IFFI is not representing Indian films: Anurag Kashyap

Panaji: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is not happy with the choice of films being screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and feels that it don`t represent the emerging voices in Indian cinema.

Kashyap, who introduced celebrated Turkish-German filmmaker Fatih Akin in a masterclass, said that the organisers are not well versed with the new batch of Indian filmmakers and their work. "All the films they have shown are from the last five years. Nothing new is being shown. I have all the DVDs of these films at my home and can start a festival if I want," Kashyap told reporters. The `Dev D` director said that a film like `Vihir` should have been shown in the festival last year itself but the organisers woke up to the film only after it got international recognition. "I feel that we don`t have a respect for our own cinema. They are showing `Vihir` now when it has won several awards internationally. Film Bazaar is showing Akin`s film ‘Soul Kitchen’ now, but IFFI is unaware. He is such an amazing filmmaker but the officials are obviously not aware about him. It is really sad," he said. When asked whether he was approached for his upcoming film `That Girl in Yellow Boots`, which was screened at festivals in Venice and Toronto, he said that he was never approached by IFFI organisers. "They are not interested in new films they show only old ones," he added. Rajkumar Hirani took a masterclass on scriptwriting which was followed by Akin`s conference. `Soul Kitchen`, Akin`s first comedy was shown at the bazaar and got a loud applause from Kashyap, Rajkumar Hirani and other filmmakers. PTI