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Contents Festival Vision & Background 19 KASHISH Initiatives 20 KASHISH Organizers 21 Message from Festival Patron and Festival Ambassador 22 Welcome Note by Festival Director 23 Advisory Board 24 Festival Jury 26 KASHISH 2018 Awards 29 QDrishti Film Grant 31 Poster Competition 33 Country Focus –India 35 Liberty – WED 23 – Opening Film 37 Liberty – THU 24 38-55 Liberty – FRI 25 56-73 Liberty – SAT 26 74-86 Liberty – SUN 27 87-93 Metro INOX – FRI 25 95-103 Metro INOX – SAT 26 104-109 Festival Team 110 Friends of KASHISH 111 Festival Partners & Associates 112 List of Films 114 Festival Schedule 116
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Festival Vision KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is an attempt to encourage greater visibility of Indian and International queer cinema among both queer and mainstream audiences as a means to foster better understanding of queer thoughts, desires and expressions. KASHISH means ‘attraction or allurement’ in Urdu. It is used to denote a deep attraction for anything – be it a person, an object or an idea.The festival logo of butterflies in rainbow colours symbolize the spirit of queer persons breaking out of the cocoon of social mores and flying free. Since its debut in 2010, KASHISH has emerged as South Asia’s and India’s biggest LGBT film festival. We are committed to bring the best of international and Indian queer cinema to Mumbai and continue mainstreaming of queer issues and their lives.
Festival Background Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBT Film Festivals in the world, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is South Asia’s biggest queer film Festival and the only LGBT film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre. Founded in 2010 and held every year for the past seven years the festival has grown from strength to strength. KASHISH attracts close to 8500 footfalls every year over its five day festival. It is the first Indian LGBT festival to be held with the approval of the Information & Broadcasting ministry, Government of India. The festival also attracts topline Bollywood celebrities, filmmakers, critics and academicians from India as well as many international guests from across the world. It receives more than hundred press features every year from the Indian press as well as international press, including the New York Times. KASHISH believes that art and films are powerful mediums to bring about social change and the festival uses the reach and spread that KASHISH has already established as one of Mumbai’s important film festivals to rally public opinion towards equality and dignity for gay lesbian bisexual and transgender people. KASHISH uses local, national and international platforms to advocate and sensitize the larger public about LGBT issues. KASHISH since 2010 to 2016 has been organized by Solaris Pictures and coorganized by The Humsafar Trust. Since 2017, KASHISH is presented by KASHISH Arts Foundation and organized by Solaris Pictures.
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KASHISH Initiatives KASHISH has various initiatives to keep the mainstream engaged in the conversation around LGBTQ issues through the year using the medium of films. KASHISH Forward India’s first travelling campus queer film festival – is a series of one-day festivals that would travel to campuses across India, aiming to reach out and create awareness about issues of the LGBT community. The objective is to create an atmosphere of acceptance for queer students who would be grappling with issues of coming out in sometimes hostile environments. The festival will also reach out to straight allies, faculty members so that a discussion around LGBT issues can be kick-started. KASHISH Forward has held screenings at IIT-Bombay, Wilson College and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. KASHISH Rendezvous Considering the need for conversations around LGBT, KASHISH Rendezvous is a one-and-a-half hour customized programme of films and discussions for Corporates. The films and discussions will be a window into the broad spectrum of the lives of LGBT colleagues. Besides sensitizing the audience to the issues of LGBT persons, it will show that their lives are no different from their own. Best of KASHISH Best of KASHISH film screenings are organized across India at film festivals, events and as part of Pride celebrations in various cities. Short films and documentaries that have won awards or were audience favourites in the previous edition, are programmed at these events to offer a glimpse of the Best of KASHISH. KASHISH Global With a view to provide a platform for Indian filmmakers who make films on queer themes, KASHISH facilitates screenings of Indian LGBTQ films at various festivals, universities and cities across the world. KASHISH has developed close collaboration with more than 35 international film festivals around the world. KASHISH Chalchitra Utsav - a day long film festival showcasing the best Regional language LGBTQ films from across India. It was launched in January 2018 as part of Mumbai Pride events. To organize a screening at your college, office, city or event, write to us at pratners.kashish@gmail.com
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KASHISH Organizers KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is presented by KASHISH Arts Foundation, and organized by Solaris Pictures KASHISH ARTS FOUNDATION KASHISH Arts Foundation is a not-for-profit public trust that aims to arrange and organize programs in the field of arts, culture, literature, theatre and films. It aims to create awareness and work for the Social, Cultural, Educational awakening of citizens of India who are marginalized on the basis of their gender identity, HIV status, transgenders and other sexual minorities. Every year KASHISH Arts Foundation presents its flagship event KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. It also organizes KASHISH Forward, a traveling campus LGBTQ film festival. The trust facilitates KASHISH Global, programming of Indian LGBTQ films at festivals worldwide, and Best of KASHISH, screening at various organizations and pride events across India. This year the trust also launched KASHISH Chalchitra Utsav, a regional language LGBTQ film festival. SOLARIS PICTURES Solaris Pictures is the only Indian film production company focused on producing, distributing and exhibiting LGBTQ films. Its award winning films Breaking Free, Purple Skies, 68 Pages, Yours Emotionally!, Project Bolo and Gulabi Aaina (The Pink Mirror) have screened at more than 200 film festivals across the world and received great critical acclaim. They have laid the foundation for the nascent Indian LGBTQ queer film movement. Solaris Pictures founded KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival in 2010 and has been the main organizer of the festival for the past 8 years. The festival carries forward Solaris Pictures mission of using cinema as a medium to advocate for equal rights and dignity for the LGBTQ community. Solaris Pictures latest production Evening Shadows is already gaining a lot of buzz with awards, acclaim and touching thousands of hearts across the world.
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Festival Patron “I support KASHISH as it helps to extend understanding of people in the broadest possible way and deepen the sense of humanity by including people of alternate sexuality.”
Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter who has been awarded the highest award in Indian cinema for lifetime achievement, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2005.
Festival Ambassador “It is very important to remind people of the larger struggle in which we are engaged. My work to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people in India and around the world goes back a decade. It has been a liberating experience and without doubt made me a better person. It has been an honour to be a part of KASHISH since its humble beginnings few years ago. Unfortunately there is still a great deal of misunderstanding about the LGBT community in India and across South Asia. The biggest block to acceptance and progress is lack of awareness. People are reluctant to talk about sexuality and gender identity and to educate themselves. Cinema, like literature, is the reflection of society and not only does it influence the society but has great impact on successive generations. Hence KASHISH has and will always be an amazing platform for raising awareness and mobilizing people to stand up for the rights of their LGBT brothers and sisters. I am thrilled and honoured to be a part of this glorious film festival’s journey.”
Celina Jaitly Indian actress, United Nations Equality Champion, brand ambassador, recording artist, humanitarian, activist and writer
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Welcome Note
Sridhar Rangayan Festival Director I welcome you all to KASHISH 2018 which promises to be a LGBTQ extravaganza of film screenings, panel discussions, film launches, performances, filmmaker interactions, and some fun activities over 4 ½ days of the festival at two venues. There are a lot of new additions to the program that makes this year’s festival more interactive and engaging. What is heartening is that KASHISH, since its inception in 2010, has grown not only in size, but in stature too. It is surely South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ film festival, but now also considered one of the important cultural events in Mumbai. More than 30% of audiences attending the festival are nonLGBTQ audiences. This plays a crucial role in allowing a greater mix of all identities and sexualities. KASHISH is a space where there are no barriers, no closets. This year’s theme ‘Together, With Pride’ takes ahead this mission of using cinema and a pride event space, as a great leveler of sex, sexuality and sexual orientation. The theme also highlights diversity of race, ethnicity and culture. With 140 films from 45 countries to choose from, the audience is sure to have a feast – of the best of LGBTQ world cinema. The increase in cash awards this year, totaling to Rs.2,65,000 speaks about the festival’s growing commitment to nurture filmmaking talent and reward excellence. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our Partners and Supporters who make the festival happen, with sponsorship as well as in-kind support. The community too has chipped in admirably through the successful crowdfunding campaign. So, let the curtains go up on KASHISH 2018 and lets together enthrall in the big screen experience.
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Advisory Board A critically acclaimed award-winning filmmaker, Arunaraje passed out of the Film Institute of India with a gold medal in 1969 and was the first trained woman technician to join the industry. Some of her features are Shaque, Gehrayee, Situm, Rihaee, Bhairavi, Keh Do Na and Tum. Arunaraje Patil
Dolly Thakore
Jenni Olson
Meghna Ghai Puri
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Apart from teaching, she has been a part of decision-making bodies in many film schools. She has served on many juries including the National Film Awards and has been a strong voice for documentaries. She has won five National awards for her documentaries - Mallika Sarabhai, A New Paradigm and Behind the Glass Wall. She has been a Landmark Forum Leader and has led transformational programs as a life coach.
Dolly Thakore has worn many hats – starting her career on Radio, she became known as a news reader on Bombay Doordarshan! And simultaneously, a writer of many personal columns, and reviewer of English and Hindi Films and Theatre. Her two passions have remained the stage and social work. She has been part of the ensemble of actors of the hugely successful Vagina Monologues. And between all this, she juggles her time with NGOS. Among others, currently she is the national co ordinator for Laadli Girl Child Campaign media award.
A queer media historian, activist, author, festival programmer and online pioneer Jenni is one of the world’s leading experts on LGBT film history. Most notably, she served as consulting producer on the Sundance and SXSW hit, By Hook or By Crook as well as co-producing Guinevere Turner’s most recent short drama, Late. Her associate producer credits include the 1996 British Channel 4 documentary, Jodie: An Icon (an exploration of Jodie Foster as an icon for lesbians) and the IFC documentary, Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema. She is currently VP of e-commerce and marketing at Wolfe Video and sits on the advisory boards of Outfest’s Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation, and Canyon Cinema.
Meghna Ghai Puri is the President of Whistling Woods International. Promoted by filmmaker SubhashGhai, Mukta Arts Limited & Filmcity Mumbai, Whistling Woods International is Asia’s largest Film, Television, Animation and Media Arts institute. She holds an advanced diploma in Communications, Advertising and Marketing and a BSc Honours degree in Business Management from Kings College, London. Earlier in her career she managed marketing and Business Development for Mukta Arts Ltd and was associated with films like Pardes, Taal, and Yaadein.
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Nandini Sardesai
Roy Wadia
Shernaz Patel
Nandini Sardesai, former head of the sociology department at St Xavier’s college, Mumbai, has been involved in social causes. In 2003, she led a successful campaign for gender equality at the Bombay Gymkhana. She has a doctorate in research with focus on Sociology of Sports. She is a part of the Maharashtra Women’s Commission and is a member of the Censor Board of Film Certification. She is also a member of the review committee for film selection, for IFFI, Goa.
Roy Wadia is the Principal Director of Wadia Movietone, the pioneering Indian film studio founded by his grandfather JBH Wadia and brother of the late filmmaker and gay activist Riyad Wadia. Currently organizing the Wadia Movietone archives, Roy also works as a media, communications and NGO management consultant, with a focus on public health including HIV/ AIDS, and with assignments for United Nations agencies including WHO and UNAIDS. Roy worked at CNN for 12 years, helping launch and produce much of the global broadcaster’s Asia-Pacific news programming. In 2003, Roy switched careers by joining the World Health Organisation’s China office as its communications and advocacy officer, working on campaigns ranging from HIV to environmental health. Roy shuttles between Bombay and Vancouver, Canada, where he has a home with his husband Alan. Shernaz Patel has been a part of the English theatre in India for the past 25 years. Starting with The Diary Of Anne Frank in 1984, she went on to play leading roles in milestone plays. Her recent theatre work includes One On One, Blackbird (META Award for Best Actress, 2010), Molly Sweeney, Breathe In Breathe Out and Class of ‘84. She is also a partner in one of India’s leading theatre companies Rage and has been instrumental in running their successful new playwriting programme, Writers’ Bloc. Aside from theatre she has also been successfully acting in Indian cinema. She holds a Masters degree in Acting from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
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KASHISH 2018 – Documentary Jury
Malati Rao
MALATI RAO has been making documentary films for over a decade. Her last film Born Behind Bars about children growing up in prisons was screened at Film South Asia, Kathmandu among other film festivals. Malati holds an MFA degree in Film and Media arts from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA and an MA in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, India.
RAMCHANDRA PN is a National Award winning Indian filmmaker based in the city of Mumbai. He is a 1991 ‘Screenplay, Writing and Direction’ graduate from the ‘Film and TV Institute of India’. Over the years, he has made documentaries, features, short films and TV programs; and has been involved in film academics. In 2006, his first feature Suddha Ramchandra (The Cleansing Rites) – a Tulu language digital feature film won him the Best Indian Film at the Osian Cinefan Festival of Asian Films. His second PN feature Putaani Party (The Kid Gang) won the Best Children’s film at the National Film Awards, 2009.
Batul Mukhtiar
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BATUL MUKHTIAR a National Award winning filmmaker, studied Film Direction at FTII, Pune. Her feature Kaphal, won the National Award for Best Children’s Film 2014 & the Golden Elephant for Best Director at ICFFI 2013. She has served on the National Award Jury in 2015 and works on several juries and selection committees for IDPA, Films Division and MAMI Half-Ticket amongst others. She also mentors young documentary filmmakers through a program ‘Conversations on Documentary’. Currently, she is developing feature film projects. Her last script Mishi was part of the NFDC Screenwriters Lab 2017.
