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The Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF), on Monday, May 26, has announced the postponement of the Israeli film festival in Chennai, which was scheduled to be held at the Tamil Nadu Government Music College from May 29 to May 31. The move comes after stiff opposition arose from several quarters, including writers’ groups, politicians, and activists calling the move politically insensitive amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
In a social media post, ICAF said that the event has been postponed “due to certain unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances.”
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This is the second time that an Israeli film festival is cancelled in India. Earlier, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) cancelled the festival that was scheduled to take place at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Mumbai on August 21 and 22, 2024, after a significant public outcry and an online petition organised by the India Palestine Solidarity Forum.
Many writers’ groups, politicians, and activists had called the move politically insensitive amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. Politicians, including MP Sasikanth Senthil and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) state president Nellai Mubarak had urged ICAF to cancel the festival and called on the Tamil Nadu government to intervene.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have resulted in over 1,042 deaths, including 200 children. The two-year conflict has resulted in more than 49,500 deaths and displaced approximately 90% of Gaza's population. The most recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, reached in January 2025, was intended to end 15 months of intense conflict in Gaza.
However, the ceasefire collapsed in March 2025 when Israel launched extensive airstrikes on Gaza, citing Hamas's refusal to release hostages as the trigger. Since then, hostilities have resumed, with Israeli airstrikes continuing and significant civilian casualties reported.