KASHISH 2024 Festival Catalog

FESTIVAL VISION

KASHISH Pride Film Festival (earlier known as 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.

Since its debut in 2010, KASHISH has emerged as South Asia’s and India’s biggest LGBTQIA+ 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.

Apart from exhibiting LGBTQIA+ films during its annual festival, KASHISH also has been instrumental in taking Indian LGBTQIA+ films across the world, offering these films distribution, and also producing sensitive LGBTQIA+ content through film grants.

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, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and non-binary persons. KASHISH uses local, national and international platforms to advocate and sensitize the larger public about LGBTQIA+ issues.

KASHISH strongly believes in bringing together the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ experiences through films and discussions, and enable an equitable society for every LGBTQIA+ individual to live with dignity.

FESTIVAL BACKGROUND

Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBTQIA+ Film Festivals in the world, KASHISH Pride Film Festival is South Asia’s biggest queer film Festival and the first LGBTQIA+ 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 LGBTQIA+ 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 since 2010 to 2016 was organized by Solaris Pictures and co-organized by The Humsafar Trust. Since 2017, KASHISH is organized by KASHISH Arts Foundation, in association with Solaris Pictures.

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.

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 LGBTQ+ 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. KASHISH Forward has held over 50 screenings in colleges across India, not only in Metro cities, but also Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Considering the need for conversations around LGBTQ+, KASHISH Rendezvous is a one-and-a-half hour customized program of films and discussions for corporate companies. The films and discussions will be a window into the broad spectrum of the lives of LGBTQ+ colleagues. Besides sensitizing the audience to the issues of LGBTQ+ persons, it will show that their lives are no different from their own. KASHISH has been actively holding screenings, alongwith panel discussions, over the past two years to several corporate houses,

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 favorites in the previous edition, are programmed at these events to offer a glimpse of the Best of KASHISH. Best of KASHISH was also been released on Disney+Hotstar, MX Player and LesFlicks (USA) and GagaOoLala (Taiwan).

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 110 international film festivals around the world.

A day long film festival showcasing the best Regional language LGBTQ+ films from across India. This initiative was launched in January 2017 as part of Mumbai Pride events, and was held every year till 2019. This year in January 2024, it was held as a two-day event and showcased 37 Indian LGBTQ+ films in regional languages like Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Panjabi, Urdu and Sanskrit.

KASHISH Forward

KASHISH Rendezvous

Best of KASHISH

KASHISH Chalchitra Utsav

KASHISH Initiatives

KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant is an initiative to encourage LGBTQ+ storytelling, especially to bring about greater visibility of South Asian LGBTQ+ narratives. This grant, sponsored by Lotus Visual Productions (a UK/India based production company) was launched in 2016 and has supported production of 10 films already. From 2021 onwards, the grant is specifically given to LGBTQ+ identifying filmmakers.

KASHISH We Care Fund was launched in 2020 to offer resources to LGBTQ+ focused community based organizations, to assist them in reaching out with help to the LGBTQ+ community, specially the trans* community, during the COVID pandemic. KASHISH has extended this support to 8 organizations across India under this initiative.

To organize a screening at your college, office, city or event, write to us at partners.kashish@gmail.com

KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant

KASHISH We Care Fund

KASHISH ORGANIZERS

KASHISH Pride Film Festival is presented by KASHISH Arts Foundation, alongwith 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, transgender persons and other sexual minorities. Every year KASHISH Arts Foundation presents its flagship event KASHISH Pride Film Festival (earlier known as 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. Since 2018 the trust also launched KASHISH Chalchitra Utsav, a regional language LGBTQ+ film festival. In 2020, the organization launched KASHISH We Care Fund, offering monetary support to other community-based organizations working with LGBTQ+ communities.

SOLARIS PICTURES

Solaris Pictures is the only Indian film production company focused on producing, distributing and exhibiting LGBTQ+ films. Its award winning films Evening Shadows, Breaking Free, Purple Skies, 68 Pages, Yours Emotionally!, Project Bolo and Gulabi Aaina (The Pink Mirror) have screened at more than 300 film festivals across the world and won more than 35 international awards. They have laid the foundation for the nascent Indian LGBTQ+ film movement. Solaris Pictures founded KASHISH Pride Film Festival in 2010 and has been the one of main organizer of the festival for the past 15 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 last production Evening Shadows has been a big success garnering 27 awards and more than 82international film festival screening. It had a limited theatrical release and streamed on Netflix for 3 years. Solaris Pictures’ latest production, a sequel to Evening Shadows titled Kuch Sapney Apne, will be screened at KASHISH 2024.

Welcome Note

We can’t believe that KASHISH is celebrating its 15th edition! We have come so far, despite the many challenges, and even having braved the pandemic years without ever pausing. To mark this historic year, we decided to change the name of the festival from KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival to KASHISH Pride Film Festival, because we support Pride in all its hues and shades, and we want to step beyond being a local film festival. The new logo designed by brilliant designer-duo Inder & Arif, with the butterfly splendid in its trans-inclusive rainbow colours, symbolize our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the truest sense.

The theme of KASHISH 2024: Unfurl Your Pride, is an invitation for everyone to unfurl their own vision of what pride means to them, whether they are from the LGBTQ+ community, or their extended families of parents, friends, colleagues and allies. It promises to be a celebration of everyone’s pride.