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KASHISH 2018 – Narrative Jury TARA DESHPANDE TENNEBAUM began her career on stage with Alyque Padamsee’s Begum Sumroo, veejayed on MTV with her show Get A Voice and debuted in Sudhir Mishra’s film Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin. Her turn in films like Bombay Boys and Style won her acclaim. She has authored threebooks, Fifty and Done (HarperCollins), A Sense for Spice (Westland) andAn Indian Sense of Salad (Penguin 2018). She and her husband Daniel Tara Deshpande live in Mumbai and New York. She is active on her food photography blog Tennebaum “Sobo2Soho” and on instagram @deshpandetara JAYATI BHATIA is a television and theater actor who has been part of many popular serials, including the ongoing Sasural Simar Ka on Colors. She has done numerous plays including the critically acclaimed Vagina Monologues, Mahatma v/s Gandhi, Mad about Money and Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace. She has collaborated with Durban Playhouse (South Jayati Bhatia Africa) to stage the play Mahatma V/S Gandhi. Apart from acting, Jayati also is a trained Odissi dancer and performed shows across India and the globe, including an European tour under the auspices of ICCR . She has worn several awards including the most inspiring artiste at the Grahamstown Festival .
Sid Makkar
Nargis Wadia – Additional Jury member
SID MAKKAR is a Mumbai based actor having worked in films, television, web series and on stage. Sid has been part of international films like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the popular cult series on Netflix Sense8, and the independent Australian film Save My Legs. DusTola, Straight, Turning 30 and the cult film Luck by Chance directed by Zoya Akhtar are some of the Hindi Films he has worked in. His web series include the popular Vikram Bhatt produced Spotlight. His stage work includes the lavish production Zangoora at the Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon. His choice of work has usually been offbeat and edgy including the TV series Dariba Diaries currently showing on Netflix India. NARGIS WADIA was the first woman to launch a full–service Advertising Agency in India – Interpub, and in its 3 decades under her ownership, Interpub was known for providing a fertile environment for young talent. Interpub won over 70 awards, in every category – press, film, radio, TV, pop, ‘Innovation in Media’, etc. Mrs Wadia was also a Founder Member & Chairperson of Media Monitoring Services which preceded the establishment of Media Research Users Council. In 1991, she became President of The Press Guild of India. In 1996, Mrs. Wadia was appointed as the first Secretary General of MRUC- Media Research Users Council. Nargis Wadia is the mother of late filmmaker Riyad Wadia in whose memory the Riyad Wadia Award for Emerging Indian Filmmaker has been instituted at KASHISH by Wadia Movietone.
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KASHISH 2018 – Student Shorts Jury
Jeroo Mulla
Irene dhar malik
Harish Iyer
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JEROO MULLA was formerly the Head of the Social Communications Media Department, Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai where she taught film appreciation and supervised student documentaries for over thirty years. Currently she is visiting faculty at Sophia Polytechnic, Xavier’s Institute of Communications, Mumbai, and Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communications, Pune. She was the first recipient of the Professor Satish Bahadur Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film Studies in South Asia at the Alpaviram Film Festival at the National Institute of Design, (N.I.D.) Ahmedabad. She has served on the selection committees for various film festivals including MAMI MIFF and the International Children’s Film Festival, Hyderabad and was on the Jury for the National Awards 2010. She was also on the Jury for the Umrao Singh Sher Gill award for constructed photography in 2015. She is also an accomplished Bharatnatyam exponent, a disciple of the renowned guru Acharya Parvatikumar. IRENE DHAR MALIK is a Mumbai-based editor of documentaries, feature films and TV series. An alumnus of FTII, Pune, Irene has edited documentaries like Shivendra Singh’s Celluloid Man, Karan Bali’s An American in Madras, and Minnie Vaid’s Goal-den Girls. Her feature film work includes Onir’s I Am, Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga and Ashwini Malik’s Clever & Lonely. Her TV work includes Yashraj’s Powder, presently streaming on Netflix. Irene has recently finished editing Czechmate – In Search of Jiri Menzel, and is currently working on a documentary about the Kranti girls called Red Light Express, a documentary on Jainism, and one on Afghan war widows. Irene has been guest faculty at FTII and Whistling Woods. She also writes scripts, film reviews and short fiction.
HARISH IYER is an equal rights activist for a number of social causes. He is the only Indian national in Guardian’s list of most influential LGBT persons in the world. He is the founder of The Barabari Foundation and the Director of The Plane Jar. Through these organizations he furthers the cause of youth involvement in reducing violence. He is a renowned motivational speaker and an RJ with Ishq 104.8 where he hosts The Gaydio Show. Also, he is a guest faculty in many institutes across the nation and is a visiting faculty at G N Khalsa college where he teaches Radio and Television for media students.
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KASHISH 2018 AWARD CATEGORIES
Best Narrative Feature The highest award at KASHISH is given to the best narrative feature. This category includes Indian and International narrative features completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2017. It carries a trophy, a gift hamper and cash award of Rs 30,000 sponsored by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares. K.F. Patil Unity in Diversity Award for Best Documentary Feature The best documentary feature award category includes Indian and International documentaries completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH. It carries a trophy and a gift hamper and a cash prize of Rs 15,000 sponsored by the K.F. Patil Charitable Trust. K.F. Patil Unity in Diversity Award for Best Documentary Short The best documentary short award category includes Indian and International documentary short films which are under 50 minutes, completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH. It carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 sponsored by the K.F. Patil Charitable Trust. Winners are also awarded a trophy, a gift hamper and a free 2 day HD shooting kit (camera, mike and one light) sponsored by Accord Equips. Best International Narrative Short International narrative short films completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premier at KASHISH compete for this award. It carries a trophy, a gift hamper and cash award of Rs 15,000 sponsored by KASHISH Arts Foundation. Best Indian Narrative Short Indian narrative short films completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH compete for this award. It carries a cash award of Rs 20,000 sponsored by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares. Winners are awarded a trophy, a gift hamper and a free 2 day HD shooting kit (camera, mike and one light) sponsored by Accord Equips. Best Performance in a Lead Role Best performance by an actor – male, female or Trans* – portraying an LGBTQ character in any of the features or shorts that are part of the competitive categories. It carries a trophy, a gift hamper and cash award of Rs 20,000 sponsored by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares.
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QDrishti Film Grant Launched in KASHISH 2016, it is an artist grant to support an independent filmmakers based in India to make their next LGBTQ‐themed film. Filmmakers of Indian narrative or documentary short films completed after January 1, 2017 and have an aesthetic vision are eligible for nomination. The winner will be chosen by jury panel who will consider not only merit of the film, but also the vision of the filmmaker. Sponsored by Lotus Visual it carries Rs.1,00,000 grant and mentorship by KASHISH Advisory Board members. Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker Instituted in memory of late filmmaker Riyad Wadia, who made India’s first gay film BOMgAY. Indian narrative and documentary short films that are the filmmaker’s first or second film completed after January 1, 2017 compete for this award that carries cash award of Rs.15,000 sponsored by Wadia Movietone, a trophy, a gift hamper, and a free 2 day HD shooting kit (camera, mike and one light) sponsored by Accord Equips. Best Student Short Short films made by students of film and media schools that are completed after January 1, 2017 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH compete for this award. The award carries a cash prize of Rs.15,000 sponsored by Whistling Woods International. Winners are also awarded a trophy, a gift hamper. and a free 2 day HD shooting kit (camera, mike and one light) sponsored by Accord Equips.
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QDrishti Film Grant Supported by QDirshti Film Grant, being launched at KASHISH 2016, is an artist grant to support an independent filmmaker based in India to make his/her next LGBTQ themed film. This is in continuation of KASHISH’s commitment to nurture independent filmmakers who are making films on LGBTQ subjects under challenging circumstances. KASHISH is proud to announce a Rs.1,00,000 (Rs.One Lac) film grant to an Indian filmmaker to make their next LGBTQ themed film, which will be mentored by KASHISH Advisory Board members. This grant is sponsored by Lotus Visual. Indian films that are between 10 – 50 min in duration and have an aesthetic vision are eligible for nomination and the winner will be chosen by KASHISH 2018 Jury panel who will consider not only merit of the film, but also the vision of the filmmaker. Six filmmakers who have been nominated for this year’s QDrishti Film Grant are: Cynthia Roli Gupta, Director IDENTICAL DREAMS (2017) Cynthia (b.1996) pursued a degree in Media and Communication with a specialization in Audio Visual Production, from Symbiosis International University, Pune, India. Having realized films to be her passion and love at the age of 12, Cynthia yearns to work on films, every moment that she doesn’t. A dreamer by day, a poet by night, at the age of 20, she made her debut film, IDENTICAL DREAMS (Humshakal Khwaab). Monachan R, Director THE SEARCH (2017) Monachan R (b.1989) is a Final Year BA.Visual Design Student at Don Bosco College of Art and Design, Chennai. He made his first film – a documentary about his village, at the age of 18. In 2010, he graduated as 3D Graphics & Animation artist from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kerala and later he joined the team of ‘Ideaheavens’ as an animator where he got more field exposure that evoked him to learn more about the visual art of storytelling. In 2014 he got himself enrolled at Don Bosco College of Art and Design. By then he has already made his second short film Cube Me. THE SEARCH (Thedal) is his final year documentary project. Preet, Director GRAY (2017) Preet (b. 1986) realized his love for the art of storytelling while writing and directing plays during his high school days in Ahmadabad. After moving to Pune he joined cinema studies course and wrote and directed three PSA films and went on to directing few video songs, ads and even a documentary film. To have the better understanding of the craft, he did a photography course and also attended few workshops for screenplay writing. GRAY is his debut short fiction film.
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Siddharth Chauhan, Director PASHI (2017) Siddharth Chauhan (b.1990) is an award-winning Indian independent filmmaker from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. He was awarded the “Youth Achiever” award by Hindustan Times Group in August 2014. Chauhan has not received any professional training in this field. His films have been screened across places including Sarajevo, UK, London, US, Belarus, Indonesia, New Zealand, Italy, Canada and France. He is the youngest and the first independent filmmaker from Himachal Pradesh to have continuously taken his locally produced films outside India. PASHI is his fourth short film. Vikrant Dhote, Director AJAY (2017) Vikrant Dhote (b. 1991) is a performer, writer, budding creative producer, and more recently a filmmaker. He studied theatre at LISPA, London and has worked in the Indian theatre and film industry for a few years. Working largely with gender and sexuality, he has been awarded the Gender Bender Performance Grant 2015, Best Emerging Filmmaker at KASHISH 2016, APQFFA Best Short Film Award at Taiwan International Queer Film Festival in November 2017, and The Humsafar Trust Media Fellowship 2017. AJAY is his second short film. Vishal Vasant Ahire, Director DUALITY (2017) Vishal Vasant Ahire (b.1988) did one year Post Graduate Certificate course in TV Direction from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII) 2016-17 batch. As a true professional he is willing to take ownership of projects with minimal supervision and have the energy, persistence and resilience needed to overcome problems and resistance. Currently he is assisting renowned cinematographer and filmmaker Mr. A.K. Bir on his upcoming feature film. DUALITY (Dvita) is Vishal’s second short fiction film.
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International Poster Design Contest 2018 Wendell Rodricks, one of India’s top fashion designers, picked the poster submitted by Mumbai-based architect Ashurosh Vyas as the winner of the KASHISH 2018 International Poster Contest. Contestants were asked to creatively interpret the theme of the festival this year: Together, With Pride. The contest this year received numerous entries from all over the world. It was a keenly contested fight and one that was truly international.
Wendell Rodricks
Ashutosh Vyas
‘’This award winning poster is both graphic and bold without resorting to the literal in a detailed visual format. In a minimal, forceful and colourful message, the theme of ‘Together with Pride’ is achieved. In its simplicity and starkness with the layering, complexity, diversity and solidarity of the LGBTQ community, the poster conveys instantly what Kashish 2018 is about,’’ said Rodrciks.
Winner Ashutosh Vyas said that he was extremely happy and delighted to have won the prestigious competition ‘’It feels amazing to win, especially in something you believe in. I believe in equal opportunities for all and stand by the idea that all have right to live the way they want to. KASHISH, through this competition helped me express that. This film festival not only brings in an excellent experience with regards to its films, but also gives opportunities to art in different forms,’’ said Vyas.
The winner of the contest receives a cash prize of Rs.25,000 instituted by Wendell Rodricks and a gift hamper. The winning design is the look of KASHISH 2018 and is featured on billboards, banners, cinemas slides, delegate cards, T-shirts and catalog cover.
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Country Focus: India
My Son Is Gay 33 Indian LGBTQ Films To Screen at KASHISH 2018 India is the ‘Country In Focus’ at KASHISH 2018. Thirty three Indian LGBTQ films - comprising 6 narrative feature films, 23 narrative short films and 6 documentary short films - will be screened at the festival. “Out of the total of 140 films being shown at KASHISH, the Indian focus comprises almost 25% of the programming. Many of them are World Premieres or Indian Premieres. Indian LGBTQ films are pushing cinematic boundaries, not only in the content and story, but also in their narrative forms, as well as technical finesse. From films on bullying in colleges, to angst of coming out to oneself, to family, at workplace, to finding love and seeking parental acceptance, the films span the gamut of human emotions. What is heartening is that filmmakers are approaching the topic with diverse perspectives and more sensitive understanding,” says festival director Sridhar Rangayan. Saagar Gupta, director of programming says, ‘Every year KASHISH has a country focus where we highlight the wonderful films being done by filmmakers from a country to highlight the LGBTQ lives and issues of that country. This year with the number of fantastic films being made in India, we felt it would be most appropriate to name India as Country in Focus.”
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Noblemen directed by Vandana Kataria about bullying and homophobia in schools starring Kunal Kapoor will have its Asian Premiere at the festival. It will be play as Narrative Centerpiece film. “Noblemen’ touches upon bullying, a social evil that exists not only in our schools and colleges, but also in our homes, our workplaces, and in society at large. Set in an all boys boarding school it mirrors society’s current totalitarian drift,” says Vandana Kataria. Evening Shadows, a film by Sridhar Rangayan, about a son coming out to his mother in a small town in India will be the Closing Film of the festival. Two Indian narrative features both from South India Irattajeevitham by Suresh Narayanan and My Son is Gay (112 min, Tamil), by Lokesh Kumar - feature in the competition section for Best Narrative Feature, the highest award at KASHISH 2018. Khejdi, by Rohit Dwivedi starring popular television actor Ashish Sharma will have its world premiere at KASHISH. Onir’s feature film Shab starring Raveena Tandon and Ashish Bisht in lead roles, will screen in a prominent slot.
