I am an independent film-maker: Lijo Jose Pellissery

Web Desk
Filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery has reacted to the recent restrictions on film shooting in Mollywood in the wake of COVID-19. In a strongly-worded Facebook post, Pellissery said that for him cinema is not a money-making machinery but a medium to express his vision.

“…so from today onwards I am a Independent film maker. I will use all the money I raise from cinema to fuel better cinema and nothing else,” he wrote.

He added that he will screen his cinema anywhere he feels is right. “We are in the middle of a pandemic -a war-jobless people – identity crisis- poverty and religious unrest.people are walking a 1000 miles just to reach home .Artists are dying out of depression. so …These are times to create great art just to inspire people to feel alive. Just to give them hope in some form to stay alive (sic),” he further wrote.

Pellissery had earlier announced that he will be shooting his film , titled A, from July 1, and released a poster. The Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) had issued a warning against the production of new movies until the release of 66 films which were hit due to the covid-19 lockdown. Pellissery’s announcement comes against these restrictions set by the film association, and seems to have clearly irked the body.

“Don’t ask us to stop working. Don’t ask us to stop creating. Don’t question our integrity. Don’t question our self respect. You will lose terribly because we are Artists,” he wrote on Facebook.