Rumblings over award-winning film’s acceptance after rejection

KOLKATA: After IFFI’s Indian Panorama rejection of ‘Aparajito’, which was the Union I&B ministry recommendation at the Shanghai Film Festival and the inaugural film of the ministry’s festival to celebrate Ray’s centenary, comes another decision that has raised eyebrows.
‘Dostojee’ with eight international awards after screenings in 27 countries at 29 festivals, including the 65th British Film Institute London Film Festival, which is presented by Prosenjit Chatterjee, tweeted as ‘unique’ by Amitabh Bachchan, was oddly rejected for last year’s Indian Panorama and the National Awards.However, this friendship film set against the backdrop of the Babri Masjid demolition will be screened on November 27 as part of the UNICEF children’s package of IFFI this year.
Delayed appreciation of rare gems is not uncommon but it’s rare for tables to turn in just a year. The curious case of upgrading a film from its rejection to special status this way has got the industry asking: Did the jury not understand the merit of ‘Dostojee’? Is this special screening an attempt to make amends?
Nothing much has changed in the making of ‘Dostojee’ between November 2021 and 2022. Only the number of festival screenings and accolades has increased. This October, cinematographer Tuhin Biswas’ work was nominated for Cinematographers’ Debuts Competition at Poland’s Energacamerimage Festival which is the world’s most coveted cinematography festival. In September, the film elbowed out two Cannes winners of 2021 to win the top prize at Japan’s Nara International Film Festival. “My film had received appreciation even before and after my IFFI application last year. After seven years spent in making the film, I make it a point to first do a proper tech check and then submit my film within the deadline to all festivals. I felt sad when it didn’t feature in the 2021 Indian Panorama. This year I first got a call and then an email confirming that IFFI is screening my film,” director Prasun Chatterjee said.
Director Jayashree Bhattacharya, who was in last year’s 12-member jury, hasn’t watched ‘Dostojee’. “I understand such questions can come up. ‘Dostojee’ was not sent by the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) to my panel. Though I’ve heard good things about it, I’m yet to see it. But, I can’t comment on the necessity of procedural revamping. The quality of all applicants is good. Everyone can’t get selected,” she said. Another jury member, cinematographer Asim Bose, too didn’t get to watch this film.
According to a film-maker, “Over nearly a decade, a number of films awarded at prestigious festivals never made it to the Indian Panorama. However, some of the selected films never made a mark at any festival in any part of the world. They weren’t ever considered films with cinematic, thematic and aesthetic brilliance which is supposed to be the principal selection criterion of the Indian Panorama.”