Noblemen
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May 23-27, 2018 Liberty Carnival Cinemas
WED 23 Opening Film
9.00 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
BEATS PER MINUTE (120 Battements Par Minute)
Dir: Robin Campillo 144 min / 2017 / France / French / Mumbai Premiere In Paris in the early 1990s, a group of activists goes to battle for those stricken with HIV/AIDS, taking on sluggish government agencies and major pharmaceutical companies in bold, invasive actions. The organization is ACT UP, and its members, many of them gay and HIV-positive, embrace their mission with a literal life-ordeath urgency. Amid rallies, protests, fierce debates and ecstatic dance parties, the newcomer Nathan falls in love with Sean, the group’s radical firebrand, and their passion sparks against the shadow of mortality as the activists fight for a breakthrough. Festivals & Honors Grand Prix Festival De Cannes, 2017 France’s César Awards, 2018 for Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Antoine Reinartz), Best Male Newcomer (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), Best Original Score, and Best Editing. Winner Best Foreign Language Film at: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), San Francisco Film Critics Circle, The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Winner Golden Peacock Award at the 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, 2017 Nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, 2017
ROBIN CAMPILLO (b. 1962) is a Moroccan-born French screenwriter, editor and film director. As screenwriter, he is known for films such as Time Out (2001), The Class (2008), Heading South (2005). In 2004, he took the plunge and directed his first feature film, Les Revenants, a French zombie film that inspired the series of the same name. His second feature film, Eastern Boys, received the Orizzonti Prize for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, and was nominated at the 2015 César Awards in the Best Film and Best director categories. In 2017, Robin Campillo created the history when his third feature, 120 Battements Par Minute won the Grand at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.
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THU 24
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 9.30 AM
Together, With Pride (FestivalTheme Package)
Six spectacular short films from across the globe, echoing the festival theme ‘Together, With Pride’ and urging the need to accept oneself. As Jane Austen said in Pride and Prejudice – “Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves...!”
MAKE A STAND (Mehua)
Dirs: Camille Aigloz, Simon Anding, Michiru Baudet, Margo Roquelaure, Diane Tran Duc, Lucy Vallin Holmes 5 min / 2017 / France / No dialogs / Mumbai Premiere Two young women are waiting to receive the greatest honor: to be sacrificed to their gods. But the sacrifice doesn’t run though normally.
KARATE
Dir: Karl Neubart 4 min / 2017 / Austria, Germany / German / World Premiere A deprecating stare on the train causes Philipp to let go of Kevin’s hand.
THE LADY THAT DANCES
Dir: Joppe Rog 5 min / 2018 / UK / English / Indian Premiere “Don’t get me wrong the battle with yourself takes time in rehearsal...” To the sound of a diversity role model volunteer and a Transman actor Ash Palmisciano’s poetry, transgender ballet dancer Sophie Rebecca elegantly moves through the frames in this honest and vulnerable portrait shaped through the combination of dance and spoken word.
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LIONS IN WAITING
Dir: Jason Karman 17 min / 2017 / Canada / English / Asian Premiere The newest member of a minor league hockey team, Ray, experiences ragging by his new teammates as he struggles to fit in both on and off the ice. Ray will have to find the courage to accept himself first—and maybe even inspire a fellow teammate.
PRUDENCE
Dir: Angela Jude 9 min / 2015 / USA / English / Indian Premiere
A dishonourably discharged World War II nurse, stricken by grief and crippling dementia, seeks out her beloved to dance with, one last time.
END-BEGINNING (Anthadhi)
Dir: Earthling Koushalya* 20 min / 2017 / India/ Malayalam
Two Souls in Love... balancing each other’s nature... in a never ending vortex of ends and beginnings! * Filmmaker in Attendance
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THU 24
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.45 AM
Documentary Shorts Competition
These, In competition, four Real to Reel films offer an up-close & personal story of lives in different parts of the world and the anguish & joy of being queer!
THE RED TREE (L’albero Rosso)
Dir: Paul Rowley 20 min / 2018 / Ireland, Italy, USA / Italian / Asian Premiere A short documentary about the little known history of Italian queer men being arrested and exiled to a remote island during Mussolini’s Fascist regime. In the film, an elderly man returns to the island of San Domino where 60 years before, during the Fascist era, he was imprisoned with hundreds of other men for being queer.
BAYARD & ME
Dir: Matt Wolf 16 min / 2017 / USA / English / Indian Premiere Openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, best known for organizing the March on Washington and advising Martin Luther King Jr., adopted his partner Walter Naegle in the 1980s for legal protections. In this intimate love story, Walter remembers Bayard and how they had to work around the system decades before gay marriage was legalized. He also reflects on the little known phenomena of intergenerational gay adoption and its connection to the civil rights movement.
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ZARA NAZAR UTHA KE DEKHO
Dir: Anindya Das* 24 min / 2018 / India / Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Panjabi / World Premiere
This documentary juxtaposes personal narratives from the queer community of their stories of cruising, against visuals of native public spaces. Through the stories emerge the different facets and complexities of urban cruising that despite the advent of the digital era, yet remains one of the most dominant ways of finding partners in the community. * Filmmaker in Attendance
BEING OKEY – WHEN LOVE IS TREATED AS A CRIME
Dirs: Nina Oppliger, Nadia Lanfranchi, Corinne Pfister 34 min / 2017 / Switzerland / English, Swiss, German / Asian Premiere Eleven years ago, a mob tried to kill Okey and his boyfriend in their hometown in Nigeria. They only narrowly escape death – yet Switzerland doesn’t grant Okey asylum. Caught between the constant fear of deportation and the hope for a safe life, Okey shares his inner strife. He hopes to live in dignity in Switzerland but his future is built on unstable ground: the answer to his new asylum request will decide the course of his life.
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Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 12.30 PM
International Narrative Shorts Competition 1
The first part of this year’s nominations for the Best International Narrative Short film award screens six films that not only span from diverse countries but also bring out the diverse stories of LGBTQ lives.
GOLDFISH
Dir: Yorgos Angelopoulos 15 min / 2017 / Greece / Greek / Asian Premiere Young Stratis’ goldfish is gay. His dad is not so gay about it!
MINDFUCK
Dir: Pierre Scot 7 min / 2017 / France, UK / English, French / Asian Premiere A famous journalist must confront his biggest fear during a kinky encounter with a dominant man.
PRE-DRINK
Dir: Marc-Antoine Lemire 23 min / 2017 / Canada / French / Indian Premiere Alexe, a trans woman, and Carl, her best friend, disrupt the boundaries of their friendship when they decide to get intimate for the first time.
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MARGUERITE
Dir: Marianne Farley 19 min / 2017 / Canada (Québec) / French / Indian Premiere For several years now, Marguerite a diabetic woman in her seventies, has been getting daily visits from Rachel, her home health nurse. Marguerite has been gradually emerging from her loneliness as she experiences moments of tenderness and sensuality under Rachel’s care, but is never able to surrender to her heart’s desire.
SUNKEN PLUM
Dirs: Roberto F. Canuto, Xiaoxi Xu* 20 min / 2017 / China, Spain / Chinese / Asian Premiere Working at a nightclub in Chengdu, a Chinese transgender woman receives an unexpected visit from her cousin, bringing the news of her mother’s demise with whom she has broken ties years ago. Being the only male in the family, she is morally obliged to return to her hometown, a village in the mountains, but not as a woman. * Filmmakers in Attendance
FOREIGN LOVERS
Dir: Timothy Ryan Hickernell 19 min / 2017 / USA / English / Asian Premiere A meditation on life and love in the digital age, telling the story of a lonely New Yorker who serendipitously meets a mysterious foreigner and sparks ignite.
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THU 24
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 2.30 PM
Boys Shorts
Can you trust your partner with everything under the sun? One of the most popular short film programs at KASHISH – Boys Shorts – returns with nine stimulating films with ‘Trust’ as the key theme.
EXPIRATION DATE
Dir: Shwenn Shunya Chang 5 min / 2017 / USA / English / Mumbai Premiere A poetic story about searching for an unexpired romance, a mélange of fantasy and innocent love.
THE JEALOUS SEA
Dir: Reid Waterer 13 min / 2018 / USA / No Dialogues / International Premiere When Carlos discovers pictures his photographer boyfriend took of a male model, he becomes engulfed in jealousy.
FISH TANK
Dir: Neal Mulani 6 min / 2017 / USA / English / Asian Premiere When Noah goes to his first hook-up with a mysterious person, he must determine if his anxieties point to a darker truth about his host for the night.
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LIVE
Dir: Joan Montesinos 9 min / 2017 / UK / English / Asian Premiere Story of a random hook-up unforeseeably gone wrong.
HIV LOVE?
Dir: Katsuhide Yamago 10 min / 2017 / Japan / Japanese / Mumbai Premiere Unlike his friend Jiu Line, Yuto has a lousy private life as he always insists his one-offs to use rubber. Today he has gone other way. His friend Jiu Line messaged him that he is tested HIV positive.
DYLAN DYLAN
Dir: Sylvain Coisne 17 min / 2017 / France / French / Indian Premiere Dylan, Yanis and Hugo’s foster son, passed away a few months ago. The couple struggles to understand each other’s emotions and dealing with their loss seems impossible.
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SLEEPOVER (Sova ร ver)
Dir: Jimi Vall Peterson 9 min / 2017 / Sweden / Swedish / Mumbai Premiere After a movie night, a causal sleepover becomes the testing ground for besties Emil and Adam as one of them has unspoken feelings for the other.
VERSATILE (Versรกtil)
Dir: Carlos Ocho 15 min / 2017 / Spain / Spanish / International Premiere Alex and Hugo have been together for a little more than six months. On a Friday night, they got pulled into discussing some pending issues about their roles in the relationship.
SPRING (Primavera)
Dir: Rafael Ruiz Espejo 12 min / 2018 / Mexico / Spanish / Asian Premiere Fernando and Jamie bunk their classes and go camping in the woods, only to learn bigger lessons.
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4.15 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas Families are always at the epicenter of drama – some joyous, some sad, some extremely funny. Six short films offering a take on how queer people’s lives are intrinsically connected with their families!
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Family Matters
THE CYCLE
Dirs: Benjamin Zhang, Dewi Tan 13 min / 2017 / USA, Singapore / Chinese, English / Asian Premiere The home coming journey of a Singaporean son, who desires his father’s acceptance of his partner, their soon-to-be born son and ultimately, himself. Through this journey, the man comes to a revelation about fatherhood and the cycle of life.
SWEET AFFLICTION
Dir: Jess Lee 8 min / 2017/ Canada / English / Asian Premiere Stacey grapples with ambiguous feelings for her elder sibling Angela, whose infatuation for an older man is creating a divide between the siblings.
THE PICK UP
Dir: Giovanna Chesler 10 min / 2018 / USA / English / International Premiere Melanie, a teen resentful of her divorcing parents and craving independence doesn’t like surprises. When Mom picks her up from swim practice and their trip gets derailed by a flat tire and a stranger, Melanie finds herself choosing a new road.
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OUT AGAIN
Dir: Robin Cloud 11 min / 2016 / USA / English / Asian Premiere Cat returns home with her new spouse Liz to share the big news. But her mother’s memory is deteriorating, so Cat has to come out over and over again.
OPEN (Khol)
Dir: Faroukh Virani 12 min / 2017 / USA / English / Asian Premiere An estranged queer son must return to his small hometown to confront his family after his father’s sudden passing.
UNINVITED (불청객)
Dir: Seung Yeob Lee 20 min / 2017 / South Korea / Korean / Indian Premiere On a weekend morning Jungho’s mom shows up at Jungho’s apartment in Seoul. Though it’s her first visit but Jungho is just not comfortable with her sudden visit.
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4.15 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
THU 24
Panel Discussion 1st Floor Foyer
COMING TOGETHER, STAYING TOGETHER Forging connections remains at the crux of any community building exercise. In this day and age, there are multiple ways of connecting with each other through the use of social media, apps, and other forms of digital technology. These avenues have been useful in creating networks, safe spaces, and structures of support, helping members to connect and look out for each other. This discussion highlights the manner in which these avenues, including venues, businesses, and organizations can enable all of this for people who identify as LGBTQI, leading to stronger networks and increased productivity within the community. Sponsored by: Delta App
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Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 5.30 PM
I AM (Ma - How Long Can Someone Live In Other’s Skin) Dir: Gokul Kunwar* 8 min /2017 / Nepal / No Dialogues / Narrative Short In the way of voyage of self discovery, he begins to realize that, in reality he is a girl trapped in a man’s body so his real true self should start living that way. * Filmmaker in Attendance
Followed by
KHEJDI
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Country Focus: Inaugural Film
KHEJDI Dir: Rohit Dwivedi* 92 min / 2018 / India / Hindi / World Premiere In a remote village of Rajasthan when a child is born to the sole Ayurvedic doctor (Baidji) of the village he decides to raise the child hidden away from the world within the walls of his house. Khejdi grows up within those walls surrounded by the Ayurvedic knowledge. But when she questions her father why can’t she live like everybody else and go outside? Baidji realizes that he can’t keep her away from experiencing the world on her own. * Filmmaker & Lead Cast in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere at KASHISH 2018
ROHIT DWIVEDI is one of the critically acclaimed directors in Indian Television industry with popular TV shows. He hails from Kanpur and has completed his graduation from Delhi University in Arts. He has been associated with Shri Ram Centre of Performing Arts aka ‘Indian National Theatre’ since 1996. Khejdi marks his directorial debut in Indian film industry.
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THU 24
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 7.35 PM
TRISTAN Dirs: Sonam Larcin, Gaspard Granier 11 min / 2017 / Belgium / French / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere Recently, Tristan and his husband had a little girl together. But when he arrives at the nursery, Tristan realizes that not everyone sees his paternity the way he does.
