30 Oct Sunil Kalia, 2024 Official Selection, Explores How the Power of Free Speech Can Inspire Change

When he decided to explore what free speech truly means in the modern world, Sunil Kalia came away with a profound thought: “Free speech is the foundation of progress and innovation.”

Sunil, the director of 2024 Official Selection film Offenders, came to this realization when he returned to India after living abroad for 20 years and was alarmed to see the rise of fundamentalism in the country. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sunil’s work making TV commercials slowed down so he took advantage of the free time to return to New Dehli, India, to visit his parents. He originally planned to use the space to write and research a TV documentary with a pilot episode focused on religion. But, once he arrived, he soon found a far deeper subject to explore.

“When I got to India and started digging into the topic, something didn’t sit right with me. This wasn’t the India I remembered. Everywhere I looked, fundamentalism seemed to have taken hold on the streets, in conversations, and especially on TV and news channels, where the language had become shockingly communal and divisive. It was unsettling, to say the least,” he said. “When I talked to old friends, they confirmed my feelings. They said, ‘Yes, this isn’t the India you left. Over the past decade, the country has openly embraced fundamentalism.’ Some even advised me against pursuing the episode on religion, warning that it could get me into serious trouble, especially with the far-right Hindu regime now in power. That’s when it hit me—I needed to pivot. Instead of focusing on religion, I turned my attention to the issue of free speech. It felt more urgent, more necessary, and it became the subject I poured my time into from that point forward. I felt it was very important to talk about free speech.”

Although he said Offenders was originally just a passion project that wasn’t intended to be a documentary, Sunil quickly discovered he had enough footage to create a full-length film. As he describes it, the film “fearlessly challenges constraints on free expression in India and calls for the defense of free speech amidst censorship and violence. Against the backdrop of Hindu hegemony, it serves as a tribute to the transformative power of safeguarding fundamental rights.”

When talking about the need for everyone to have the power of free speech, Sunil mentioned a quote from Salman Rushdie: “Free speech is everything, free speech is life itself.”

Sunil said, “Free speech is incredibly important. Take Galileo Galilei, for example—he challenged the geocentric view of the universe and was persecuted by the church for it. Yet, today, we know he was right. New ideas, fresh narratives, and out-of-the-box thinking are only possible when we have the freedom to express them. Without free speech, we would still be living in a primitive world, bound by outdated beliefs and stagnant thinking.”

Despite its faults, social media continues to play an immense role in making free speech accessible for everyone, especially people living under the weight of oppressive regimes. In India, Sunil said social media influencers were a crucial resource in reporting the truth about what was happening in the recent elections.

“The country recently held elections and, while mainstream news media in India is heavily influenced and controlled by the government, acting as a mouthpiece for the ruling party and promoting a narrative that supports the BJP (ruling party), something remarkable happened,” Sunil said. “Social media influencers, YouTubers, and content creators flooded the internet with their ideas, presenting the true picture in a loud, unified chorus. This grassroots movement made a difference, and the impact was evident in the election results. This was possible only because of free speech. While regimes may control mainstream or state-owned media, today’s world offers many platforms for people to express their views—thanks to free speech.”

Since the core message of his film aligned so perfectly with the mission of the Free Speech Film Festival, Sunil said it made perfect sense to submit his film and he encourages others to exercise their power of free expression by doing the same.

“My project explores the complexities and challenges of free expression in today’s world, and I felt that the Free Speech Film Festival would provide the ideal platform to engage with an audience that values and critically examines the importance of free speech. Additionally, I was drawn to the festival’s reputation for showcasing diverse perspectives and fostering meaningful discussions, which I hope my film can contribute to,” he said. “This festival is dedicated to celebrating the power of free expression and the diverse perspectives that come with it. It’s a platform where your voice can be heard and where your film can contribute to important conversations on a global stage. By participating, you not only share your story but also become part of a community that values creativity, dialogue, and the right to speak freely.”

Sunil has been a filmmaker for most of his adult life. During his career, he has explored various genres and held multiple film production roles, including editor, director and producer. When a boom in TV news channels hit India in the 1990s, Sunil had the opportunity to work on several shows. In 2000, he moved to Toronto to attend film school and, following graduation, made two documentaries before settling into a career making TV commercials. His work on the film Offenders has inspired him to continue making films and also do some work in front of the camera with his own YouTube show.

“I have some exciting plans. I’ve just launched a YouTube channel called ‘We The Offenders,’ where I’ll be sharing my thoughts on topics that are important to me. I’m passionate about creating films and content that do more than just entertain—they start conversations and inspire change. I also hope to team up with other creatives and communities to give a voice to those who are often unheard and to explore different perspectives on important issues. My goal is to keep challenging myself and to contribute to a more informed and connected world through my work,” he said.