Dear Friends,  
 
There was an attempt by the Hindu right wing to disrupt the screenings  yesterday at the VIBGYOR Film Festival (Feb 22 to 25) in Trichur,  Kerala (http://www.vibgyorfilmfest.com ).They have filed a police  complaint against the festival too.  
 
Vibgyor Film Festival organised an Open Forum entitled ‘Censorious  State/Civil Society’ yesterday, where the issue was discussed atlength  and the declaration attached was endorsed and signed by over a hundred  people. Some supporters of the Hindu right also attended and there was  an animated discussion on Amudhan’s film and on what constitutes  ‘nation’ and ‘national interest’. The point was made that in a  democratic society we need to discuss our differences, as was being  done at the open forum, rather than trying to ban and stop work that  one disagrees with. Earlier, there was a threat from them that they  would move the court to stop the festival.  
 
We also decided to make 100 copies of Amudhan’s Vande Mataram and Shit  and distribute them all over Kerala (and elsewhere) and to organise  screenings. There has been tremendous solidarity from filmmakers and  concerned citizens on this issue.  
 
It will be good if you are arranging the screenings of this films in  various parts of India.  
 
~ Regards  
Anivar Aravind  
Mob: +91 9895803545