We are thrilled to present an amazing collection of 133 LGBTQIA+ films from 46 countries, with 31 films from India, many of them feature-length films! It reaffirms our position as India’s and South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival. And to showcase all of them on the big screens is a joy in itself.

We are happy to have the continued support of many of our regular partners, but also some new companies who are backing us at this year’s festival. Without them and each one of our audience members support, this festival cannot happen at the scale we envision.

Come to Liberty Cinema, Alliance Française de Bombay & Cinepolis Andheri West, and enjoy watching the films with your friends, families and allies; share the joy of meeting and networking; and ‘Unfurl Your Pride’.

Sridhar Rangayan Founder Festival Director

KASHISH FESTIVAL PATRON

SHYAM BENEGAL

Shyam Benegal is an iconic Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977) he was part of a new genre, which started the movement for Alternate cinema. His films Mandi, Junoon, Trikal, Sardari Begum, Zubeida are also considered masterpieces. Benegal was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976, the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and in 2007, he was awarded the highest award in Indian cinema for lifetime achievement, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi seven times.

KASHISH ADVISORY BOARD

ARUNARAJE PATIL

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 girl technician to join the industry. Some of her features are Shaque, Gehrayee, Situm, Rihaee, Bhairavi, Keh Do Na and Tum. Apart from teaching, she has been part of decision-making bodies in many film schools. She has served on many juries including National Film Awards and has been a strong voice for documentaries. She has won 5 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

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 – in almost every English daily and periodical of that time. She has been a Communications Consultant for numerous Corporate Houses. 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, which has been running for twenty years. And between all this, she juggles her time with NGOS. Among others, currently she is the national coordinator for Laadli Girl Child Campaign media award.

Meghna Ghai Puri is the President of Whistling Woods International. Promoted by filmmaker Subhash Ghai, Mukta Arts Limited & Film city 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. She has been associated with key businesses in the Indian entertainment industry through prominent projects including the ambitious stage celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema – Cinema 100.

ONIR

Onir is an Indian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter and editor. He is best known for his films My Brother...Nikhil and I Am which won the Indian National Film awards for Best Film (Hindi). Born as Anirban Dhar in Samchi, Bhutan, Onir received a scholarship to study film editing at SFB/TTC in Berlin. He later returned to India and worked as an editor, scriptwriter, art director, music album producer and song/music video director. Together with Sanjay Suri, Onir started Anticlock Films, a production company that concentrates on promoting young directors and new ideas. His last release was Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz which is currently streaming on Netflix. Onir has received the Diversity Award from Film Victoria Australia and La Trobe University at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2019.

RENUKA SHAHANE

Renuka Shahane is a popular actress in Indian theatre, television and film for the last 30 years. She is well-known for her role in the iconic Bollywood blockbuster Hum Aapke Hain Kaun?. She has received the Best Actress award for the film Aboli and the Star Screen Best Actress Awards for her roles in the TV series Imtihaan and Sailaab. Her first directorial feature film Rita was critically acclaimed, winning her the Best Director award in the 16th Nokia Star-Screen Awards 2010, and also received the best screenplay award at the 8th Pune International Film Festival, as well as the V Shantaram Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2010. Her latest feature film as director Tribhanga will be released on Netflix in 2021.

MEGHNA GHAI PURI

activist BOMgAY of Asia-Pacific news programming. In 2003, Roy switched careers by joining the World Organisation’s in Vancouver. was Bombay-based Foundation’s the United

Roy Wadia hails from the Wadia Movietone family. His brother was the late filmmaker and gay activist Riyad Wadia (Fearless: The Hunterwali Story, BOMgAY ). 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, and in 2006 joined the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control in Vancouver. From 2010-2013, he was Executive Director of Heroes Project, the Bombay-based HIV NGO under the Gates Foundation’s Avahan programme. Roy currently is with the United Nations in Denmark.

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actor, distributor 3 more mentored of including the of at mentors

Viveck Vaswani has been an entertainment industry professional for the past 42 years. He has been an actor, producer, writer, distributor and has produced 15 films, 3 TV shows and acted in more than 60 films. He has mentored a lot of talent in these 4 decades and made them successful, including Shahrukh Khan, Raveena Tandon, Aziz Mirza, Boman Irani amongst others. After being the Dean of the School of Contemporary Media at Pearl Academy for the last three years, Mr Vaswani is now Distinguished Faculty at the School of Modern Media at UPES. Mr Vaswani guides and mentors students and young adults who choose to be a part of the entertainment industry.

VIVECK VASWANI

ROY WADIA

KASHISH 2024 Awards –South Asia’s largest prize money for LGBTQ+ ��lms

KASHISH 2024 announces cash prizes of Rs.7,00,000!!!.

55 Films compete in 11 Competition categories at the festival, 5 LGBTQ+ filmmakers to pitch for KASHISH QDrishti 2024 Film Grant, and one International Poster contest.

