The distributor of “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a film about the execution of a five-year-old Palestinian child by Israeli soldiers, informed AFP on Saturday that India has barred its release. The Oscar-nominated documentary by French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania tells the true story of Hind Rajab, who died in Gaza last year while her family attempted to evacuate during Israel’s battle with Hamas.
According to Manoj Nandwana of Jai Viratra Entertainment, the film’s Indian distributor, a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) member informed him that the film’s theatrical release would negatively impact India’s relations with Israel.”After screening it for the board, it was clear to me that they would not clear it for release in India,” Nandwana told AFP on Saturday. He did not receive official notification of the refusal.The film has been released over the world, including in Israel. “Why is it bad or sensitive for Indians?” Nandwana inquired. “It’s strange.”
The film was, however, screened at an international film festival in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata in November last year, Nandwana said. Shashi Tharoor, a Parliamentarian from the opposition Congress party, called the film’s blockage “disgraceful.”In a democracy, screening a film reflects our society’s freedom of expression and has nothing to do with government-to-government ties,” he stated in a post on X.The practice of banning films or books because of the offense they may cause in foreign nations must be discontinued immediately. “This is unworthy of a mature democracy.”The Voice of Hind Rajab” was nominated for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars, but it lost to the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value.” Last year, the film earned the Silver Lion top jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, when it moved audiences to tears during its presentation.
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