Are city film fests following all the rules?

Film festivals are as common in Kolkata these days as the number of laurel leaves on movie posters. Every other movie that releases in town boasts of an international festival presence. While almost none of them manage to make it to the A-list festivals around the world, there is a new problem in our backyard. Quite a number of festivals in town are screening international films without seeking the mandatory censorship exemption from the I&B ministry.Matters have reached such an alarming stage that even the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) is worried about where this trend is heading.
According to sources at FFSI’s eastern region office, these festivals have fancy websites and Facebook pages that lure foreign filmmakers. The trailers of these festivals use a montage of shots from classics. They promise mention on “IMDB pages”, “free academic and detailed reviews” of films, “annual live screening gala” and “glamorous red carpet premieres”. They also promise trophies if the winning contestant is ready to pay “production” and “shipping” costs. Some charge submission fees in dollars. Sometimes Kolkata’s eminent film personalities too attend these events without knowing that the festivals don’t have the mandatory I&B ministry clearance. Once their photos are splurged on the websites, the sites start enjoying digital traction and credibility. These, in turn, convince unsuspecting foreign filmmakers to send in their entries.
Premendra Mazumder, vice-president of Federation of Film Societies of India, Eastern Region alleged that FFSI has come across reports that some so-called film festivals are being organised in Kolkata and other cities as well by some commercially motivated people who have no relations with film culture. “They come just to earn money through huge amount of entry fees collected through the internet portals like FilmFreeway and others. Then, they show some films at random without caring for CBFC certificates which is mandatory for screening of any film of any length and genre to more than 20 people at a public place,” Premendra alleged.
The Confidence by Victor Klimychev from Russian Federation at the 4th Model N Movie International Short Film Festival 2018
According to Premendra, FFSI is “anxious” that these activities will ultimately affect the “interest of the film society movement and propagation of film culture”. “On our FFSI website, we will soon upload a list of the authentic film festivals nationwide. The only theatres in Kolkata that don’t require the mandatory censorship certificate or an exemption of it from the I&B ministry are the preview theatre at Nandan III and the premises under the foreign missions including Gorky Sadan, Alliance Française du Bengale and Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Kolkata. Some of the city’s dignitaries are getting involved with these festivals without knowing that the organisers are not following the law of the land. We urge the I&B Ministry and local law enforcing authorities to take action,” Premendra added. According to director Atanu Ghosh, such film festivals have mushroomed across the world “There are quite a few brokers who will ensure some 30 to 40 awards for a film from festivals in lieu of money. These festivals have a one-room screening set-up,” Atanu said.
Shailik Bhaumik, the chairperson of the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, said that festival began in 2018. “We have two systems for showing films. There are 50 categories for submission. The submission fees for short film category is $25. For feature length films, the submission fees is $35. Our jury members then watch and rate the movies. A monthly result decides on the winners. We have a screening of the winning films at the festival,” Shailik said.
The first festival of this organisation was held at Rotary Sadan last December. More than 50 foreign delegates came over. “We had 100 people in the audience for the two-day festival. Thirty films of different durations were screened in 2017,” he added. On being asked if he had sought the mandatory censorship exemption clearance from the I&B ministry, he said, “We have never sought that since we don’t screen films for the public. We don’t sell tickets either. Our forthcoming festival will be held next January. Some 40 films will be screened there.”
Santanu Chakraborty, the organiser of Cineframe International Short Film Festival of India 2018, has begun planning for this year’s festival on December 19 at Sujata Sadan. “This is the fourth year of the festival. We have 22 short films from 12 countries. The submission fees for foreign films range from $10 to $20. We have never applied for censorship exemption.”
Debasish Mandal, the festival director and controller of the Model N Movie International Short Film Festival, has organised this festival in three consecutive years without seeking any I&B ministry permission. “This is the fourth year and we will be screening more than 50 short films. This year, the festival is scheduled to be held between December 21 and 24. The inauguration will be held at the Moulali Yuva Kendra. On December 22 and 23, we will host the festival at the Shibpur Public Library. Sarat Sadan will host the festival on December 24,” Debasish said. On the issue of censorship exemption, Debasish said, “We wrote to the ministry last year but didn’t get a response. We have written to the ministry this year as well.”
However, not every festival in Kolkata operates this way. Rabin Banerjee, trustee of the Kalpanirjhar Foundation and the secretary for the Forum Studies for Film Studies and Allied Arts, said, “In case of application to the I&B ministry, we need to give a forwarding letter mentioning the date and venue of screening. There is a form where we have to mention the details of the film and give a declaration stating that the film is fit to be screened at the
festival. The ministry’s permission comes with three clauses. There will be no sale of tickets. Viewers below 18 years will not be allowed. The entry is restricted to the members of the organisation and the invited guests.”
DIRECTOR'S CUT
There is a strange dichotomy in this process. Major festivals in the world have an elaborate selection process. There is a law of the land that needs to be followed. But it is also true that in the digital age, makers enjoy a degree of independence from censorship. This is a transition period. Awareness is needed. Organisers need to be told that the worth of their festivals will diminish if they don’t follow norms
— Goutam Ghose
I know of some bogus festivals that lure directors and producers from abroad. Sometimes, the awards are entirely got-up. This has become a profit-making business. The only way to stop this is for filmmakers and producers to ensure that the list of jury has eminent people and the festival is affiliated with FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) or any other important body
— Atanu Ghosh
I have a long association with film festivals across India. As far as my knowledge goes, apart from those organised by foreign missions, any independent organisation has to seek an exemption from the I&B ministry in order to screen international movies at cine festivals in India
— Sekhar Das
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