THE 46th International Film Festival (IFFI) which was held in Goa showed unusual intolerance towards a section of film students. Some of Film Institute of India students had organised a prolonged strike against the head of the institute chosen by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The organisers mainly comprising IIB officials cancelled a section on films produced by FII students. Most of them were not given passes to attend the festival. When two students demonstrated at an inauguration, the police tracked down on them and filed cases against them. Delegates wearing badges to show their solidarity with the protestors were told to remove them.
The Film fraternity at the festival was dismayed by such action. Since its inception in 1952, the IFFI has been a function organised by film artistes and film buffs. Films shown every in the past celebrated the highest kind of creative freedom. Dissent was always encouraged. Some of those who attended the function were marked by their eccentricity as spirit of rebellion which added vibrancy to the film festival. Young film makers with high hopes learnt from the classics from different countries screened at the festival interacted with established actors and got a taste of avant garde developments. Parallel cinema received a boost from the festival and film societies sprang up with inspirations derived from it.
In the past, the state may have sometimes tried to discipline snickering viewers but only that. But now it seems that the freedom of expression at film festivals like the IFFI is being crushed. The IFFI has as a result lost its vitality and turned into a film emporium opening up marketing prospects. It is forgotten that cinema is an art form, not merchandise. The Censors are now busy with their scissors and the festivals are giving way to bureaucratic thralldom