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MATER
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MATER Dir: Pablo D’Alo Abba 80 min / 2017 / Argentina / Spanish / Asian Premiere / In Competition Lena and Celeste love each other and desperately want to become mothers. One night, they go out looking for a sperm donor and choose a stranger to conceive their child with. That night Celeste meets Darío, a young man unhappy with his life and dominated by his overprotective mother. The event will set their lives on a different course, especially Dario’s, who will discover that he can do something for himself. Festivals & Honors Winner - Best Narrative Feature Film: Audience Award at El Lugar Sin Límites, LGBT Film Festival, Quito, Ecuador 2017 Asterisco, LGBT Film Festival, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2017 Habana Film Festival, La Habana, Cuba, 2017 Festival de Cine de Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2018
Director, Producer and Screenwriter PABLO D’ALO ABBA (b. 1975) is an alumnus of the Professional School of Cinematography at the University of Belgrano, known for his critically acclaimed debut documentary film They Come For The Gold They Come For Everything (2010) - winner of the best film in thirteen festivals in Europe and Latin America; selected and premiered at more than seventy film festivals across the continents. Mater is his first narrative feature film.
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THU 24
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 9.20 PM
A STRANGER TO MYSELF Dir: Jannik Gensler* 12 min / 2017 / Germany / German / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere Longing for tenderness and love, Ben meets up with strangers in secluded places and always ends up with more inner emptiness and self-loathing. * Filmmaker in Attendance
Followed by
TOM OF FINLAND
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Centerpiece Narrative Feature
TOM OF FINLAND Dir: Dome Karukoski 115 min / 2017 / Finnish, German, English / Finland, Sweden, Denmark Germany, Iceland, USA / Indian Premiere Touko Laaksonen, a decorated officer, returns home after a harrowing and heroic experience serving his country in World War II, but life in Finland during peacetime proves equally distressing. He finds peace-time Helsinki rampant with persecution of gay men around him, and men even being pressured to marry women and have children. Touko finds refuge in his liberating art, specializing in drawings of muscular men, free of inhibitions. His work - made famous by his signature ‘Tom of Finland’ became the emblem of a generation of men and fanned the flames of a gay revolution. Festivals & Honors Winner - FIPRESCI Prize- Göteborg Film Festival, 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, 2017 Edinburgh Film Festival, 2017 European Film Awards, 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2018 Foreign Language Official Submission (Finland) Academy Awards, 2018
DOME KARUKOSKI (b. 1976) is considered to be one of Finland’s most successful film directors, with over 30 festival awards, and having directed six feature films that have all become blockbusters in his home country, and which have also received international recognition. In 2013 Karukoski was chosen as one of the Variety’s TOP-10 Directors to Watch in the world.
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 9.30 AM
Asia Pacific Shorts
KASHISH MIQFF being the proud member of Asia Pacific Queer Film Festival Alliance showcases the Indian Premiere of five fabulous queer films from the region about searching for love and acceptance.
MATE (伴)
Dir: Liou Ai-chu 4 min / 2016 / Taiwan / Serbian / Animation Short In a mysterious country, God makes couples by binding a man and a woman with a thread. However, Wendy and Elly fell in love with each other, but Wendy was forced to give up her true love by God’s opposition. One’s love is the most precious in the other’s heart.
BLOOMING NIGHT (海上良宵)
Dir: Bell Zhang 9 min / 2017 / China / No Dialogues / Narrative Short Mesmerized by a pair of red heels, a lonely street guy in Shanghai follows its owner into an underground club, where he discovers something that challenges, yet awakens his mind.
I CAN’T
Dir: Han Jay 13 min / 2017 / South Korea / Korean / Narrative Short Se-in and Su-jin are a lesbian couple living in Seoul. The relationship between bisexual Su-jin and lesbian Se-in is frowned upon both by the society and the queer community. When their friend Kyung-chul develops feelings for Su-jin, misunderstandings between the two women lead to a major argument. Their feelings of mistrust and discontent towards each other erupt like a volcano.
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MRS MCCUTCHEON
Dir: John Sheedy 17 min / 2017 / Australia / English / Narrative Short A heartfelt short film about Tom who prefers the name Mrs McCutcheon, and is about to embark on a journey to find ‘her’ place in the world.
AFTER ERECTION
Dir: Leung Man Kei Maggie 20 min / 2017 / Hong Kong / Cantonese / Narrative Short Alan and Ben clicked right away at their first meeting. Wanting to have some intimacy both leave the party, but it being a weekend night, all the motels are busy. What follows then is a night long journey wandering through the alleys of Hong Kong and a realization that love stays forever than onenight stands.
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.45 AM
LITTLE POTATO Dirs: Wes Hurley, Nathan M Miller 14 min / 2017 / USA / English / Short Documentary / Indian Premiere / In Competition An autobiographical short documentary about a gay boy growing up in the Soviet Union, his mail-orderbride mom and their adventurous escape to America.
Followed by
BOYS FOR SALE
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BOYS FOR SALE
(売買ボーイズ , Baibai Bôizu) Dir: Itako 76 min / 2017 / Japan / Japanese / Documentary Feature / Indian Premiere / In Competition Boys are selling sex in Japan. Who is buying? In 2-chome, the red light district of Shinjuku, Tokyo, there are bars that are frequented by male patrons. 2-chome has had a historical connection to prostitution since the Edo-period which continues to this day. Nine “Urisen” speak about their experiences, about their profession, as well as how they began the work. This documentary is an illuminating look into a rarely seen world that tantalizingly shows the humanity of sex work. Festivals & Honors Fox Inclusion Award - OUTFEST, USA, 2017 Best Documentary Award - Durban Gay & Lesbian FF, South Africa, 2017 Best Feature Documentary - Queer FF Playa del Carmen, Mexico, 2017 Best Feature Documentary - El Lugar Sin Limites, Ecuador, 2017 Best LGBTQ Feature - Oxford Film Festival, USA, 2018 Queer Screen’s 25th Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney, 2018
Boys for Sale marks the debut of Japanese director-editor Itako.
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 11.00 AM – 2.00 PM
Workshop
1st Floor Foyer
ACTING WORKSHOP BY ANUPAM KHER’S ACTOR PREPARES
ACTOR PREPARES is India’s finest acting school for talented individuals who wish to pursue careers as actors and writers in the entertainment industry. Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares is privileged to be associated with KASHISH International Queer Film Festival for the 5 th year in a row! This year we bring to you a great Acting Workshop for you to understand the nuances of Acting! In this workshop we will take you through understanding and channeling emotions, use of voice and speech, understanding body language and doing some scene work through fun activities! Actor Prepares believes that Acting can be Learnt, Taught and Perfected. Come, be a part of this fun workshop and get a glimpse into this amazing art form! The Acting Workshop will be held on May 25, 2018 from 11 am to 1 pm at Liberty Carnival Cinemas. There are limited seats, so Register Now! Registration for the Acting workshop is open till THU, MAY 24, 2018 7.00 PM. No requests will be entertained after this deadline. PS: This Acting Workshop is only for KASHISH 2018 Delegates.
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12.30 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas The first part of short films made by students of media colleges across the world showcases six films with a unique and dynamic interpretation of queer life stories.
FRI 25
Student Shorts Competition 1
NAUGHTY AMELIA JANE
Dir: Risheeta Agrawal* 12 min / 2017 / Czech Republic, India / English / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A satire on the hilarious hypocrisy of society towards anything that goes against the “conventional social order of things”, told through a story of two girls who may or may not have had a connection. School / University: Prague Film School, CZECH REPUBLIC * Filmmaker in Attendance
IRIDESCENCE
Dir: Maxime Beauchamp 9 min / 2017 / Canada / No Dialogues / Experimental Short / Indian Premiere An experimental visual short film, which exposes how society needs to label a person by their sexuality. The story of an emotionally repressed abusive father and his son who struggles to accept himself and his sexuality is told by the use of stylize lighting, abstract visual and dance movements. School / University: Vancouver Film School, CANADA
IDENTICAL DREAMS
(Humshakal Khwaab)
Dir: Cynthia Roli Gupta* 20 min / 2017 / India / Hindi, English / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A conversation between two women, this film is a simple story of love. Love of the purest kind. That one can’t help but feel for someone, not based on physicality or infatuation, but a deep connect two people find in each other. School / University: SYMBIOSIS Center for Media & Communication, Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA * Filmmaker in Attendance
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ABLUTION
Dir: Omar Al Dakheel 15 min / 2017 / USA / Arabic, English / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere Everyday Waleed washes his disabled dad Khaled, for prayer, as a part of their religious obligation. But, when Khaled suspects his son’s love interest, he’s torn between accepting him or living on his own and unable to pray. School / University: USC School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles, California, USA
MATHIAS
Dir: Clara Stern 30 min / 2017 / Austria / German / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere Mathias is transgender. Although he is more than sure about his decision, he still has to find his way in his new identity and especially in his new job. And also his relationship with his girlfriend seems to have changed due to the transition. Mathias tries to figure out what’s best for him. School / University: Vienna Film Academy, Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts, AUSTRIA
CHAMP
Dir: Tomislav Vujcic 30 min / 2017 / Germany / German / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere Mike’s biggest wish is to become a mixed martial arts champion. After his involuntary outing, Mike has to face an even bigger fight: the fight for his dignity, recognition and respect. School / University: Ruhrakademie, Schwerte , GERMANY
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2.30 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas With the support of one’s parents, one can win the world! Nine amazing short films about parental acceptance, or sometimes the struggle to find acceptance – from Germany, Philippines, Canada and six films from this year’s ‘Country in Focus - India!’
FRI 25
Together With My Child
LOVE. NO BOUNDARIES
Dirs: Monisha Ajgaonkar, Archana Thapliyal* 2 min / 2017 / India / Narrative Short / English On her wedding day, a young bride looks apprehensive. A call from her mother finally soothes her nerves. * Filmmakers in Attendance
SAFT
Dir: Daniel Sanchez Lopez 8 min / 2017 / Germany / German / Narrative Short / World Premiere Saft plays in between drama and comedy, in the middle of a secret revelation that will shake the foundations of a German family.
THE SEARCH (Thedal) Dir: Monachan R* 19 min / 2017 / India / Tamil / Short Documentary
A documentary about the journey of two women, one in search of self-rediscovery and one driven by unparalleled love; but voiceless in patriarchal society. Both Sudha and her mother experience the ugly prejudices against transgender people and their family. * Filmmaker in Attendance
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IN THIS FAMILY
Dir: Drama Del Rosario 13 min / 2017 / Philippines / English / Short Documentary / Indian Premiere In a country imbued with traditional religious views, coming out is received with disapproval and anger, especially from one’s own family. Beyond coming out, the film speaks about how parents learn to embrace their children unconditionally.
PEARLS
Dir: Shelley Thompson 9 min / 2017 / Canada / English / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere Don’s mother Miranda realizes her son Donald can only become the woman she is, by defying her father and leaving their farm, in an outfit Miranda provides that includes a much-loved heirloom.
IT’S OK PAMMI!
Dir: Riya Kulkarni* 15 min / 2017 / India / English, Hindi, Panjabi / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A daughter of a well-to-do, modern Punjabi family confesses to her mother about her lesbian partnership. Next on cards is the mother’s struggle to make peace with her daughter’s coming out of the closet, and her desperate attempts at denial that lead to both humour and humiliation for the whole family. * Filmmaker in Attendance
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ANKAHEE
Dir: Sreejoni Nag* 6 min / 2017 / India / Urdu, Hindi / Narrative Short / World Premiere A story about the strained relationship between a father and a son, and the forgiveness that is yet to be taken and given. This student film from FTII, Pune features late veteran actor Tom Alter as father. * Filmmaker in Attendance
THE RED DRESS (Red Wali Dress)
Dir: Manoj Mathew* 3 min / 2017 / India / English, Hindi / Narrative Short A casual conversation between a mother and daughter turns out to be an important moment of truth. * Filmmaker in Attendance
BABY STEPS Dir: Joyeeta Chatterjee* 19 min / 2017 / India / English, Hindi / Narrative Short
A heartwarming story exploring a mother son bond, as they unravel their life choices and work towards acceptance - together with pride. * Filmmaker in Attendance
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 4.15 PM
Girls Shorts
From the touch of tenderness to the rugged makeovers, from the cautious crushes to the jealousy of lover, from fitting into the bath tub to the telekinetic powers – this collection of nine splendid stories of longing and belonging from the other side of Venus will leave you enchanted long after the screening.
SPARK
Dir: Aharonit Elior 6 min / 2017 / USA / English / Animation Short / Indian Premiere A lonely girl finds someone to spark her flame.
ARIDAI
Dir: Igor Luna 8 min / 2017 / Spain / Spanish / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere An age-old fable retold to strengthen the bonds of intimacy and love.
DUO IMPACTO
Dirs: Molly Harding,Miranda Everingham, Alexandra Nagy 8 min / 2017 / Cuba / Spanish / Documentary Short / Mumbai Premiere A short documentary shining a light on the work done by Anna and her partner who by performing female to male drag, challenge gender expectations and spread acceptance in their rural community in Havana.
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WAFFLES
Dir: Foster Wilson 5 min / 2016 / USA / English / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere The morning after a no-strings one-night stand, Gina learns via e-news articles and her early-morning Facebook feed, that the woman lying beside her might literally be the enemy.
JOEY
Dir: Helen Wright 10 min / 2016 / UK / English / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere A sci-fi short about a young woman with telekinetic powers going out on the queer scene for the first time.
MADร LUZ - COMING OUT OF THE DRESSING ROOM (Madรก Luz - Saindo do Camarim)
Dir: Bruna Trigueiros Lins 8 min / 2017 / Brazil / Portuguese / Narrative Short / World Premiere In a world where women are only allowed to eat strawberry ice-cream, and men, chocolate; Madรก Luz, an aspiring actress, has to make a difficult decision that could affect her career.
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TASTE OF LOVE
Dir: Paul Scheufler 5 min / 2017 / Austria / English / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A girl embarks on an aromatic journey of love, stimulating her taste buds to the various forms love can take on.