This year KASHISH Pride Film Festival is proud to host and present the annual Best APQFFA Short Film Award, with a cash prize of USD$1000 to the best short film from the Asia Pacific region, nominated and voted for by members of the Asia Pacific Queer Film Festival Alliance (APQFFA), a network of queer film festivals from the Asia Pacific region. The nominees are from Australia, China, Hawai'I, India, South Korea and Taiwan. The award is supported by GagaOOLala, a Taiwanese OTT platform.

KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant

In its 9th year now, the path-breaking KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant, which has already facilitated production of 8 LGBTQ+ short films, offers Rs.2,50,000 to a LGBTQ+ identifying filmmaker to make their queer short film, sponsored by Lotus Visual Productions. Two runner ups stand to receive Rs.25,000 cash award each supported by noted film actress Renuka Shahne.

Best Narrative Feature

The best narrative feature award category includes Indian and International narrative features completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the KASHISH Arts Foundation.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature

The best documentary feature award category includes Indian and International documentary features completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the K.F.Patil Charitable Trust.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short

The best documentary short award category includes Indian and International documentary short films completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by the K.F.Patil Charitable Trust.

Best Indian Narrative Short

The best Indian narrative short award category includes Indian narrative short films which are under 60 minutes, completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by the KASHISH Arts Foundation. Additionally all nominated directors & two lead actors receive free subscription for IMDB Pro for a year, supported by IMDb.

The best international short award category includes international narrative short films which are under 60 minutes, completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 sponsored by the GagaOOLala (Taiwan).

All the films in all the above 3 categories are eligible to compete for the Best Screenplay Award. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 instituted in the memory of distinguished Marathi scholar and writer Dr. Arvind Vaman Kulkarni. The award is instituted by his son, actor Abhay Kulkarni.

All the films in all the above 3 categories are eligible to compete for the Best Performance in a Lead Role Award. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by Samruddhi Studios.

Indian narrative and documentary short films that are the filmmaker’s first or second film completed after January 1, 2023, playing at KASHISH 2024 are eligible for nomination to this award category. It carries a certificate, an award trophy and a cash award of Rs.25,000 instituted by Wadia Movietone, in the memory of Riyad Wadia, the pioneering filmmaker who made India’s first gay film BomGay. Additionally all nominated filmmakers receive free subscription for IMDB Pro for a year, supported by IMDb.

Instituted in memory of renowned novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and filmmaker Ismat Chughta, this award is an attempt by KASHISH to acknowledge and encourage female voices in the Indian queer cinema. Indian woman filmmakers residing in India, whose first or second narrative film completed after January 1, 2023 and playing at KASHISH 2024, are eligible for nomination under this award category. The award, supported by Chughtai's grandson and filmmaker Mr. Ashish Sawhny, carries a KASHISH Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.20,000. Additionally all nominated filmmakers receive free subscription for IMDB Pro for a year, supported by IMDb.

The best student short award category includes Indian and International short films made by students of film and media schools, completed after January 1, 2023 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2024. It carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the Whistling Woods International.

All the Indian films playing at KASHISH 2024 – narrative or documentary of short film – will be considered for the Best Film on Mental Health with a cash award of Rs.25,000, supported by Keshav Suri Foundation.

The poster design contest offers a cash award of Rs.25,000 and a KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy. The winning design is used on all the KASHISH 2024 collaterals. Two runner-up receive Rs.10,000 & Rs.5000 each alongwith a certificate.

KASHISH 2024 NARRATIVE JURY

Barun Sobti is a popular and celebrated actor, with a career spanning over a decade across Television, OTT and Films. He has been part of critically acclaimed shows such as Asur, Kohrra, The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family, widely popular TV shows like Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, Dill Mill Gayye, and films such as Main aur Mr Riight, Tu Hai Mera Sunday.

KIRAN RAO

Kiran Rao is a Mumbai-based film director and producer with Kindling Pictures. She started her career working on films such as Lagaan and Monsoon Wedding, and went on to produce Peepli Live, Delhi Belly, Dangal and Secret Superstar, among others. Her first feature as director was Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) which was produced by Aamir Khan Productions. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 and had a worldwide theatrical release in 2011. Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) is her second feature. She is also a co-founder of Paani Foundation, a nonprofit company that is working towards water security, and sustainable and profitable agriculture in Maharashtra.

SONALI KULKARNI

Sonali Kulkarni is an award winning actor, who has been working for over two decades in various languages such as Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Marathi and Italian films. She has bagged many national, regional and international awards for her strong portrayals. Her filmography includes celebrated films like Mission Kashmir, Dil Chahta Hai, Taxi 9211, The Good Road etc. and web series like The School of Lies, Mumbai Diaries, Whistleblower, etc. She has a strong readership base through various newspaper columns and magazines. She has published a book titled ‘Sokul’ which is a compilation of her articles in the popular newspaper, Indian Express Loksatta.

BARUN SOBTI

KASHISH 2024 DOCUMENTARY JURY

Kavita Bahl is a multiple award winning documentary filmmaker based in Mumbai, India. She has thrice received the National Film Award for her feature length documentariesCotton For My Shroud (2011), Candles In The Wind (2013) & I Cannot Give You My Forest (2014). She specializes in production of non-fiction content, since the last 25 years. Kavita is also the co-founder of Top Quark Films, and Quark Workshops (a skill-building & mentoring platform for filmmakers)- along with Nandan Saxena (DoP & Director).

