no discussion happened between [the five jurors]. [At the ceremony], while announcing the awards, we were to read our citation from a printed page, which was [presented to] the festival authorities. But, Nadav expressed his own views. We were not consulted,” says Sen, adding that jury members often refrain from political commentary on the shortlisted movies. 

While Sen claims Lapid’s opinions were not shared by others, isn’t his comment as the jury head synonymous with an official statement from the IFFI jury itself? “All our official communication happens with the authorities and then with the press. We don’t make any other comment separately,” he responds, alluding to Lapid’s decision. 

The only Indian on the five-member panel, Sen reveals that the job of jurors is concluded post the official presentation. “After that, if any individual goes on any forum and speaks differently from [what was expressed at] the official presentation, how should the festival own up?”

Speaking at the 53rd edition of IFFI, jury head Lapid described The Kashmir Files as “propaganda” and “vulgar”. In his speech at the closing ceremony, he said he was “disturbed and shocked” to see the film being screened at the film festival. He was subsequently accused of whitewashing Islamist violence and disregarding the plight of Hindus in Kashmir.

Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid is the jury head of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Via his style of filmmaking, he has also been vocal about his conflicted views of Israel.

The Kashmir Files was one among three Indian films that were part of the Indian Panorama Section at IFFI on November 22, and was competing against 14 other films in the International Competition. The winner takes home the Golden Peacock title. 

As part of the jury, Lapid had no hand in the selection process, and was presented with the 15 films — including The Kashmir Files — at the festival. The winning film was the Spanish offering, I Have Electric Dreams. 

Kamalakannan’s Kurangu Pedal and Anant Mahadevan’s The Storyteller, starring Paresh Rawal, were the other two Indian films on the list.

Apart from Sen and Lapid, the jury comprised American producer Jinko Gotoh, French documentary filmmaker and critic Javier Angulo Barturen, and French editor Pascale Chavance.

Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, a retelling of the Kashmiri Pandits’ exodus in the ‘90s, showcases the pain and suffering of the community. The narration develops around the protagonist, Krishna, a young college student who sets out to discover the truth about the untimely demise of his parents.

Anupam Kher took to Twitter to share: “No matter how high the height of the lie is, it is always small in comparison to the truth.” In a video clip, he stated that “some individuals find it difficult to come to terms with the truth about Kashmir, and wish to perceive it through a positive lens”.

Darshan Kumaar claimed that the film depicted the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits community, who continue to fight for justice against the brutal acts of terrorism.

Director Vivek Agnihotri also shared his opinions on social media, and added that he would quit filmmaking if anyone could prove that the film was untrue.

-------------------------------------

The closing ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is making headlines because of a statement made by jury head Nadav Lapid. The Israeli screenwriter criticised the film The Kashmir Files (TKF) that was screened at the festival, saying, “That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.” Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film is claimed to be a fictional representation of the ’90s exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir.

The Israel ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, reacted sharply to Lapid’s comments. He tweeted, “In Indian culture they say that a guest is like God. You have abused in the worst way the Indian invitation to chair the panel of judges at @IFFIGoa as well as the trust, respect and warm hospitality they have bestowed on you.”

Director Sudipto Sen, who was the only Indian member in the jury, took to Twitter to point out the films’ “subjective interpretations”.

Soon after Lapid’s speech surfaced online, social media was abuzz, with people associated with the film or in support of TKF expressing anger towards the comment. In a press conference with Consulate General of Israel, Kobbi Shoshani, actor Anupam Kher, who played the lead role in the film, said, “If he does not like a film, he is most welcome to say it. But if you’re a jury member, you cannot use words like ‘vulgar’ and ‘propaganda’. It’s a vulgar remark by a person who is vulgar and an opportunist.”

Actor Darshan Kumaar, who was also a part of the film, told ANI, “Everyone has their own individual opinions on anything they see and perceive. But one can’t deny the fact is that TKF depicted the actual plight of the Kashmiri Pandit community.”

The film’s producer, Pallavi Joshi, shared on Instagram: “It is unjust and unacceptable to stain one of the finest films of the Indian cinema with vulgar comments that delineate the harsh reality of a segment of our nation.”

In a video shared with us, Agnihotri said, “...Mere liye aashcharyajanak baat ye hai ki Bharat sarkar dwara aayojit Bharat sarkar ke manch pe Kashmir ko Bharat se alag karne wale terrorists ke narrative ko support kiya gaya... Main challenge karta hoon ki The Kashmir Files ke ek shot, ek dialogue ya event ko koi prove kar de, ki yeh poori tarah se satya nahin hai, toh main filmein banana chhod dunga (sic).”

I am angry at people who appointed him as the jury head. This man has lowered the level and insulted IFFI. The seriousness of the festival is questionable now.

I was totally flummoxed by the comment. There was a pre-selection jury, before it came to the international selection jury. To single out one film and make such comments was a shock. It puts the whole concept of independent cinema in the dock. On the one hand, you talk about creative freedom and independence of cinema. But when such incidents occur, the independence of cinema takes a beating. When we see a film, we may creatively disagree with it, but we never compromise on the process of jury selection.

I am very proud of Pallavi (Joshi; producer-actor), Vivek (Agnihotri; director-producer) and the entire team — Kher saab, Mithun da (Mithun Chakraborty) and Darshan Kumaar. We don’t even need to talk much about this. The world is talking about it. A Rs. 15 crores film did a business of Rs. 350 crores!

Stating that he was “disturbed and shocked” to find The Kashmir Files among the 15 films in the International Competition category, Nadav Lapid questioned the choice of the selection committee of the 53rd edition of the festival.

However, directors Vinod Ganatra and Vijay Pande, who were among the 15-member panel that zeroed in on the Indian films for the competition, claim to have depended on cinematic prowess and not political commentary, while making the decision. “I don’t think there was a better film than this one that deserved to  be part of the competition,” says Ganatra, who presided over the committee, and expected The Kashmir Files to bag the top award.

Prod Ganatra on if the criticism against Lapid — who used a podium to express his stance — is justified, and he responds in the positive. “He could have expressed his opinion to Vivek Agnihotri directly, because it was a personal one. To do so as a jury member [is inapt].” Had Lapid criticized a foreign film instead, Ganatra says his reaction would be along the same lines. 

Pande, who not only selected the Indian films for the section, but also shortlisted the remaining 12 foreign language films, slams Lapid instead, stating that he “politicized a decision that was taken keeping cinematic aesthetics in mind”. 

“We picked what we thought people should see, as students of cinema or as cinephiles. He is not an Indian native. How does he know what happened in Kashmir? He is trying to connect this politically, which is wrong. All the films that we selected cinematically, deserved a place in the competition. The directors of these films tried to convey something more than what the visuals depicted. That’s what matters,” says Pande.