AMA
Dirs: Emilie Almaida, Liang Huang, Mansoureh Kamari, Julie Robert, Juliette Peuportier, Tony Unser 4 min / 2015 / France / English / Animation Short / Mumbai Premiere 1950: On the coast of Japan, an American woman is visiting a village with her military husband and a group of friends. Breaking away from the group, she meets with Namiko, a young ama fisherwoman.
A FINAL TRUTH
Dir: Samuel Gridley 11 min / 2017 /UK / English, German / Narrative Short / World Premiere On her 60th birthday Elga reminisces about a past love with her doctor, only to finally admit the real ending to the story she’s been hiding for years.
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4.15 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
FRI 25
Panel Discussion 1st Floor Foyer
THE BUSY-NESS OF FILMMAKING The world of independent filmmaking is strewn with stories of challenges and triumphs. This panel will explore the joy and anxieties of what goes into the process of independent filmmaking – from funding to production to distribution – highlighting the challenges faced, more so with LGBTQ themed films, and ways by which they have been addressed.
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 5.30 PM
MY SON IS GAY
(En Magan Magizhvan) Dir: Lokesh Kumar* 105 min / 2017 / India / Tamil / Mumbai Premiere / In Competition In this moving humanist melodrama, Varun comes out to his best friend’s mother. When the news reaches his own mother Lakshmi, she rejects it, in disbelief that the perfect son she so adores could ever be gay. What follows is a portrayal of the entrenched prejudice that the LGBTQ community still face in India today. With Section 377, the law criminalizing same-sex relationships, currently under review by the courts, this is a timely and important take on queer rights and a test of a mother’s love for her son. * Filmmaker in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere - Indian Film Festival of Melbourne North American Premiere - NewFest, New York’s LGBT Film Festival Indian Premiere - Dialogues, Calcutta International LGBT Film & Video Festival Chennai International Film Festival Rajasthan International Film Festival Winner - Best Film - 2nd Indian World Film Festival, Hyderabad qFlix Philadelphia -The LGBTQ+ Film Festival Winner – Best of Out & Loud - Pune International Queer Film Festival Nitte International Film Festival, Mangaluru
LOKESH KUMAR is a Writer, Director, Producer with his indie production house called ‘Beyond The Limit Creations’. Inspired by attending various film festivals, he has made some short films which helped him in learning the craft and the business of filmmaking in depth. This 27 year old with a very clear vision on both, commercial and festival market, considers filmmaking as a transformational tool; hence his films focus on various social issues and for that purpose, he does intensive research on the subject at hand. My Son is Gay, his long-awaited debut feature film is a path-breaking & very important Tamil language film from India.
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7.35 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
FRI 25
SHAB Dir: Onir* 108 min / 2017 / India / Hindi / Asian Premiere This film is about lives of people who live on the edge of what society finds acceptable. It is about coming to terms with oneself and accepting other people as they are. The film is set in the cosmopolitan city of Delhi where people from all over the country come to fulfill their dreams. For some, these dreams are realized, while others remain in an endless pursuit of other elusive dreams. Perhaps it is the hope of ultimately reaching that destination that keeps one going. And then there are others who surrender to the overwhelming power of the city of dreams and get lost in the maze. * Filmmaker & Lead casts in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere - New York Indian Film Festival, 2017 Closing Film - Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, 2017 River to River Indian Film Festival in Florence, Italy, 2017 Winner - Mithoon (Best Music), Ashish Bisht (Best Debutant) - Asiavision Movie Awards, Dubai
Onir is an Indian film director, editor, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his film My Brother... Nikhil, based on the life of Dominic d’Souza starring Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri. He won the National Award for the best Hindi film I Am in 2011. I Am also considered as one of the first and largest crowd funded and crowd sourced film through social network in India. The film dealt with single motherhood, child sexual abuse, displacement and LGBT rights. Onir has been a great supporter of KASHISH since the very first year of the festival.
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FRI 25
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.00 PM
XAVIER Dirs: Giovanni Coda 8 min /2017 / Italy / English, French / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere A celluloid allegory of love and loss narrated by the lover of the young police officer Xavier JugelĂŠ who lost his life in the terror attack at Champs-ElysĂŠes Avenue in Paris on April 20, 2017.
Followed by
SHADOWLANDS
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SHADOWLANDS Dir: Charlie David 88 min / 2018 / Canada / English / Narrative Feature / Asian Premiere KASHISH alumnus filmmaker Charlie David returns to the festival with his latest film which he wrote, directed and starred in! Shadowlands is an anthology style film that explores love in three separate stories set in 1928, 1951 and 2018 - a couple renegotiating a relationship, a narcissist grasping to comprehend it, and star-crossed lovers mourning its loss. Festivals & Honors World Premiere – Centerpiece Film - qFLIX Philadelphia Philadelphia, USA MIX México: Festival de Diversidad Sexual en Cine y Video Mexico City
CHARLIE DAVID (b. 1980) is a storyteller; the mediums for his stories are books, audiobooks, webseries, documentaries and films. He is a familiar face in LGBT media. He was first known as the male lead in the LGBT horror series Dante’s Cove and has hosted shows many successful shows on E! Television, NBC, OutTV, LOGO, here! TV and his travel series Bump which shot over 100 episodes around the world and garnered a Hugo Television award. He has also appeared as a musical guest on VH1, BBC, CBS and dozens of radio shows. A love of storytelling led Charlie to start Border2Border Entertainment Inc., a production company whose film and television credits include Mulligans, Judas Kiss, Positive Youth (all three screened at KASHISH 2014), PolyLove, I’m a Stripper, Studlebrity, Balls, I’m a Porn Star and I’m a Porn Star: Gay4Pay.
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 9.30 AM
Best of Iris
Indian Premiere of four films that are the best of the best LGBTQ shorts in the world, which won the top awards at Iris Prize Festival that offers the highest short film prize in the world - the prestigious £30,000 Iris Prize, supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation. KASHISH is proud to be a partner festival of Iris Prize that has been now known as the Short Film Oscars!
ÉTÉ (One Summer)
Dir: Gregory Oke 19 min / 2017 / UK / English Set in the idyllic green hills of Herefordshire, against a soundtrack of vintage French rock, One Summer tells the story a frustrated young sheep shearer and his growing attraction to a colleague.
WE LOVE MOSES
Dir: Dionne Edwards 19 min / 2017 / UK / English When Ella was 12, she had her first fight. And when she was 12, she discovered sex. Years later, Ella reflects on how her obsession with her brother’s best friend Moses left her with a secret she still carries.
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ODD JOB MAN
Dir: Marianne Blicher 22 min / 2017 / Denmark / Danish The story of an older man who gets fired from his job and is promptly left by his wife. His search for new opportunities takes him into a sparkling and colourful world of drag queens and cabaret, but does he dare to seize the moment and pursue a dusty dream?
MOTHER KNOWS BEST
(Mamma Vet Bäst)
Dir: Mikael Bundsen 13 min / 2017 / Sweden / Swedish After introducing her to his boyfriend, an anxious teenager faces the awkward car journey home with his mother. Filmed in one continuous take, the conversation that follows is funny, uncomfortable and touching in equal measure.
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.45 AM
Queering India 1
A package of six narrative short films from India made by emerging and experienced filmmakers, each bringing out a fresh take on LGBTQ lives and loves.
PEHCHAAN
Dir: Chirag Khatri* 15 min / 2017 / Hindi / Mumbai Premiere Suraj and Chandu have been best friends since their childhood. With age, their friendship has seen itself only fester into a bond; but both remain at the two ends of this relationship. * Filmmaker in Attendance
BIRDS OF PARADISE
Dir: Rahul M M* 10 min / 2018 / Malayalam / World Premiere / In Riyad Wadia Award Competition The film travels through a day in the life of three transgenders, set against the binary and the morality of the society. * Filmmaker in Attendance
DUALITY (Dvita)
Dir: Vishal Vasant Ahire* 15 min / 2017 / Hindi / Mumbai Premiere / Nominated for QDrishti Film Grant Rajjo, a member of the Hijra community works as a chef to earn the living. During few random encounters, Rajjo develops a crush on a girl but realizes neither his community nor the world outside approve of his existence. * Filmmaker in Attendance
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THE TWO COMPANIONS (অন্তরালে অনন্যা)
Dir: Nilimesh Kar* 18 min / 2017 / Bengali / Mumbai Premiere / In Riyad Wadia Award Competition Based on O Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi’, the film revolves around Antara, a typist and Ananya, a BPO employee during the period of modern recession and demonetization. It explores the realm of unspoken unadulterated love which goes beyond the reach of materialism. * Filmmaker in Attendance
KHWAAISH
Dir: Sumit Pawar* 8 min/ 2017 / No Dialogues / Mumbai Premiere A dream love story set in the busy streets of Mumbai giving the glimpses of the city life during monsoons. * Filmmaker in Attendance
COVER STORY
Dir: Suhail Abbasi* 2017 / 13 min / English, Hindi / World Premiere / In Riyad Wadia Award Competition Randeep, a successful advertising executive, is in turmoil as his boss Neeraj, dismisses a same-sex ad film idea proposed by his junior colleague Rashi. He senses a deep sense of homophobia and sets into deep introspection about his own preferences. * Filmmaker in Attendance
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 12.30 PM
Matters of Heart
A short films package of seven passionate stories portraying the varied emotions of love!
SHUDO
Dirs: To-Anh Bach, Charles Badiller, Hugo Weiss 2 min / 2015 / France / No Dialogues / Animation Short / Indian Premiere Two Samurais face one another on a battlefield ravaged by war. Absorbed by their pride, they clash in a duel fuelled by deep emotions.
ASTRI AND TAMBULAH
(Si Astri Maka Si Tambulah)
Dir: Xeph Suarez 19 min / 2017/ Philippines / Tagalog / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere Astri, a trans-woman is in a relationship with Tambulah. They subsist on the coins people throw at them when they perform their traditional dance at the sea. Everything is perfect, except that Sama Badjao traditions and a pact made long ago, require Astri to marry a woman she hardly knows.
AMIGAS WITH BENEFITS
Dir: Adelina Anthony 11 min / 2017 / USA / English, Spanish / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere An elderly bride-to-be, Lupita is finally living her truth and is on the verge of marrying her love, Ramona. But on their special day, an uninvited guest rudely disrupts the ceremony.
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MONOGAMISH Dir: Nardeep Khurmi 13 min / 2017 / USA / English / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere Cooper is eager to take his relationship to the next level, but when his boyfriend floats the idea of an open relationship, he has to re-examine previous expectations of what “love” really looks like.
MAGIC’ 85
Dir: Annika Kurnick 25 min / 2017 / USA / Narrative Short / International Premiere 1985, Los Angeles - during the height of the AIDS epidemic, Gabriel, a closeted hospice worker takes in a new patient - Trevor, a homophobic man dying from the disease. In the days before Trevor’s death with the help of Gabriel’s plant medicines, together they confront the virus that looms so large over both their lives.
NEVER (Mai)
Dir: Marta González 8 min / 2017 / Spain / Catalan, Spanish / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere On a village bench, three old ladies discuss the arrival of a mysterious pair of girls.
HARD WAY - THE ACTION MUSICAL
Dir: Daniel Vogelmann 33 min / 2017 / Germany / English / Musical Short Jake loses his best friend Zach in a S.W.A.T. operation near Detroit. Eight months later Jake and his team are trying to get “The Mother” – the terrorist responsible for Zach’s death. While singing and dancing, they fight their way through their enemies.
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 12.30 PM – 2.00 PM
Interactive Meeting
1st Floor Foyer
MEET THE ‘SWEEKAR’ PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP Born as an offshoot of an Indian gay feature film’s crowd-funding, ‘Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents’ is a support group for parents of LGBTQ children.. It already has about 40 members, pan India. KASHISH is delighted to collaborate with ‘Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents’, a support group of parents of LGBTQ persons, and facilitate an interaction between the parents who have accepted their LGBTQ children, and those who want to find help in reaching out to their parents.
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SAT 26
ABU Dir: Arshad Khan* 80 min / 2017 / Canada, India, Israel, Pakistan, Palestine, State of Saudi Arabia, United States / Urdu, Hindi, Panjabi / Urdu language version - Asian Premiere
Centerpiece Documentary Feature
2.30 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
Abu is a journey to the centre of a fragmented family while they grapple with religion, colonialism, sexuality and migration. A deeply personal story of self-discovery and familial reconciliation, the film explores a tapestry of narratives composed of family footage, observation and classic Bollywood films, taking its viewers through the tense relationships between family and fate, conservatism and liberalism and modernity and familiarity. * Filmmaker in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere - LA Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA 2017 Frameline Film Festival, San Francisco, USA 2017 BFI London Film Festival London, UK 2017 Jury Prize Best Documentary Feature -Twist Seattle Queer Film Festival, USA 2017 Dharamshala International Film Festival, Himachal Pradesh, India 2017 Jury Prize Best Documentary - Vancouver Int’l Film Festival, Canada 2017 Prix du Public - Image + Nation LGBTQI Film Festival, Canada 2017 Audience Choice Award Best Documentary - River to River Florence Indian Film Festival 2017 Winner Best Documentary - New York Indian Film Festival 2018
ARSHAD KHAN (b. 1975) is a director, writer, producer, production designer, film curator and film educator with several short and long form film credits in fiction and documentary. He has worked on Deepa Mehta’s film Midnights Children (2012), designed productions such as the CanadianPunjabi feature Sardarji (2015) and the short Case Claus’d (2015) and recently finished his short film Valery’s Suitcase (2016). Khan is the director of award-winning documentaries such as Zen (2012) and Threadbare (2008). Khan is currently developing two fiction feature films. Khan is an advisor and programmer for several film festivals around the world and the director of Canada’s premier South Asian film festival MISAFF.
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 4.15 PM
LOL
A package of three fun shorts that might put a smile on your face and smile is just the beginning of laughter. So have a good laugh and brightens up your weekend ahead !!