PUSHPENDRA SINGH

Pushpendra Singh is an award winning filmmaker whose latest film, Laila Aur Satt Geet (The Shepherdess and the Seven Songs) which premiered in the Encounters Competition at Berlin International Film Festival won the Best Director at Hong Kong Film Festival and the NETPAC Award at Jeonju Film Festival. His creative documentary, Pearl of the Desert received Golden Hejnal at Krakow Film Festival. His debut feature, Lajwanti (The Honour Keeper) also premiered at Berlin International Film Festival in 2014. Pushpendra is a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, and has also taught there. He is a visiting faculty at many film schools including FTII Pune, SRFTII Kolkata and Whistling Woods International, Mumbai. He has also trained actors for the films, Sir by Rohena Gera, Song of the Scorpions by Anup Singh and the Netflix series', Class and Kohra. His latest is a series in development titled Trishanku which is set in the world of a gharana of Hijras in Delhi.

SHILPI GULATI

Shilpi Gulati is a filmmaker and academic, working at the intersections of documentary history, theory, and practice. Her practice explores feminist and queer narratives, community-based media, and visual and performing arts in the South Asian context. She is a two-time recipient of the President's National Film Award in India for her documentaries Qissa-e Parsi (The Parsi Story) (2014) and Taala the Kunjee (Lock and Key) (2018), which along with her other works have been widely screened across international film festivals, art galleries and educational institutions. A Fulbright scholar, Shilpi holds a Ph.D. from the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University and is currently teaching at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

KAVITA BAHL

KASHISH 2024 STUDENT JURY

ABHIJIT MAZUMDAR

Abhijit Mazumdar is a Direction alumnus of Film & Television Institute of India, Pune. He presently heads the Direction Department at Whistling Woods International. He has written and directed features, short films, documentaries and commercials. Many of his films have been selected in national and international film festivals like Dublin, Torino, IFFI, IDSFFK, Durban, Glasgow, Karlovy Vary Short Film Festival. A fellow of Mumbai Mantra-Sundance Screenwriting Lab, he has also been on the Jury for Indian Panorama (Non-feature section). His most recent works include a feature film Body, and a music album called Niruddesher Sathe Kathapokathan.

GAZAL DHALIWAL

Gazal Dhaliwal, Lead Writer of the popular Netflix series Mismatched, is a proud trans woman. Gazal has written the screenplay and dialogues for Vinod Chopra Films’ Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, starring Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Sonam K Ahuja - India's first mainstream Hindi film about a gay woman’s romantic and family life. She has also written dialogues for Alankrita Shrivastava's critically acclaimed Lipstick Under My Burkha and she wrote the dialogues and co-wrote the screenplay for Tanuja Chandra's Qarib Qarib Singlle, starring Irrfan Khan and Parvathy.

Shweta Basu Prasad, began her acting career with Vishal Bhardwaj’s directorial debut Makdee (2002), alongside Shabana Azmi, Makrand Deshpande, for which she won the National Film award for best child actor. After her graduation in Bachelors of Mass media and journalism, she acted and co-produced Interior Cafe Night (2014), a 12-minute short film. She has worked as a script consultant at Phantom Films under the mentorship of Vikramaditya Motwane. Shweta in the past few years returned to the screen as an actor with The Tashkent Files, Serious Men, High, Ray, Comedy Couple, Jubilee, her latest venture being Criminal Justice season 3. Shweta has written and directed a short film starring Anupam Kher in the lead, produced by Applause Entertainment, set to release soon.

SHWETA BASU PRASAD

KASHISH 2024 RIYAD WADIA AWARD JURY

KASHISH

Nargis Wadia was the first woman to launch a full–service Advertising Agency in India –Interpub, and was also a Founder Member & Chairperson of Media Monitoring Services which preceded the establishment of Media Research Users Council. In 1991, she became the first woman President of the Advertising Agency Association of India. 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.

Roy Wadia hails from the Wadia Movietone family. His brother was the late filmmaker and gay activist Riyad Wadia (Fearless: The Hunterwali Story, BOMgAY). Roy worked at CNN for 12 years, and then switched careers by joining the World Health Organization’s China office as its communications and advocacy officer. From 2010-2013, he was Executive Director of Heroes Project, the Bombay-based HIV NGO. Roy currently is with the United Nations in Denmark. He is the brother of Riyad Wadia.

2024

ISMAT CHUGHTAI AWARD JURY

ASHISH SAWHNY: studied Film & Drama at the University of Reading, UK and has been directing, producing, acting & writing since 1992. With a focus on the gender & sexuality, Ashish has produced/directed a range of documentary digital stories for various platforms. Over 2020-21, Ashish was ‘Series Director’ on The Big Day, Netflix India’s first documentary series, that was at #1 in India and trending in 8 other countries. Additionally, Ashish is certified and has been practicing as a mental health counsellor, with a focus on person-centred counselling and queer affirmative practices, since 2022. Ashish has also been hosting “The Queer Podcast”, a series available across audio platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Audible & Spotify, as well as doing cameos in films such as Luck by Chance, Zindagi Nahi Milegi Doobara, Gully Boy, The Archies, Made in Heaven & Kho Gaye Hum Kahan?.

