IFFI juror Sudipto Sen: The Kashmir Files did not fit in 'artistic criteria', Nadav's remarks 'unethical'

Filmmaker Sudipto Sen, who was part of the five-member jury for the 53rd IFFI's International Competition, has called jury head and Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid's remarks against The Kashmir Files 'unethical.'

Recently, the other three jurors, BAFTA-winning producer Jinko Gotoh, journalist Javier Angulo Barturen and film editor Pascale Chavance, backed Nadav's remarks, saying there were making an 'artistic statement' about the film and not taking a political stand. Nadav had called The Kashmir Files a 'propaganda, vulgar movie' and 'inappropriate' for an artistic competition while delivering his closing ceremony speech at IFFI.

Sudipto, who is directing the upcoming film The Kerala Story, opened up about the controversy to news agency ANI. He had earlier claimed Nadav's views weren't shared by the jury board. 

"As a practice, etiquette and ethic, the jury board is supposed to talk about films that are awarded," Sudipto was quoted as saying by ANI. 

"We don't talk about films that are not awarded. The jury board has nothing to do with someone bringing out a rejected film for discussion in a public forum. If one of us (members) randomly goes to talk about a film that wasn't even awarded at some platform, I would find it unethical."

He, however, accepted that The Kashmir Files was not selected for awards by the jury collectively. The board had watched 22 films in total, 15 in the international competition section and seven in the debutant section.

"The judgement was collectively agreed upon by all jury members on the basis of the artistic values and format of the film festival, " Sudipto told ANI, adding that The Kashmir Files was 'rejected' for the final awards. 

"The film did not fit in the artistic criteria we had," he said.