Malayalam movie "S Durga", directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, will have a special screening at the upcoming International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) here next month, said a top official of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
Acclaimed director Kamal, the Academy's Chairman, told IANS that they have decided to have a special screening of "S Durga".
"This film was originally selected by us, but later he (Sasidharan) withdrew it as it was not included in the category that he wanted. Now following the ongoing controversy at the IFFI (International Film Festival of India) at Goa, which we see as a political issue, we have decided not to succumb to political overtures and have decided to screen this film.
"I spoke to Sasidharan and he has agreed to screen it," said Kamal.
Sasidharan wrote on Facebook said the Academy Chairman has unofficially hinted their wish to screen "S Durga" at IFFK.
"Though I have no official communication till now, I welcome any such move from the Academy to recognise a film which brought so much of accolades to Malayalam (cinema).
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"If they come up with a positive proposal with due acknowledgment, then I will also accept the proposal. But I want to make it very much clear, that the decision of Academy will not affect the Kazhcha Indie Film Festival (KIFF 2017) announced by Kazhcha Film Forum. KIFF will be there without any change as decided early," wrote Sasidharan.
Earlier, it was announced that KIFF is being being organised as a corrective measure against such a "rejectionary" attitude adopted by the Academy and IFFK in promoting a parallel cinema movement.
--IANS
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