ASHISH SAWHNY

NARGIS WADIA

ROY WADIA

KASHISH 2024 QDRISHTI GRANT JURY

Amit Masurkar is an Indian screenwriter and director. He is known for his popular Hindi language films like Sherni (2021), Newton (2017), and Sulemani Keeda (2014). His second feature film, Newton was selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.

Widely known for writing some of the most progressive, inclusive, and unflinching Indian films, screenwriter Atika Chohan won immense critical acclaim for co-writing Chhapaak (2020), a film based on the life of an acid attack survivor, Laxmi. Her stellar work also includes Margarita with a Straw, Waiting, and Guilty, a Netflix Original produced by Karan Johar. Her latest films include Agra, which premiered at the prestigious Quinzaine (Director's fortnight) in Cannes 2023, and Sahela, an Indo-Australian co-production executive-produced by Hollywood actor and director Dev Patel. Her upcoming project, Ulajh, is slated to be released theatrically in July 2024. She also has a series in development about gender crime in India.

Joy sengupta is actor , teacher, collaborator in field of Theatre, Cinema, TV, Web & wider cultural sphere. His debut feature was Govind Nihlani's Hazar Chaurasi ki Ma, for which he received the V Shantaram Award. He received the Mahindra Excellence Award in acting in theatre, for portraying M.K. Gandhi in the play Sammy. He has acted in over 50 feature films in Hindi, Bengali and English like Hate Story, Bhalo Theko, Patalghar, Bilu Rakkhosh, Kia & Kosmos etc. and in over 30 web series like Night Manager and Arya He has performed in theatre across the global stage including West End, Off Broadway, Edinburgh fringe etc. He has been a teacher of Theatre in Education, Applied Arts, Cinema appreciation etc. in schools , colleges & institutes.

Atika Chohan

Amit Masurkar

JOY SENGUPTA

Nominations for KASHISH 2024RIYAD WADIA AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING INDIAN FILMMAKER

Instituted in memory of late filmmaker Riyad Wadia, who made India’s first gay film BOMgAY, Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker is an attempt by KASHISH to recognize and nurture emerging Indian voices. Indian narrative and documentary short films that are the filmmaker’s first or second film made in 2023/2024 compete for this award which carries a KASHISH Butterfly Trophy and a Rs.25,000 cash award supported by Wadia Movietone – one of the pioneering Indian production companies established in 1933.

Five emerging Indian directors have been nominated under this category for KASHISH 2024. Their films collectively display narratives about the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community.

ABU SOHEL KHONDEKAR Director, Mehroon

Abu Sohel Khondekar, a filmmaker/writer, despite coming from a conservative Muslim background, embraced atheism, navigating a unique path. As a neurodivergent, Non-binary Trans person, Abu passionately advocates for LGBTQ rights. Holding a Masters in Film Studies from Jadavpur University, they engage in leftist politics, voicing against oppression.

With distrust for authority, Abu expresses their beliefs through documentary photography, fuelled by passion for cinema and writing. Believing in cinema's transformative power, Abu aims to create impactful films inspiring change. Mehroon is their debut film.

MEHROON

10 min

Narrative Short India 2024

Mehroon, a transgender woman receives the news of her father's death through a text message from her sister, and her father's will through a courier. The will states that Mehroon will be eligible for property only if she presents herself as a son.

BONITA RAJPUROHIT

Director, IYKYK

Born & brought up in Rajasthan, Bonita started her career with modelling for brands and magazines which led to acting in TV/Digital commercials. She was crowned the Miss Trans Queen India 2019 as the 2nd Runner-up. In 2020, she joined 1719 Film Factory Production House where she wrote & directed her first commercial fashion film for URBANIC. She is one of the three key casts in the upcoming Debakar Banerjee film LSD2 (Love, Sex aur Dhoka 2) as Kullu Vishwakarma, which marks her acting debut in Indian mainstream cinema. She has written & directed a short IYKYK (If You Know You Know) that was incubated by KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant under the mentorship of Alankrita Shrivastava.

IYKYK (If You Know You Know)

Hindi 25 min India 2024

Narrative Short

Everyone seems to have a different approach to the elephant in the room; her Gender Identity. Address it or ignore it. No one seems to have a clue how to go about it. We follow a series of dates, Kusum goes on.

LEO PAAPAM

Director, Dear Sahithya

DEAR SAHITHYA

Leo (They, Them) primarily worked as a photographer while assisting various filmmakers and content creators in their attempts to learn filmmaking. Their work as an assistant includes an experimental Haryanvi film, a web series from Kashmir, and collaborations with other content creators. Their focus on representation of intersectional identities has guided their career choices. They’ve recently been working with filmmaker Shridhar Sudhir in researching for Buddhijeev Studios and assisting in teaching filmmaking. They recently moved to Goa to be closer to a thriving nonconforming community out here, also completing a documentary and exploring new content creation opportunities. Dear Sahithya is their debut film.

23 min English, Hindi India 2023

Documentary Short

Dear Sahithya is a filmic letter from the director to their friend Sahithya, who is about to transform their body and soul with a double incision mastectomy. The director bears witness and records this pivotal moment in their life, and shares their journey of finding acceptance as a trans non-binary person in a suburban middle class world.