FOXY TROT
Dir: Lisa Donato 15 min / 2018 / USA / English / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere One partner leads while other follows – that is the essence of a perfect ballroom dance move and also of a perfect relationship! A married lesbian couple takes ballroom dance lessons in a hetero-normative class.
MEN DON’T WHISPER Dir: Jordan Firstman 22 min / 2017 / USA / English / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere After being emasculated at a sales conference, Reese and Peyton decide the only way to regain their confidence and prove their masculinity is to be with some women. When they meet fellow conference attendees Beth and Dominique, it seems like a perfect match. Unfortunately sealing the deal is easier said than done.
THE MARRIAGE (El Casamiento)
Dir: Víctor Quintero, Sergio Rey 26 min / 2017 / Spain / Spanish / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere Today is the most important day in the lives of Suso and Ricard as they’re going to get married. Both of their families are delighted with the marriage. Well, not all: Adela, Suso’s grandmother, will be present at the dinner, but unaware that, what’s being celebrated, is her grandson’s wedding day.
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4.15 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
SAT 26
Panel Discussion 1st Floor Foyer
TOGETHER, WITH PRIDE 10 activists from the LGBTQ community in India and Canada, who are involved in Pride Marches, will take centre stage at this conversation. By responding to the question “How do Pride Marches empower the community in your city/town?�, each would speak about the pride in their city, and provide insight into the context in which they operate, challenges faced, and trajectory of their respectively organized Marches. Sponsored by: Consulate General of Canada, Mumbai
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 5.30 PM
(S)HE, THE DUAL (Irattajeevitham)
Dir: Suresh Narayanan* 103 min / 2017 / India / Malayalam / Mumbai Premiere / In Competition Sainu and Amina were thick friends when they were kids and this attraction between the two had grown irresistibly making them inseparable. But, there was one major hitch. Inside Amina was a man. As they slipped into adolescence, this reality became a stark and unbearable one. One day, Amina disappears from home and her whereabouts are unknown. Sainu is reluctantly married off to a local guy. But, almost ten years later, a stranger, a man, appears at the village. He is Adraman, who is none other than Amina who had undergone a sex change surgery to release the man inside her. * Filmmaker in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere - Bangalore Queer Film Festival 2018
SURESH NARAYANAN (b. 1971) has been a social activist and documentary filmmaker for many years. He has directed a hand full of documentary films on different socio-political issues. Thirudappetta Jananayakam, a documentary in Tamil on the denial of democracy of people of Idinthakarai, near the Koodamkulam atomic reactor, is his last documentary he has co-directed with Yamini Parameswaran. Irattajeevitham is his narrative feature debut.
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SAT 26 Centerpiece Narrative Feature
7.35 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
NOBLEMEN Dir: Vandana Kataria* 108 min / 2018 / India / English / Asian Premiere It is winter in a prestigious all boys’ boarding school, where children continue to practice age-old rituals and codes bound by years of hierarchy. Shay is picked on constantly, the main perpetrators being Arjun, the tall athletic sports captain, and his best friend Baadal. Shay and Pia, the spunky daughter of the new Junior School Principal are cast as Bassanio and Portia in the Founder’s Day production of Merchant of Venice. Murali, the charismatic drama teacher unknowingly adds salt to Baadal’s wounds by casting him as Shay’s understudy. Indignant, Baadal vows to get Shay’s part at any cost and turns to his buddy Arjun for help. Events take a sinister turn when Shay walks in on Arjun, Baadal, and their cronies on a debauched night. * Filmmaker & Lead casts in Attendance Festivals & Honors World Premiere - New York Indian Film Festival 2018 Winner - Ali Haji (Best Child Actor) - New York Indian Film Festival 2018
VANDANA KATARIA graduated from the National Institute of Design. She began her career in films as a production designer working on films such as Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), Shanghai (2012), and Detective Byomkesh Bakshi (2015). She was selected to be a part of the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2016, and directed the music video Jungli Sher for Indian rap sensation DIVINE, shot entirely on an iPhone 6S in the same year. Vandana has in the past also directed television commercials and is making her debut as a writer and director with a feature length film titled Noblemen.
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SAT 26
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.00 PM
BODY ELECTRIC (Corpo Elétrico) Dir: Marcelo Caetano 94 min / 2017 / Brazil / Portuguese / Narrative Feature / Indian Premiere / In Competition New to Sao Paulo, Elias divides his days between working in a cloth factory and fleeting encounters with other men. As the end of the year approaches, work intensifies, and he finds himself increasingly trapped within the factory. With limited free time, he attempts to etch his place in new social circles and to assert the possibility of new relationships. Festivals & Honors World Premiere: IFF Rotterdam 2017 Best Feature Film in Premio Maguey - Guadalajara IFF 2017 Special Mention by the International Narrative Jury - Outfest Los Angeles LGBT FF 2017 Feature Film Jury Special Mention - Queer Lisboa IQFF 2017 Asian Premiere: Hong Kong IFF 2017 TWIST Seattle Queer FF 2017 Iris Prize FF 2017 Best Direction on a Feature Film Award (Marcelo Caetano) - ZINEGOAK Bilbao Int’l LGBT FF 2018
MARCELO CAETANO (b. 1982) directed the short documentary Bailão (2009) and two short fictions: By Your Side (2011) and Verona (2013), both presented in Rotterdam and screened in Clermont-Ferrand, Indie Lisboa, Montreal. He worked as co-writer and assistant director in Anna Muylaert’s Don’t Call Me Son ; assistant director and actor in Gabriel Mascaro’s Neon Bull (2015) and Hilton Lacerda’s Tattoo (2013). He was casting director in Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Aquarius (2016). Body Electric is his first feature film as director.
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9.30 AM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas A short documentary package bringing three real-to-reel portraits of ordinary people, offering enlightenment about relationship, parenting and aging.
SUN 27
Lives Extraordinary
AFTER PARTY
Dir: Viktor Zahtila 22 min / 2016 / Croatia / Croatian / Indian Premiere After Party is a documentary film that follows the last days in a relationship between two men who decided to film their separation and work through issues left unresolved.
SUNUNÚ: THE REVOLUTION OF LOVE
(Sununú: La Revolucion Del Amor)
Dir: Olivia Crellin 25 min / 2017 / UK, Ecuador / English, Spanish / Asian Premiere Trans dad Fernando Machado became an international news sensation when he announced that he was pregnant by his transgender girlfriend Diane Rodriguez. Sununú: The Revolution of Love offers an intimate portrayal of this remarkable couple and their six-week-old baby as they balance parenthood and political activism in Ecuador
OLDER THAN WHAT? Dir: Steen Starr 13 min / 2017 / Canada / English / Indian Premiere
Aging has a tendency to fade people out of the picture. Older Than What? brings LGBTQ elders sharply back into focus with humour, frankness, wit and charm. Twelve seniors respond to ten questions about aging, and share stories about how they made history.
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SUN 27
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 10.45 AM
THE MESS HE MADE Dir: Matthew Puccini 10 min / 2016 / USA / English/ Narrative Short / Asian Premiere Jude spends 15 minutes waiting for the results of a Rapid HIV Test.
Followed by
Followed by
FATHERS
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FATHERS Dir: Palatpol Mingpornpichit 96 min / 2016 / Thailand / Thai / Indian Premiere Phoon and Yuke are in a relationship for 13 years. They have adopted a son, Butr, who has been abandoned in an orphanage, but due to the lack of legislation for samegender wedding, Phoon appears as his only father, on paper. The family is very happy, but the fathers have not explained their situation to their son, a decision that creates many problems when Butr is old enough to attend elementary school. And if that was not enough, Rattiya, a social worker of the Children’s Rights Protection Organization gets involved, questioning the idea of Butr growing up in a family without a feminine presence, and even tracks down his actual mother, who wishes to be a part of his life now. The ‘Fathers’ have to make a decision that would be the best for their son. Festivals & Honors International Premiere: Hong Kong LGFF 2016 Cinemasia Film Festival, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2017 OUTFEST Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival, USA 2017 26th Rainbow Reel Tokyo - Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Japan 2017 Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Canada 2017 QCinema International Film Festival, Quezon City, Philippines 2017
PALATPOL MINGPORNPICHIT (b.1991) is a Thai film director, graduated from the Faculty of Communication Arts, Bangkok University in Film Major. Being a film director has been his lifetime inspiration since he was a child. In 2013 he made his directorial debut with Present Perfect Continuous Tense – a romantic drama which was also an on-screen comeback of MewLalita Panyopas, one of the most famous female actors in Thailand. In the following year (2014), Palatpol was nominated the Best New Filmmaker by the Bangkok Critics Assembly award. Fathers is second feature film. Currently, he works as the Assistant Vice President at Marcom Communications, GMM Grammy PCL.
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SUN 27
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 12.45 PM
LANGUAGES Dir: Debadrita Bose 29 min / 2018 / India / Bengali / Narrative Short / World Premiere Shankar’s family does not know why he has lost his job. Shankar is caught up between looking for a new job and his own contemplation. His daily life is dotted with financial crisis and the awkwardness of being unemployed. Amidst all these things, strange illusions come to him. He realizes that he cannot anymore communicate with the world around him. Produced by KASHISH Arts Foundation under the QDrishti Film Grant, sponsored by Lotus Visual. Followed by
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The most anticipated package of KASHISH every year, Indian Masala Mix brings together the Best of Indian LGBTQ films of the year. The first part brings the Mumbai Premiere of three Indian narrative short films In Competition, underlining the silent intricacies of queer lives.
Indian Masala Mix 1
TRITIYA Dir: Vishnu Prasad 16 min / 2017 / Malayalam A revelation about his roommate takes Sandeep on a journey. What proceeds is nothing but metanoia.
AMAR PREM Dir: Mujeer Pasha 12 min / 2018 / English Amar and Prem call their relationship quits and choose to be friends. Soon, loneliness rekindles longing. Can they go back?
GRAY Dir: Preet 30 min / 2018 / Hindi, English Nandini is married to Rohit, a closeted gay man. Zoel, Rohit’s partner, is an artist and aware of Nandini’s suffocation. When Rohit plans to have a kid through IVF, so that Nandini will get busy in her life and it may release him of his guilt too, opposite to Rohit’s expectations; Zoel feels disgusted and discards Rohit’s intention of managing his life between him and Nandini.
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SUN 27
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 2.45 PM
Indian Masala Mix 2
The second part of Indian Masala Mix 2 strings together two In Competition short Indian films by two KASHISH alumni filmmakers exposing the complexities and vulnerabilities in human relationships that is sure to make one ponder long after the curtains go down. It’s Mumbai Premiere for both the films.
AJAY Dir: Vikrant Dhote 20 min / 2018 / Marathi, Hindi, English After a young boy commits suicide, an NGO decides to investigate the matter by interviewing the people connected to his death. These are excerpts from their archives.
PASHI Dir: Siddharth Chauhan 32 min / 2017 / Hindi, Pahari dialect A young boy learns about a technique of trapping birds from his old grandmother and starts practicing it.
SUN 27
Liberty Carnival Cinemas | 4.15 PM
Panel Discussion Auditorium
INTERFACE WITH EMERGING FILMMAKERS In its continuing efforts to spotlight work of emerging filmmakers, KASHISH brings together emerging filmmakers whose films are being screened at KASHISH. The conversation will also highlight the trials and tribulations, as well as the intense passion and joy of these filmmakers, who have gone against the grain to make these amazing LGBTQ films. Sponsored by: Wishberry
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SUN 27 Closing Film
9.30 PM | Liberty Carnival Cinemas
EVENING SHADOWS Dir: Sridhar Rangayan 102 min / 2018 / India / Hindi / Mumbai Premiere While gay rights and marriage equality has been embraced by most countries, a small town in Southern India lives within a cocoon of traditions and social morality. In such a milieu when a young gay man Kartik, comes out to his mother Vasudha, her entire world comes crashing down. She has no one to turn to dispel her fears and doubts, to understand her loving son’s truth. Festivals & Honors World Premiere: QueerScreen Mardigras Film Festival, Sydney, Australia 2018 Indian Premiere: Bengaluru International Film Festival, India 2018 ‘Free To Be Me’ Award - Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2018 OUTFEST Fusion- LGBTQ People of Color Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA 2018 ‘Celebration of Courage’ Award at OUT HERE NOW: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival, USA 2018
SRIDHAR RANGAYAN (b. 1962) wears many caps – of a filmmaker, writer, activist and festival director. He has consistently strived to give a voice to social issues in India through his films, writings and public speaking for over two decades. His award winning films The Pink Mirror, Yours Emotionally, 68 Pages, Project Bolo, Purple Skies and Breaking Free present hard-hitting social issues with warmth, compassion and humor; and are at the forefront of India’s emergent queer cinema movement. His film Breaking Free won the National Award for Best Editing (non-fiction) and was also selected for the prestigious Indian Panorama by Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India. He has served as Jury for prestigious film festivals such as Berlinale (Germany), Mardi Gras (Australia), OUTFEST (USA), Iris Prize (UK) and Movies That Matter (Netherlands).
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May 25-26, 2018 Metro INOX
2.00 PM | Metro INOX
FRI 25
ARTICLE 18
(Artykuł Osiemnasty)
Dir: Bartosz Staszewski 75 min / 2017 / Poland, UK / Polish, English / Documentary Feature / Asian Premiere / In Competition Article 18 is a full-length documentary film, aiming to explain why Poland has failed to introduce same-sex marriage law. Despite 25 years of freedom and democracy gay and lesbian people in Poland are still struggling with discrimination, while politicians play their problems down. The title of the film refers to the article 18 of the Polish Constitution according to which marriage as institution deserves state protection as long as it is a relationship between a man and a woman. For many LGBT community opponents it is a sufficient argument for denying same sex-couples the right to formalize their relationships. Article 18 is the first LGBT movie made by crowdfunding in Poland. Festivals & Honors World Premiere - Watch Docs, Human Rights in Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland 2017 Warsaw LGBT Film Festival Warsaw, Poland 2017 Best Documentary Award - Public Choice Award for Best Documentary Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2017 LET’S CEE Film Festival Vienna, Austria 2018
Swedish director, producer BARTOSZ STASZEWSKI (b.1990) graduated from University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw. Bartosz is self-taught and his knowledge comes from a careful observation of the world around him and intuition. He has gained experience working on short films and attending the classes of veteran Polish documentary filmmaker, Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz. He began his work with visual medium through photography. He worked on the mockumentary FireFollowers (2013) with director Karolina Bregula. In 2014 he directed and cinematographed Pill Junkies that marked his feature-length film debut.
