'Made a big mistake': Israel Consul General rebukes Nadav Lapid for 'The Kashmir Files' comment

Amid the raging controversy around the International Film Festival (IFFI) jury chief Nadav Lapid’s comments on the Vivek Agnihotri-directorial The Kashmir Files, Israel Consul General Kobbi Shosnani said he told Lapid he made a big mistake and these remarks were not appropriate. Shosnani also said Lapid does not represent the state of Israel and words like ‘propaganda’ are unacceptable. 

The Israel Consul General was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI, “Concerning Nadav, we don’t accept it. I personally don’t accept it. Ambassador, who was there with me in Goa last night, doesn’t accept it. It’s his own private opinion. He can say that it’s the opinion of the jury which is alright. But it’s nothing to do with Israel.” 

He further noted that it was not an easy film to watch and he had tears in his eyes. Shosnani added Jews have suffered from horrible things.  

Prior to these comments, filmmaker and one of the jury members at the 53rd IFFI Sudipto Sen distanced himself from Lapid’s comments about the Anupam Kher-starrer blockbuster and said that was “completely his personal opinion.” He said four jury members were present during the presentation of the Jury Board to the Festival Director and in the official press conference and none of them ever expressed their likes or dislikes. 

Sen said, “As jurors, we are assigned to judge the technical, aesthetic quality, and socio-cultural relevance of a film. We don’t indulge in any kind of political comments on any film and if it is done, it is completely in a personal capacity- nothing to do with the esteemed jury board.”

Apart from Sen, French documentary filmmaker Javier Angulo Barturen, French film editor Pascale Chavance, and American animation film producer Jinko Gotoh were a part of IFFI’s jury this year. 

Director Vivek Agnihotri also took to Twitter to take a swipe at the chief of the IFFI jury and tweeted, “GM. Truth is the most dangerous thing. It can make people lie.”

Speaking at IFFI, Lapid called said the movie felt like a “propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”

Also read: ‘Insensitive, presumptuous': Israeli ambassador to India condemns IFFI jury head’s take on ‘The Kashmir Files’

Also read: Goa: IFFI 2022 jury head calls 'The Kashmir Files' ‘propaganda, vulgar movie’