SARTHAK CHAUHAN

Director, Chitthi

CHITTHI

Sarthak is a Delhi-based photographer and filmmaker originally from Shimla. His work explores themes of vulnerability, alienation, queerness and, primarily, the human condition. Through his work, he aims to portray queerness the way it is as well as through symbols that subvert the heterosexist male gaze and the negative presumptions about queerness.

Chitthi is his debut film that he made on a zero budget.

10 min Pahari India 2023

Experimental Narrative Short

Chitthi explores the idea of alienation through a queer lens as well as the consequences of such subordination. The story unfolds itself through a letter, where the protagonist (the narrator) equates the loss of his lover with a man he sees in his dreams. Unaware of what has happened to his lover, whether he has gone missing or been a victim to of a hate crime; he asks his mother how to cope with such a loss.

VIVEK SHAH

Director, Kitty Kelly's Diwali

KITTY KELLY'S DIWALI

Vivek Shah is a Mumbai-based cinematographer since 1995, and a member of the esteemed Indian Society of Cinematographers. He studied Fine Arts at M.S. University, Baroda and Cinematography at Film & Television Institute of India.

Some of his notable work as Director Of Photography includes feature films: Bariwali, Love Hostel, Gurgaon, Khargosh, Kaphal and Lilkee. He is also the DOP of web-series Inside Edge Season 2 & 3, Masoom, Aakhri Sach and Showtime.

Kitty Kelly’s Diwali is his debut independent film as writer & director.

52 min English, Gujarati 2023

Narrative Short India

Good Indian Girl KITTY decides to kill grumpy old landlady KANJI to save her love KELLY from deportation. White American Kelly, Bollywood backup dancer, has a murky past. But even for her committing two murders in one night, is a new low.

Nominations for ISMAT CHUGHTAI AWARD FOR BEST INDIAN WOMAN FILMMAKER

Indian woman filmmaker residing in India, whose first or second narrative film completed after January 1, 2023 and playing at KASHISH 2024, are eligible for nomination under this award category. It carries a KASHISH Butterfly Trophy and a cash award of Rs.20,000 instituted in the memory of renowned novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and filmmaker Ismat Chughtai. The award is supported by her grandson and filmmaker Mr. Ashish Sawhny.

This year FOUR Indian woman filmmakers are nominated for this prestigious award.

BONITA RAJPUROHIT Director, IYKYK

Born & brought up in Rajasthan, Bonita started her career with modelling for brands and magazines which led to acting in TV/Digital commercials. She was crowned the Miss Trans Queen India 2019 as the 2nd Runner-up. In 2020, she joined 1719 Film Factory Production House where she wrote & directed her first commercial fashion film for URBANIC. She is one of the three key casts in the upcoming Debakar Banerjee film LSD2 (Love, Sex aur Dhoka 2) as Kullu Vishwakarma, which marks her acting debut in Indian mainstream cinema. She has written & directed a short IYKYK (If You Know You Know) that was incubated by KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant under the mentorship of Alankrita Shrivastava.

IYKYK (If You Know You Know)

25 min Hindi India 2024

Narrative Short

Everyone seems to have a different approach to the elephant in the room; her Gender Identity. Address it or ignore it. No one seems to have a clue how to go about it. We follow a series of dates, Kusum goes on.

DISHA BHARDWAJ

Director, CHUPI ROH

CHUPI ROH

Disha Bhardwaj stands as an independent filmmaker and the Founder & Board Director of Eiya Films Pvt Ltd. based in Himachal Pradesh. Chupi Roh is its first proud production and the directorial debut of Disha. She endeavours to create films that not only celebrate the local essence but also possess the universal appeal to resonate with audiences globally.

16 min Himachali India 2023

Narrative Short

Chupi Roh is about a family of three, Leela Raju & their son, Abbu. They live in a small beautiful village deep in the Himalayas. Abbu is struggling with his gender identity while at the same time Raju is stricken by loss & failure. Amidst these issues, Leela is trying to find a way to deal with everything in the best possible way she knows.

EISHITA Director, Sifar

SIFAR

21 min India 2023

Narrative Short

Eishita 'Edythe' is a non-binary trans poet and filmmaker from Lucknow, India. They directed and co-wrote an anthology Change For The Line, supported by Gaysi Family, in November 2022. It has been screened in 15+ colleges across India. Their work focuses on queerness, grief, gender and trauma.

English, Hindi

The film explores the themes of love, grief, acceptance, and resilience within queer identities. Through Inaaya, the narrative unravels emotions in the face of life-altering loss. She wakes up every day, grieving the suicide of her partner, Shaayra, and the life she thought she once had.

NAIREETA DASGUPTA Director, Night Queen

NIGHT QUEEN

Naireeta started her career at Delhi Doordarshan. She’s been a columnist at India Today. She went on to the advertising side by producing a lot of ad films for diverse clients. She has always been writing and developing new concepts, feeding her creative hunger.

