'S Durga will be screened in IFFK only it gets court nod'

The Kerala government today said controversial Malayalam movie 'S Durga' will be screened at the International Film Festival of Kerala, beginning here on December 8, only if it gets clearance from the court.
Briefing reporters here on the preparations of the one week festival, state Cultural Affairs Minister A K Balan said the movie's director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan had approached the High Court against the Centre's decision to withdraw its censorship certificate.
"We will screen the film at IFFK if it gets clearance from the court," he said when asked about the screening of 'S Dugra' in IFFK, which was excluded from the recently concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Goa.

The state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy,the organiser of IFFK, had said recently that the festival would have a special screening of "S Durga" as a mark of protest against the Centre's decision to drop the movie from IFFI even after it was selected by an expert jury.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cancelled the certification of the film on November 28.
The producer and director of 'S Durga' have now moved the Kerala High Court,challenging suspension of the certification.

The minister also said the inaugural ceremony of IFFK and the cultural fiesta in association with the opening function would be cancelled this time in the wake of cyclone Ockhi, which wrecked havoc in the state.

Screening of the movies would be held as scheduled, Balan added.
The movie gala is scheduled to be closed on December 15.