Cuttack’s Ravenshaw Students Protest Against Last-Minute Cancellation Of Film Festival ‘Without Any Explanation’

Cuttack: Students of Ravenshaw University here were on Thursday seen protesting against the last-minute cancellation of three-day film festival, which was earlier approved by the authorities and was to be held at the main auditorium of its convention centre.

Besides an exhibition on celebrated filmmaker Satyajit Ray, parallel session with directors, film scholars and resource persons were also planned during these three days. “We were asked to vacate the hall an hour before the festival was to commence without any explanation. We fail to understand why people are against screening of movies directed by Satyajit Ray, the first Indian to be conferred with Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” said a member of Film Society, Ravenshaw.

He said that ‘Pather Panchali’ is a world-celebrated movie and still relevant in present world. “We are not being given permission to watch this movie here. The authorities are yet to issue a notice citing the reason for cancelling the festival. We had the permission of the cultural council. Now, we are being told that there has been police complaints against holding the festival,” he added.

The varsity’s Film Society member further said that Moinak Biswas from Department of Film Studies, Jadavpur University, was here to present a paper. Padma awardree Pablo Bartholomew, an independent photographer, was the other invited guest at the festival, he informed.

“We would intensify the agitation if they fail to give us a plausible reason for cancellation of the festival,” he added.

Sources, however, said that objections were raised over screening of two films, including ‘Gay India Matrimony’ directed by Debalina Majumder, by some political groups, leading to its cancellation.