Her first writing gig was being one of the writers on Shakeela starring Richa Chadha and Pankaj Tripathi. She has done the screenplay and dialogues of the film Dead Girls Don't Talk, starring Sharib Hashmi and Warina Hussain. She is the writer and director of the short film Night Queen starring Vipin Sharma and Sheeba Chaddha. Naireeta is currently developing a web show for Panorama Studios. Amongst other projects, she is also collaborating with Anurag Kashyap to make a Night Queen into a feature film.

29 min Hindi India 2023

Narrative Short

Forty-eight-year-old Lakshmikant Sharma lives in Old Lucknow with his wife, daughter and widowed mother, living a life that is the textbook definition of monotony. Except it isn’t. Lakshmi wants to wear Sarees, put on her favourite shade of pink lipstick and live like a woman.

KASHISH 2024 International Poster Contest

KASHISH Pride Film Festival, like every year since 2012, organized the KASHISH 2024 International Poster Contest with the theme ‘Unfurl Your Pride’.

The design by Sithesh C. Govind, a Bangalore-based graphic designer and creative producer, was selected from among two dozen designs submitted by various designers across India in response to the KASHISH 2024 International Poster Design Contest.

The designer Sithesh C. Govind said of his design, “The Reels represent the core of the film festival, which is the celebration of cinema. The film reels are a nod to the history and tradition of filmmaking. Butterflies are often symbols of transformation and beauty, the butterflies in the poster signify the journey of self-discovery and the unfolding of one’s true identity, which aligns with the queer community’s experiences.”

The final design was selected by Dalip Daswani, a Pune based ceramic designer, who said, “The Pride colours so evident in this design, are not ‘in your face’. The graphics are strong, the organized tapestry of colour bold and dynamic, but not loud. The design celebrates energy with a sense of flight hinting at stories of ‘cinematic’ lives – joyful, exuberant, infinite, and cosmic.”

The designer gets Rs.25,000 cash award as well as a KASHISH Butterfly Award Trophy. The design will become the festival’s look and used on posters, catalogs, hoardings, T-shirts and other merchandise elements.

The first and second runners ups were Sangeetha Nandakumar, a designer from Mumbai, who will receive Rs.10,000; and Vaibhav Tanna, Embroidery artist & interior designer from Gurugram, who will receive Rs.5000; alongwith a certificate each.

Started by the late couture designer Wendell Rodricks in 2012, and was continued in his memory by his partner Jérôme Marrel, till last year.

Dalip Daswani Selector

Sithesh C. Govind Winner

KASHISH 2024 Pride Film Festival Logo

The erstwhile KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival, is now renamed as KASHISH Pride Film Festival, to reflect the contemporary aspirations of the LGBTQIA+ community, underlining the fact that the festival and its allied activities offer pride, hope and dignity.

The new logo is designed by designer-duo Inderjit Nagi & Syed Ali Arif, who are professional designers, working on diverse projects in the domains of fashion design, film-making & photography. His repertoire of work includes film & theatre costume design & styling, production design, writing and direction. While Inder is equally passionate about space styling & interior design, Arif is a contemporary painter and an actor with credits in OK Jaanu, Sui Dhaaga, Brahmastra, etc.

Speaking about the design, they said, “KASHISH has always been extremely dear to us and over the years, its become like an annual pilgrimage that must be undertaken. For the new logo, we wished to retain the butterfly, a quintessential element from the existing logo, and redesign it to include all colours of the pride & trans flags. We decided to embed the letters ‘KPFF’ into the butterfly itself. Just like the various identities of LGBTQ+ community that attend the festival we also created the word ‘KASHISH’ by mixing few fonts & design elements, making the new branding truly iconic & originally queer. For us, this new look is fun, quirky, and contemporary, exuding a strong recall value. We hope & pray that KASHISH continues to thrive and grow and expand over the years to come, and become a strong global name among world-class film festivals.”

Syed Ali Arif & Inderjit Nagi Designer-duo

Liberty Cinema May 15-19, 2024

Liberty Cinema

Wednesday

May 15, 2024

9.00 PM

SPIRIT OF ECSTASY

95 min

24 years old Jeanne lives on a military base with her father, a police officer, and her little brother and sister. She's determined to make it in the world of finance. Not for the glory or wealth, but because it's leading her on the path to freedom. (La Vénus D’argent)

Director: Héléna Klotz

ENCORE SCREENING

FRI, MAY 17, 11:00 AM Cinepolis (Andheri)

Asian Premiere French France 2023

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, 2023

Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bordeaux 2023 Lumiere Awards, France 2024 - Most Promising Actress Nominee - Pomme

HÉLÉNA KLOTZ began her career at the Théâtre de Chaillot as a sound designer. In 2003, she directed the medium length film Le léopard ne se déplace jamais sans ses taches. In 2006, she completed the documentary Les Amants Cinéma . In 2012, she shot The Atomic Age, which won the FRIPESCI prize at the Berlin Film Festival and the Jean Vigo Award, and then travelled to over fifty festivals around the world. After the short film Amour Océan (2021), she completed her new feature film, The Spirit of Ecstasy, produced by Les Films du Bélier, presented in the Platform section at the Toronto Film Festival 2023.

Unfurl Your Pride Short Films Package

Total Duration : 76 min

In the ever evolving LGBTQ+ spectrum, PRIDE is an emotion, a sense of belonging. It is the celebration to understand, accept all the diverse genders and identities and truly being you. Here is a mixed package of six short films echoing this year’s theme for KASHISH. These films are celebration of being who you are, with Pride!

