Quality of films selected for the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2010 came under a shadow as documentary filmmakers from Kolkata, whose works failed to make it to the festival this time, expressed doubt over the selection process.

Kuldeep Sinha, chief producer, Films Division, and director MIFF 2010, was sharply criticised by filmmakers Supriyo Sen, Ananya Chatterjee and Sourav Sarengi, as their films did not make it to any category of the festival.

At a press conference to announce the Kolkata leg of MIFF 2010, a verbal duel ensued between Sinha and the filmmakers. When Sinha announced that they had received 50 entries from Kolkata, of which just two had made it to the festival, one of which is Sen’s

Way Back Home (Abar Ashbo Phire), the filmmakers present at the press conference questioned Sinha about the credibility of the selection procedure.

Sen argued that his latest 12-minute documentary

Wagah, which has travelled to a host of film festivals overseas, was unfairly left out despite winning several awards everywhere.

“Wagah is an excellent film and it is just of 12 minutes’ duration. The selection committee cannot cite lack of time for proper viewing as an excuse for its exclusion,” said Chatterjee, whose Understanding Trafficking, is among the entries that didn’t make it to the upcoming edition of MIFF.

“As aspiring filmmakers, we used to look up to MIFF for inspiration due to the excellent collection of films it used to come up with. However, in recent times the quality of films shown has deteriorated drastically,” said Sarengi, maker of Bilal.

Putting Sinha in a spot, Sen said: “I have no faith in the selection procedure. In the competitive section only one foreign film in each category has been chosen. There might be better Indian films than ours, but do I have to believe that all the foreign films submitted were also not good enough for the festival.”

The total prize money in the competitive section is worth around Rs 22.75 lakh.

Meanwhile, defending the seven-member selection committee’s decision, Sinha said: “As a government body we have certain restrictions too. We can’t go canvassing for films. No jury can be absolutely objective and it’s unfair to question the credentials of the members of the committee.”