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FRI 25
Metro INOX | 3.30 PM
Student Shorts Competition 2
The second part with five dynamic student short films from European Film & Media colleges bringing their own fresh takes on Gay, Lesbian and Trans* narratives.
I’M ALEX (Soy Álex) Dirs: Itzuri Sánchez, Joss Manz 16 min / 2017 / Spain / Spanish / Documentary Short / Asian Premiere Documentary portrait of Alex, a youtuber from Barcelona with more than 30 thousand subscribers who wants to help other trans boys by sharing his experience on the social networks. His activity online discovers a relationship between building his body, and developing an online profile. School / University: UPF Barcelona School of Management (Video editing), SPAIN
AN INSTANT (Un Instante) Dir: Adrià Guxens 20 min / 2017 / Spain / Spanish / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A story about friendship, love and the importance of the small moments that endow our lives with meaning. Hugo’s life is anchored in the routine, focused on his tasks and responsibilities; while Cosmo is a free soul who lives without looking back, always going from one place to another no matter where. One summer afternoon their gazes cross by chance. School / University: Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), SPAIN
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LIBERATION (Bokser) Dir: Stefan Pellegrini 24 min / 2017 / Denmark/ Danish / Narrative Short / Asian Premiere Jane is a boxer, preparing for the championship of her life. She wants to win but it’s difficult to keep focus, as her girlfriend Tanja wants to start a family. With sudden changes in her personal life and the training escalating, Jane seems to be unable to get the firm foothold that she so desperately needs in both her life and in her career. School / University: Independent Film School of Western Denmark, Aarhus, DENMARK
IF ONLY YOU WERE (Keby si bol môj) Dir: David Benedek 23 min / 2017 / Slovakia / Slovak / Narrative Short / International Premiere Dominik is experiencing his first relationship. Adam becomes a mentor, idol and first love for him. With great feeling, there are also great uncertainties. School / University: The Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Bratislava, SLOVAKIA
CELEBRATE EILEEN! (Feiert Eileen!) Dir: Judith Westermann 25 min / 2017 / Germany / German / Narrative Short / Indian Premiere From tomorrow Eileen wants to finally start living her life as a girl. So today her best friend Ella throws a good-bye party for Eileen’s old self Leon. When no one shows up at the party, both decides to deal the situation head-on. School / University: University of Television and Film Munich, GERMANY
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FRI 25
Metro INOX | 5.30 PM
International Narrative Shorts Competition 2
The second part of the nominations for the Best International Narrative Short film award screens six LGBTQ short films that are little gems packing in powerful stories from Asia, Europe and North America
COCOON Dir: Mohammad Eskandari 11 min / 2017 / Iran / Persian / Mumbai Premiere Looking for a place to stay for the night before sex-change surgery, Solmaz faces a challenge, as a transsexual.
TIDAL Dir: Yenhsun Lee 16 min / 2017 / Taiwan / Chinese / Indian Premiere Ocean is in relationship with Tide, a sailor who regularly docks at the island where Ocean lives with his mother. Ocean is happy that his mother agrees to let him go sailing with Tide, but Tide has been concealing a secret.
NO MORE WE Dir: David Färdmar 15 min / 2018 / Sweden / Swedish / Mumbai Premiere Adrian and Hampus agreed to break up, but have to live through their last week together, before the final day arrives. For Hampus it’s a total relief to break up from their destructive relationship; for Adrian it’s devastating.
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OASIS
Dir: Alejandro Zuno 16 min / 2017 / Mexico / Spanish / International Premiere Ofelia goes to a men-only bar looking for her husband. Tonight she will not only find affliction but an unexpected company that will bring her some peace.
THE THINGS YOU THINK I’M THINKING
Dir: Sherren Lee 15 min / 2017 / Canada / English / Asian Premiere
A black male burn-survivor and amputee goes on a date with a regularly-abled man. After the bar, they go back to his apartment, where he faces his demons as he attempts to experience intimacy for the first time since his accident, ten years ago.
SKAI BLUE Dir: Guido Verelst 18 min / 2017 / Belgium / English / Mumbai Premiere
When Tom met Simon, a Cameroon refugee, on a dating app - it sounded like a long cherished dream being fulfilled for both. However, Tom realizes that this relationship is having a huge impact on his own life, and is forced to make a difficult choice.
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FRI 25
Metro INOX | 7.00 PM
Trans Tales
With the focus on Trans people across the globe - a mix package of seven thought-provoking short narratives and documentaries about accepting oneself and also about being accepted by others.
SHE Dir: Thibault Llonch 3 min / 2015 / France / No Dialogues / Animation Short / Indian Premiere In her bedroom, a little girl is sulking.
FOR A CHANGE ()לשם שינוי Dir: Keren Nir 4 min / 2017 / Israel / Hebrew / Animation Short / Indian Premiere Ofer is a transgender man struggling with his developing body and discovering feminine attributes while searching for self-acceptance.
MAYA (Майя) Dir: Aleksei Ivanchenkov 14 min / 2018 / Russian Federation / Turkish / Short Documentary / Indian Premiere Maya keeps fighting for her right to be a woman officially. She deals with her insecurities, fear of uncertainty and the society’s hostility without losing her faith and optimism. Will Maya’s dream come true?
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THE VOID (Hükmü Yok)
Dir: Asya Leman 13 min / 2017 / Turkey / Turkish / Short Documentary / Indian Premiere A docu-drama presenting trans and queer experiences to shed light on the conflict generated by mandatory presentation of the ID (card) in most basic bureaucratic procedures.
MUM, I’M BACK (Μαμά, γύρισα) Dir: Dimitris Katsimiris 5 min / 2017 / Greece / Greek / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere A woman returns, after 40 years, to the village where she was born to attend the funeral of her mother.
THE QUEEN Dir: Joel Jairus Ravindran 3 min / 2017 / Sri Lanka / No Dialogues / Narrative Short Random voices chase a transgender as she gets ready to reach a place.
LADY EVA Dirs: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu 11 min / 2016 / USA, Tonga Islands / English, Tonga / Short Documentary / Mumbai Premiere A brave young transgender woman sets off on a journey to become her true self in the conservative Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga – with a little inspiration from Tina Turner along the way. Followed by
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A YEAR IN TRANSITION Dir: Lorne Clarkson 70 min / 2017 / USA / English / Documentary Feature / Asian Premiere / In Competition An intimate, affirming documentary following a 20-year-old Arab-American trans man in his first year of transition as he comes out, begins taking hormones, goes through gender confirmation surgery, and finds his place in the trans community. The film is based out of Ypsilanti, MI including other transmasculine people in the Metro Detroit area. The goal of the documentary is to show a positive story of transition aimed at a young trans audience. A Year in Transition is also unique in that the Director/Producer is a trans man who is a member of the community that is represented in the film. Festivals & Honors World Premiere - Desperado LGBT Film Festival, Phoenix, Arizona, USA 2018 Queer Leeds Film Festival, UK 2018 Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival, Texas, USA 2018
LORNE CLARKSON is a gay transgender filmmaker and advocate from Ypsilanti, MI. Lorne currently lives in NYC and is developing two creative projects, a queer/trans theater troupe and a new documentary that will focus on homeless transgender youth. Lorne holds a degree in cinematography from Columbia College Chicago and is the founder of Flagless Production, LLC.
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9.00 PM | Metro INOX
FRI 25
CENTER OF MY WORLD
(Die Mitte der Welt)
Dir: Jakob M. Erwa 115 min / 2016 / Germany, Austria / German, English / Indian Premiere After a summer away at camp, Phil returns home to find that his mother and twin sister aren’t speaking to one another. Not willing to confront his family during the last days of the summer holidays, Phil escapes to hang out with his best friend, Kat, eating ice cream and playing dress-up. As the school year begins, a new student arrives – the handsome and mysterious Nicholas. Smitten, Phil watches his crush as he runs around the track after school, and is thrilled when Nicholas returns his feelings. However, when first love’s volatility comes to light, Phil realizes he must deal with the problems of his past, in order to deal with the issues of his present. Festivals & Honors World Premiere: Munich IFF 2016 International Premiere: Moscow IFF 2016 Italian Premiere: Giffoni FF 2016 North American Premiere: Montreal World FF 2016 Spanish Premiere: LesGaiCineMad FF 2016 Best Feature Film (ex-aequo) - Florence Queer Festival 2016 Audience Award – Hamburg International Queer Film Festival 2016 Best Young Adults Film – Filmfestival Marburg 2016 Best Actor (Louis Hofmann) – Filmkunsttage Sachsen-Anhalt 2016 US Premiere: Palm Springs IFF 2017 Audience Award - Reelout FF 2017 Audience Favourite Feature Award - Fairy Tales Queer FF 2017 Special Mention + Director’s Award - Out Film CT, 2017 Audience Award for Favorite Foreign Language Film - ReelQ Pittsburgh LGBT FF 2017
JAKOB M. ERWA (b. 1981) is an Austrian director, screenwriter, film producer. He actually wanted to be a rock star but then, in June 2001, he started his studies at the University of Television and Film Munich, which he completed in February 2007. His movie Heile Welt received the Diagonale award for the best Austrian feature film in 2006/07 and the German Independence Award at the Oldenburg International Film Festival for the best German movie.
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Metro INOX | 11.00 AM
HALF A LIFE Dir: Tamara Shogaolu 12 min / 2017 / USA, Egypt / Arabic, English / Documentary Short After a traumatic encounter, a young Egyptian man joins the LGBT rights movement. When his safety is jeopardized, he must choose whether to stay in the country he loves or seek asylum elsewhere.
Followed by
Followed by
SIDNEY & FRIENDS
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SIDNEY & FRIENDS Dir: Tristan Aitchison 75 min / 2017 / UK, Kenya / English, Swahili / Documentary Feature / Asian Premiere / In Competition When his family tries to kill him, Sidney, an intersex, flees to Nairobi where he meets a group of transgender friends. Together, they fight discrimination and discover life, love and self-worth. SIDNEY & FRIENDS is a heartfelt exploration of the hopes, dreams, and everyday reality of a group of intersex and transgender friends fighting to survive on the edge of Kenyan society. Sidney and his new friends share what it is like to grow up and live as a gender minority, in a region known for prejudice and discrimination against its LGBTI population. Filmed over 4 years, they reveal the secrets of their struggles with poignancy and sometimes also humour. The premise is simple: it’s about gender, friendship… and love. Festivals & Honors World Premiere – BFI Flare London LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2018 Translations: 13th Seattle Transgender Film Festival Seattle 2018 Winner - Best Documentary - Transgender Film Festival Kiel, Germany 2018 Winner - Best Film - Festival Internacional de Cinema Social de Catalunya, Manresa, Spain 2018
TRISTAN AITCHISON (b.1979) is a self taught filmmaker and photographer from the Northern Highlands of Scotland. He has an interest in documenting social issues. His award-winning short film about elder abuse, Care (2013), won Best Artistic Direction at La Guarimba International Film Festival and screened at twenty other international film festivals. He helped establish and run the BFI Film Academy Highlands and Islands, nurturing the next generation of creative talent. Sidney & Friends is his first feature and also documentary.
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SAT 26
Metro INOX | 12.45 PM
Queering India 2
The second set of Queering India is a mix package of six short films, offers an observation on the tests and turmoils in day to day lives of LGBT people in different parts of India, through the prism of emerging Indian filmmakers.
GREY Dir: Amritanshu 22 min / 2017 / Tamil / Documentary Short / Mumbai Premiere Grey explores the Transgender community of Tamil Nadu to understand how it ensures its survival; while focusing on the thriving activism present within the community that displays a bold approach towards gender issue in our society.
BLEEDING HEARTS Dir: Harshit Pachauri 13 min / 2017 / English / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere Bowing down to her family’s pressure, Shikha tries to find a middle path by arranging to get married with a gay man. But this challenges the understanding between her and her partner Isha.
ANOTHER DAY (Rozana) Dir: Raj Rishi More 10 min / 2017 / No Dialogues / Narrative Short / Mumbai Premiere An abstract from a woman’s life who is trapped in the institution of marriage and tries to find solace in the memories of her past. These memories hold a secret that she has never shared with anyone. But how long can she endure it?
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IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK
Dir: Leena Manimekalai 30 min / 2016 / Tamil, English / Documentary Short / Mumbai Premiere This documentary follows the journey of two friends Smile and Glady - looking for a rental apartment in Chennai and the obstacles and social stigma they encounter in not just looking for a home but being single and the fact that they are transgender women
THE NOTION
Dir: John Thimothy 13 min / 2018 / Canada, USA / Malayalam, English / Narrative Short / World Premiere Former NSG Commander and Mumbai Terror Attack survivor unexpectedly committed suicide after 9 years. His wife, a famous writer, is reluctant to provide information to authorities.
GULABI! Dir: Hardik Sadhwani 10 min / 2017 / Bengali, Hindi / Narrative Short Manish and Shri indulge in a life-changing game of Kabaddi at school. Years later, they’re still playing the same game. Only this time, they’re on the same side, battling the odds.
