Nadav Lapid delivered his comments before a number of dignitaries, including Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, as well as well-known actors such as Asha Parekh, Akshay Kumar, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Rana Daggubati.
Calling ‘The Kashmir Files’ as “propaganda”
Calling ‘The Kashmir Files’ as “propaganda” and “vulgar”, an Israeli filmmaker and a jury chief at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Nadav Lapid, said he was “shocked” and “disturbed” by its inclusion in the competitive section.
Sharing the jury report during the closing ceremony of the 53rd edition of IFFI in Goa, Lapid said, “Usually, I don’t read from paper. This time, I want to be clear. I want to thank the director and head of the programming of the festival for its cinematic richness, diversity, and complexity…There were 15 films in the international competition — the front window of the festival. Fourteen out of them had cinematic qualities…and produced vivid discussions. We were, all of us, disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”
Chair of the Jury of Goa Film Festival says that the Jury felt that Kashmir Files was a vulgar propaganda film, inappropriate for the film festival pic.twitter.com/FKTF93ZlRY
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) November 28, 2022
Lapid’s open remarks
Lapid further adds, “I feel totally comfortable to share openly these feelings here with you on stage since the spirit that we felt in the festival can surely accept a critical discussion which is essential for art and life.”
Surprisingly, Lapid delivered his remarks before a number of notable personalities, including Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, as well as well-known actors such as Asha Parekh, Akshay Kumar, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rana Daggubati.
Released on March 11 this year, “The Kashmir Files”, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, was successful at the ticket window. The film is based on the “exodus and killings” of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley in the 1990s and was supported by a number of Union Ministers and granted tax-free status in almost all BJP-ruled states.
Meanwhile, other members of the jury for the International Competition at IFFI were American producer Jinko Gotoh, French film editor Pascale Chavance, French documentary filmmaker, critic, and journalist Javier Angulo Barturen, and Indian director Sudipto Sen.
Twitter Reactions
Shocking! IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid, an Israeli filmmaker, quoted the block bluster film The Kashmir Files as “vulgar propaganda” from the stage. What a blunder by @MIB_India picking such an idiot who outrightly humiliated the emotions of Kashmiri Pundits.
1/ pic.twitter.com/Om2r5By5Xu— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) November 28, 2022
#KashmirFiles acc to them showing this is vulgar propaganda
India should make laws jail punishment for those who denay pandits holocaust
Like in west for Jews holocaust pic.twitter.com/7nz5CEzOdg
— safroon samsh lite (@safroonlite) November 28, 2022
I take strong objection to the language used by Mr. Nadav Lapid for #kashmirFiles .
Depicting the genocide of 3 lakh #KashmiriHindus cannot be called vulgar .
I as a filmmaker & a #KashmiriPandit condemn this shameless act of abuse towards victims of terrorism .— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) November 28, 2022
Yes…. The Truth is Ugly! #KashmirFiles pic.twitter.com/aSH3wXxmGs
— Kashmiri Hindu (@BattaKashmiri) November 29, 2022
As Kashmiri Pandit Univ student, I was mocked by lecturer for speaking up about annihilation, discouraged to document Muslim fundamentalists, terror dismissed as 'class struggle'.
For us, The Kashmir Files was- finally someone- cared to listen & dared to project as is, on cinema.— Pooja Shali (@PoojaShali) November 29, 2022
I don’t need validation of my truth from the White activists/agents of America or UK or Australia or Israel. Those desperate for the validation of the West are free to cheer when they get it and free to cry when they don’t.
I have lived #KashmiriPanditGenocide #KashmirFiles.
— Aarti Tikoo (@AartiTikoo) November 29, 2022
#KashmirFiles telling world about this truth is vulgar propaganda pic.twitter.com/AhgaiPafwy
— safroon samsh lite (@safroonlite) November 28, 2022
This guy Nadav Lapid is a known Palestinian Muslims supporter and he himself finds Israeli collective soul sick.
The one who cant stand for his own country, how can we expect him to be fair on #KashmirFiles? pic.twitter.com/TVR7g8bw5m
— INFERNO (@SmokingLiberals) November 28, 2022
I am a Kashmiri Muslim.
The Kashmir Files movie is not "Vulgar Propaganda". It is horrifying TRUTH & REALITY of what happened to my Kashmiri Hindu Pandit brothers & sisters. I have seen this with my own eyes. And I am ready to repeat this million times. https://t.co/bTADyDNIhx
— Javed Beigh (@JavedBeigh) November 28, 2022
IFFI jury head & Israeli left-wing filmmaker Nadav Lapid who called The Kashmir Files a propaganda film. pic.twitter.com/2fiTFSnkBH
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) November 29, 2022
Last week, they were calling Akshay Kumar Canadian because he tweeted in support of Indian army.
Today they are hailing an Isreali filmmaker because he spoke against 'The Kashmir Files'
Their hypocrisy has no boundaries…!!
— Varun Kumar Rana ?? (@VarunKrRana) November 28, 2022
