New Delhi: After the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting refused to grant censor exemption to 19 films at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), the state’s cultural affairs minister Saji Cherian on Tuesday (December 16), directed the organisers to screen all the films as per the schedule.“Such an anti-democratic approach that destroys the tradition and progressive nature of the festival cannot be accepted. The government will continue to take an uncompromising stand against attacks on artistic expressions,” said Cherian in a statement, reported The Hindu.“The right of the delegates to watch these films cannot be denied. These were published in the festival schedule as well as the festival book that have been widely circulated,” he added.Earlier, the I&B Ministry had denied censor exemption to the 19 films – including some considered as classics of world cinema such as Sergei Eisentein’s Battleship Potemkin (1925) – at the festival, which is now in its 30th year and is being organised by the Kerala Chalachitra Academy which comes under the state’s Department of Cultural Affairs, reported Indian Express.For films being screened at any festival, a censor exemption is required from the I&B Ministry.The films which have been denied censor exemption include ‘Battleship Potemkin’, ‘A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry’, ‘All That’s Left of You’, ‘Bamako’, ‘Battleship Potemkin’, ‘Beef’, ‘Clash’, ‘Eagles of The Republic’, ‘Heart of The Wolf’, ‘Once Upon A Time In Gaza’, ‘Palestine 36’, ‘Red Rain’, ‘Riverstone’, ‘The Hour Of The Furnaces’, ‘Tunnels: Sun In The Dark (Địa Đạo: Mặt Trời Trong Bóng Tối)’, ‘Yes’, ‘Flames’, ‘Timbuktu’ and ‘Wajib’.Of these films, the screening of seven movies including ‘Battleship Potemkin’ have been already cancelled owing to the sanction not being granted by I&B Ministry, reported Indian Express.The newspaper quoted a senior functionary of Kerala Chalchitra Academy who said that the films which have been denied censor exemption include three by Palestinian filmmakers. Another film by an Israeli filmmaker has been granted exemption for screening.The Russian film Battleship Potemkin, which is considered to be a world classic, is a 1925 silent movie related to the Soviet revolution. Another Argentine political film The Hour of the Furnaces, has been screened widely but has been denied censored exemption.The festival, which began last week, is screening 206 films from 82 countries.“They may not have any idea about these films. Many of these are world classics and have been screened at several festivals. The decision should be reviewed. A film should not be judged on its title,” veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan told the media.Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary M.A. Baby has slammed the I&B Ministry for refusing to grant permission to screen the movies and termed the development as “absurd and lunatic.”“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has refused to grant permission to screen 19 films at the 30th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. These include Sergei Eisenstein’s 100-year-old classic Battleship Potemkin, one of the greatest films ever made, as well as acclaimed films on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. A film titled ‘Beef’ has also been denied permission, ostensibly because of its name, even though it has nothing to do with food choices,” Baby posted on X.The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has refused to grant permission to screen 19 films at the 30th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala. These include Sergei Eisenstein’s 100-year-old classic Battleship Potemkin, one of the greatest films ever made, as… pic.twitter.com/4GKsoxdHnX— M A Baby (@MABABYCPIM) December 15, 2025“This absurd and lunatic attempt to derail IFFK, which is organized by the Government of Kerala, is the latest example of the neo-fascist tendencies of the extreme authoritarian rule under Modi, Shah, and Mohan Bhagwat. Artists, filmmakers, and all democratic-minded citizens must raise their voices against this disgraceful move,” he added.