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Metro INOX | 2.45 PM
AIR
(Luft) Dir: Anatol Schuster 91 min / 2017 / Germany, France / German / Asian Premiere / In Competition Manja’s love for the fiercely independent Louk hits her hard and fast – literally and figuratively. Their first encounter in the woods behind Manja’s apartment block is a collision, with Louk knocking a surprised Manja to the ground. But she then exchanges a soft kiss of thanks for Manja, not giving her position away to her pursuers. It develops into a devotion to the rebellious girl that will see the studious Manja do things she wouldn’t normally do in order to be close to and take care of the achingly lost Louk, whose mother is no longer around and father might as well not be. Air is a delicate film with nuanced performances from its two leads and a surprising depth at its heart. Festivals & Honors World Premiere: Filmfest München Munich, Germany 2017 Special Mention - Festival des deutschen Films Ludwigshafen, Germany 2017 Nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Production - Michael Ballhaus Award & No Fear Award (First Steps) - Der deutsche Nachwuchsfilmpreis Berlin, Germany 2017 International Premiere: BFI Flare Film Festival London, UK 2018 Leeds Queer Film Festival Leeds, UK 2018
ANATOL SCHUSTER (b. 1985) studied directing at the University of Television and Film in Munich. He realized various experimental short films and worked as 2nd assistant director for Edgar Reitz. Besides he works as a freelance editor and director. His mid-length fiction A Perfect Place, his first production with wirFILM, won the award ‘Dialogue en perspective’ at the International Film Festival Berlin in 2015. Air is his degree film and his feature debut.
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SAT 26 Centerpiece Documentary Feature
4.30 PM | Metro INOX
DREAM BOAT Dir: Tristan Ferland Milewski 92 min / 2017 / Germany / German / Indian Premiere Once a year, the Dream Boat sets sail - a cruise only for queer men. Far from their families and political restrictions, we follow five men from five countries on a quest for their dreams. The cruise promises seven days of sunshine, love and freedom - but on board are also their personal stories, their doubts and uncertainties. Festivals & Honors World Premiere: Panorama section - Berlinale, Germany 2017 Nominated for LILI Awards - MIX Copenhagen 2017 Nominated for Arri Amira Award - Dok.fest München 2017 Nominated for Documentary Music Award at Dok.fest München 2017 International Premiere: Sheffield Doc/Fest, UK 2017 Torino LGBT Film Festival, Italy 2017 Seoul PRIDE Film Festival, South Korea 2017 Taiwan International Queer Film Festival, Taiwan 2018 DocPoint Tallinn, Estonia 2018 Tempo Documentary Festival, Sweden 2018
TRISTAN FERLAND MILEWSKI (b.1969) studied photography and film design at the FH Dortmund and has worked as a director since 1993. He has made numerous documentaries for MTV and VIVA. In 2008 he founded his own production company, Übervater Filmproduktion. He regularly lectures in documentary, story development and dramaturgy. His documentary series Make Love - Liebe Machen Kann Man Lernen, which he both wrote and directed, was nominated for a Grimme Online Award. His latest film Dream Boat screened as part of the Berlinale Panorama section.
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Festival Team Festival Director Sridhar Rangayan
Director of Programming Saagar Gupta
Director of Communications Shibu Thomas
Director of Operations Pearl Daruwala
Finance Controller & Registration Coordinator Chandresh Mehta
Catalog Program Notes Saagar Gupta
Hospitality & Guest Coordinator Aroon Nair Social Media Coordinators Tanvi Talwar Sumit Pawar Theater Administrator Aaron D’Souza Metro INOX Venue Manager & Jury Coordinator Juhi Rajpal Production Coordinator Harshada Patil Administrative Assistant Parikshit Sethe
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Catalog Design Yogesh Jahagirdar Website Design Sandeepan Kumar Website Editor Shibu Thomas Technical Advisors Abhijeet Rao Harvi Arora ... and the entire bunch of our wonderful Volunteers!
Friends of KASHISH KASHISH thanks the following individuals who made a financial contribution to the festival this year towards the crowdfunding campaign. Every contrition is greatly appreciated.
Anshuman Das Rainbow Star Vincent & Shalini Harjani Rainbow Star Anonymous Gold Star Animesh Bahadur Gold Star Devdutt Pattanaik Gold Star Parag Pradhan Silver Star Sydney Fernandes Silver Star Joe Zachariah Violet Star Mayuresh Tapale Violet Star Omesh Masand Indigo Star Anonymous Indigo Star Pallav Patankar Indigo Star Umang Sheth Indigo Star Abhay Kulkarni Indigo Star Anonymous Blue Star Vidya Phadnis Blue Star Balachandran Ramiah Blue Star Jerry Johnson Blue Star Anand Pendharkar Blue Star Sunil Shingwani Blue Star Vrishanke-Keinan Aryen Blue Star Ashish Pandya Blue Star Praveen Rai Blue Star Khurshed Vazifdar Blue Star Anonymous Blue Star Sushil Narayan Kharade Blue Star Piyush Upadhyay Blue Star V S Blue Star Anonymous Blue Star Ivan John Blue Star Piyush Khatreja Blue Star Aruna Desai Blue Star Jay Shah Blue Star Pratap Paralkar Blue Star Anonymous Green Star Anonymous Green Star Dhruv Ambegaokar Green Star Qgraphy Yellow Star Raj Pandey Yellow Star Anonymous Yellow Star Anonymous Yellow Star
Suvojoy Sengupta Priyanka Agarwal Ashutosh Vyas Andrea Kuhn Pranav Joshi Ankit Bhuptani Husain Attar Darshil Sh Maitreya Patankar Sagar Ved Anonymous Anonymous Pawan Dhall
Yellow Star Yellow Star Yellow Star Yellow Star Orange Star Orange Star Orange Star Orange Star Orange Star Orange Star Red Star Red Star Red Star
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Festival Partners & Associates KASHISH is grateful to our corporate sponsors, businesses and organisations who have supported to make this year’s festival happen. Our heartfelt thanks to all of them.
KASHISH 2018 Principal Partner
KASHISH 2018 Associate Partners
KASHISH 2018 Supporting Partners
KASHISH 2018 Award Partners
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KASHISH 2018 Presented by
KASHISH 2018 Organized by
KASHISH 2018 Venue Partners
KASHISH 2018 Industry Partners
KASHISH 2018 Community Partners
Printing Partner
PR Partner
Technical Partner
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List of Films Narrative Features (S)He, The dual (Irattajeevitham) 84 Air (Luft) 108 Beats Per Minute (120 Battements Par Minute) 37 Body Electric (Corpo Elétrico) 86 Center Of My World 103 Evening Shadows 93 Fathers 89 Khejdi 51 Mater 53 My Son is Gay (En Magan Magizhvan) 70 Noblemen 85 Shab 71 Shadowlands 73 Tom of Finland 55 Documentary Features Abu 81 Article 18 (Artykuł Osiemnasty) 95 Boys for Sale (売買ボーイズ) 59 Dream Boat 109 Sidney & Friends 105 A Year in Transition 102 Documentary Shorts After Party 87 Bayard & Me 40 Being Okey – When Love Is Treated As A Crime 41 Duo Impacto 66 Grey 106 I’m Alex (Soy Álex) 96 In This Family 64 Is It Too Much To Ask 107 Lady Eva 101 Little Potato 58 Maya (Майя) 100 Older Than What? 87 The Red Tree ( L’albero Rosso) 40 The Search (Thedal) 63 Sununú: The Revolution of Love (Sununú: La Revolucion Del Amor) 87
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The Void (Hükmü Yok) 101 Zara Nazar Utha Ke Dekho 41 Animation Shorts Ama 68 Expiration Date 44 For A Change ( )לשם שינוי100 Half A Life ( )نصفُ حياة104 Make A Stand (Mehua) 38 Mate 56 She 100 Shudo 78 Spark 66 Experimental Shorts Iridescence 61 The Lady That Dances 38 Taste of Love 68 Indian Narrative Shorts Ajay 92 Amar, Prem 91 Ankahee 65 Another Day (Rozana) 106 Baby Steps 65 Birds of Paradise 76 Bleeding Hearts 106 Cover Story 77 Duality (Dvita) 76 End-Beginning (Anthadhi) 39 Gray 91 Gulabi! 107 Identical Dreams (Humshakal Khwaab) 61 It’s OK Pammi! 64 Khwaaish 77 Languages 90 Love. No Boundaries 63 The Notion 107 Pashi 92 Pehchaan 76 The Red Dress (Red Wali Dress) 65 Tritiya 90
The Two Companions (অন্তরালে অনন্যা) 77 International Narrative Shorts Ablution 62 After Erection 57 Amigas with Benefits 78 An Instant (Un instante) 96 Aridai 66 Astri And Tambulah (Si Astri Maka Si Tambulah) 78 Blooming Night 56 Celebrate Eileen! (Feiert Eileen!) 97 Champ 62 Cocoon 98 The Cycle 47 Dylan Dylan 45 Été (One Summer) 74 A Final Truth 68 Fish Tank 44 Foreign Lovers 43 Foxy Trot 82 Goldfish 42 Hard Way - The Action Musical 79 HIV LOVE ? 45 I Am - Ma (How Long Can Someone Live In Other’s Skin) 50 I Can’t 56 If Only You Were Mine (Keby si bol môj) 97 The Jealous Sea 44 Joey 67 Karate 38 Liberation (Bokser) 97 Lions in Waiting 39 Live 45 Madá Luz - Coming Out of the Dressing Room (Madá Luz - Saindo do Camarim) 67 Magic’ 85 79 Marguerite 43 The Marriage (El Casamiento) 82 Mate Mathias 62
Men Don’t Whisper 82 The Mess He Made 88 Mindfuck 42 Monogamish 79 Mother Knows Best 75 Mrs McCutcheon 57 Mum, I’m Back (Μαμά, γύρισα) 101 Naughty Amelia Jane 61 Never (Mai) 79 No More We 98 Oasis 99 Odd Job Man 75 Open (Khol) 48 Out Again 48 Pearls 65 The Pick Up 47 Pre-Drink 42 Prudence 39 The Queen 101 Saft 63 Skai Blue 99 Sleepover (Sova Över) 46 Spring (Primavera) 46 A Stranger To Myself (Mir Selbst So Fremd) 54 Sunken Plum 43 Sweet Affliction 47 Tidal 98 The Things You Think I’m Thinking 99 Tristan 52 Uninvited (불청객) 48 Versatile (Versátil) 46 Waffles 67 We Love Moses (Best British Short) 74 Xavier 72
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WED 23
THU 24
FRI 25
SAT 26
27
Documentary Shorts Competition (Short Film Package) 87min
10.45 AM
Queering India I (Short Film Package) 78min
THE MESS HE MADE 10min
Best of IRIS (Short Film Package) 71min
Lives Extraordinary
12.30 PM
2.30 PM
Students Shorts Competition I (Short Film Package) 103min
1st Floor Foyer: Panel Discussion : Networking for LGBTQ community
Family Matters (Short Film Package) 60min
4.15 PM
2.45PM Indian Masala Mix II
1st Floor Foyer: Panel Discussion : Together, with Pride
1st Floor Foyer: SWEEKAR - The Rainbow Parents interaction
12.45PM LANGUAGES 30min +
LOL (Short Film Package) 62min
Centerpiece Matters of Heart (Short Documentary: ABU Film Package) 108min 81min
1st Floor Foyer: Panel Discussion : The Busy-ness of Filmmaking
Together With My Child Girls Shorts (Short Film Package) (Short Film Package) 82min 60min
International Narrative Boys Shorts Shorts Competition I (Short Film Package) (Short Film Package) 88min 102min
1st Floor Foyer: 11.00AM Anupam Kher's An Actor Prepares' Acting Workshop
LITTLE POTATO 14MIN + Asia Pacific Shorts (Short BOYS FOR SALE Film Package) 62min 76min
Together,With Pride (Short Film Package) 59min
9.30 AM
IRATTAJEEVITHAM 103min
MY SON IS GAY 111min
I AM 8min + KHEJDI 93min
5.30 PM
KASHISH 2018 ‐ SCREENING SCHEDULE ‐ LIBERTY CARNIVAL CINEMAS (MAY 23‐27, 2018)
7.30PM
Centerpiece Feature: NOBELMEN 109min
SHAB 108min
TRISTAN 11min + MATER 80min
7.00pm OPENING CEREMONY
7.35 PM
9.30PM Closing Night Feature
BODY ELECTRIC 93min
SHADOWLANDS 88min
XAVIER 8min +
9.20PM A STRANGER TO MYSELF 12min + TOM OF FINLAND 115min
9.00pm Opening Night Feature BEATS PER MINUTE 145min
10.00 PM
SUN 27
FRI 25
SAT 26
Lives Extraordinary (Short Film Package) 57min
Narrative Shorts
Narrative Features
Documentaries
Filmmakers Interface
2.45PM Indian Masala Mix II (Short Film Package) 51min
12.45PM LANGUAGES 30min + Indian Masala Mix I (Short Film Package) 62min
HALF A LIFE 14min + SIDNEY & FRIENDS 76min
11.00 AM
Narrative Shorts
Documentaries
4.30 PM Centerpiece Documentary: DREAM BOAT 92min
Schedule subject to change, without prior notice, at the discretion of the festival
Narrative Features
2.45 PM AIR 91min
Allied Events
Trans Tales International Narrative (Short Film Package) Shorts Competition II CENTER OF MY WORLD 51min (Short Film Package) 115min + A YEAR IN TRANSITION 73min 70min
Students Shorts Competition II (Short Film Package) 107min
ARTICLE 18 75min
9.00 PM
5.30 PM
7.00 PM
9.30PM Closing Night Feature EVENING SHADOWS 102min
3.30 PM
Allied Events
7.30PM CLOSING & AWARD CEREMONY
2.00 PM
Queering India II (SFP) 98min - IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK (Docu), GREY Queering India II (Docu), (Short Film Package) 98min
BLEEDING HEARTS, ANOTHER DAY, THE NOTION,
12.45 PM
KASHISH 2018 ‐ SCREENING SCHEDULE ‐ Metro INOX (MAY 25‐26, 2018)
+ FATHERS 96min
THE MESS HE MADE 10min
1st Floor Foyer: Panel Discussion : Together, with Pride
1st Floor Foyer: SWEEKAR - The Rainbow Parents interaction
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