Panaji: Amid speculations over staunch resistance on the part of the authorities, a parallel screening of films by FTII students got underway here on Tuesday.
The screenings are being held at the Centre for Social Justice and Peace, Institute Piedade, whose director Father Maverick Fernandez had to, this morning, reply to a notice issued by the Goa government, questioning on what basis they were conducting the event.
The screening, which has been titled Retracing Freedom was opened with the screening of Tatpaschat, a short film directed by Aadesh Keluskar. It was followed by Sadabahar Brass Band directed by Tushar More and Ek Do by Prantik Basu.
However, the students were forced to drop the documentaries on the 139-day strike at FTII against the appointment of Gajendra Chouhan as its chief, as the government notice restricted them from screening uncensored movies.
Earlier it was scheduled to screen three films titled, FTII strike, Chennai Solidarity Meet and Songs/small videos, which featured the protest. Despite being held at a venue which is only some 500 metre from the IFFI venue, the parallel screening did not witness many filmmakers supporting it.
Apart from some FTII sympathisers, activists and a bunch of mediapersons, veteran filmmaker Saeed Mirza was the only strong presence at the parallel screening venue.
Addressing reporters, Mirza said the parallel screening was necessitated as the IFFI authorities dropped the entire section for students' films.
"What are they (the authorities) afraid of? Film festivals are primarily a platform for the students to showcase their works. And at the last minute the section for students' package was dropped. There is something wrong about it. I feel the administration is worried about too many young people coming together," Mirza, who earlier returned his awards in protest against the growing intolerance in the country, said.
He said though the government action against student filmmakers has a long history, it was the first time he was screening this kind of "organised, structured rules being laid down to shut them up and shut them out".
"They are not asking for jobs or money. They are raising a philosophical and social and political debate. They are talking about very basic things," Mirza said.
Kisley, a former FTII student who was arrested by Goa police after he, along with another ex-student Shubham, raised slogans at the IFFI-15 inaugural ceremony, said "It's unfortunate that when we try to interact and make an appeal to filmmakers about what's happening at FTII and what this government is doing we are stopped over there. Then when we try to show our films in an alternative venue and raise awareness through the films, which are our greatest expression, there again we are stopped. Yesterday, the Goa DM slapped us with a notice asking on what behalf were we screening the films. Then today we replied saying all the films were censored and as IFFI is not screening the students ‘package, we as students of FTII will do that. They will try and suppress us and that's what has been happening at every step but we are determined and will continue to voice our dissent throughout the festival."
On being forced to drop the documentaries on the strike from the screening, Kisley said it was really unfortunate that even in a closed space, they couldn't screen the films they wanted to.
Kisley also marked his protest against the filmmakers who chose to keep away from the venue, "They are showcasing films about the issues in society but when it comes to our own society, everybody is silent about it. We appealed to filmmakers and some came in support of us. You can't be dishonest with your art and being honest means raising your voice and questions, not only about the FTII issues but also about the situation prevailing in the country," he said.
A large posse of police personnel were deployed at the venue.