Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 16 (UNI) Renowned filmmaker Goutam Ghose, the only Indian recipient of the prestigious Vittorio De Sica Award, has called for replacing film censorship with an accreditation system, asserting that cinema, as an art form, cannot be subjected to restrictive controls.
Goutam Ghose, a special invitee to the IFFK, said cinema represents individual freedom and the collective essence of human experience.
“Cinema is an individual’s freedom which cannot be separated from art. It is the essence of myriad experiences, and film perhaps suffers censorship the most among all art forms,” he observed.
Belonging to the generation that followed legendary Bengali filmmakers Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak, Ghose acknowledged their deep influence on his search for a distinct cinematic narrative.
He noted that the cinematic renaissance of the 1950s and 60s had a lasting impact and also strengthened the cultural exchange between Bengal and Kerala.
Elaborating on his acclaimed film Parikrama, Ghose said the work explores large-scale environmental and human displacement along the Narmada River.
Emphasising the contemporary relevance of the theme, he said the politics of the present demands that development be sustainable and sensitive to ecological and human concerns.
Despite having worked across Telugu, Bengali and Hindi cinema, including the noted Telugu film Maa Bhoomi, Ghose stressed that language should never be a barrier in filmmaking.
“The language of cinema is the most important thing and it is universal,” he said, while also expressing his long-cherished wish to make a Malayalam film one day.
Offering advice to young filmmakers, Ghose urged them to remain observant and humane. “Keep your eyes open, keep your ears open, and be compassionate,” he said.
Meanwhile, the organisers of IFFK announced that several film screenings scheduled for the day have been cancelled as the titles are yet to receive censor exemption.
Expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to delegates and viewers, the festival authorities said the cancellations include the 8.30 pm screening of Yes at Kairali Theatre and Once Upon a Time in Gaza at Sree Padmanabha Theatre.
They added that a total of 19 films have been withdrawn from the day’s schedule, including A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry, All That’s Left of You, Bamako, Battleship Potemkin, Beef, Clash, Eagles of the Republic, Heart of the Wolf, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, Palestine 36, Red Rain, Riverstone, The Hour of the Furnaces, Tunnels: Sun in the Dark (Địa Đạo: Mặt Trời Trong Bóng Tối), Yes, Flames, Timbuktu, Wajib and Santosh.
Festival authorities said further updates would be issued as the situation develops.
Censorship should give way to accreditation: Filmmaker Goutam Ghose