ENCORE SCREENING | SAT, MAY 18, 2.30 PM | Alliance Française

INNER WOUND REAL

Director: Carrie Hawks

15 min Asian Premiere

USA Documentary Short 2022 English

Inner Wound Real is an animated documentary short about three BIPOC folks who self-injure, then find new ways to cope. The film has 3 different animators & styles, one for each participant.

LIKE A MOONFLOWER

Director: Upasana Dahal

Narrative Short 13 min Mumbai Premiere Bhutan Bhutanese 2021

A 25-year-old transgender leads two lives. She dons the mantle of a male taxi driver every day, compelled by the expectations of her family, the fear of social stigma, and worse, the horror of not being accepted. At night, she becomes a fiery bar dancer, living out her real persona.

302

Director: Leon Cheo

Narrative Short 2024

Singapore 16 min World Premiere English

An officer cadet opens a can of worms when he declares “302” to the Singapore army.

ITS A GRAY, GRAY WORLD

Director: Seyed Mohsen Shakib

6 min Mumbai Premiere Islamic Republic of Iran Animation Short 2022 Persian

In a completely gray world, the colorful identity of a conservative young man is accidentally revealed by a playful boy. People are terrified of this, calling the police to arrest the young man. But the young man manages to escape, returning the next day to defend his right to freedom.

THE LEFT HAND (La Main Gauche)

Director: Maxime Robin

Narrative Short

14 min Asian Premiere Canada French 2022

Young Maxime’s mother starts worrying about him when his 2nd grade teacher declares him “abnormal”.

CATBOY

Director: Cristian Sitjas

14 min Spain Narrative Short 2023 Spanish

Marc, after receiving several racist comments on a gay dating app, receives a message from his transexual friend Cacao inviting him to a Ballroom. Marc decides to go.

Short Films Package

Documentary Panorama

Total Duration : 79 min

Call them activists, saviors or survivors, in every generation there are always a few determined ones who face the challenges head on to live life on their terms, also help create an environment of dignity for others. A documentary package dedicated to the gritty realities, struggles, dreams and victories of such indomitable people across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum from diverse cultures & ethnicities.

THE PRIDE LIAR

Director: Andres Lübbert

19 min Asian Premiere

Dutch, English, Georgian Belgium 2023

Emzo, escaped persecution in Georgia five years ago, finding refuge in Belgium. This short documentary captures his unyielding commitment to the LGBTQ+ cause, showcasing the indomitable spirit of one individual's fight for acceptance and equality.

SLEEPING DRAGON

Director: Rob Falconer

UK 12 min Experimental Short Documentary English International Premiere 2023

The death in May 2023 of George Hodson, artist, writer and long-term HIV/AIDS survivor, leaves a legacy of inspiration, unique visual art and unforgettable writing, drawn from direct experience. Surviving HIV/AIDS for some 45 years, cancer, loss, stigma, alienating family bigotry and racism, for some of the Queer Elder generation like George, triple combination therapy threw a lifeline that also became a lifetime of onward challenge.

THERE ARE THINGS TO DO

Director: Mike Syers

18 min Asian Premiere USA 2023

English

Urvashi Vaid, an outspoken immigrant, lesbian and woman of color, was an LGBTQ+ superhero who helped shape the modern day gay rights movement. Her vision for the movement serves as a roadmap of initiatives & tools for generations of activist as they face anti-LGBTQ+ backlash.

EVERYONE'S WELCOME

Director: Suhit Bombaywala

20 min World Premiere English, Marathi, Hindi India 2024

An inspiring account of a café in Mumbai, staffed and owned by trans people. How it thrives not only to become a profitable business, but also helps in reducing transphobia in its locality.

CITY OF MIRAGE

Director: Anjani Chadha, Niv

5 min English India 2023

A series of conversations with Pratik, a genderfluid, tribal person from Assam who moved to Mumbai two years ago to pursue a Master’s degree and moved back to their village earlier this year. The film reflects the lessons learnt while they lived their life in a metropolis, and how they navigated their queerness in a crowded city like Mumbai.

ZOYA

Director: Harsh Shamal Matondkar

5 min English, Hindi India 2023

A brief video profile of Zoya Lobo, India’s first transgender photojournalist.

DVAMDVA

(English Title: Duality)

108 min

Narrative Feature Kannada India 2023

Mumbai Premiere

Thursday

May 16, 2024

Liberty Cinema 12.45 PM

Sukesha aka Chukki works with a local ‘Yakshagana’ (a traditional art theatre) troupe in the coastal town of Udipi. He has been applauded for the female roles that he plays there with a panache. Even his parents seem to be supportive of him playing female characters but Chukki’s life takes an untoward turn when he falls in love. The very people who used to applaud his performances on stage start ridiculing him. Trying to cope with the insults and his unrequited love, Chukki takes another grave decision which also quietly affects many lives surrounding him, and the traditional art form.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Bengaluru International Film Festival, 2024

KLING JOHNSON, trained as a civil engineer, and working as a Fire and Patient Safety Officer at one of the hospitals of a reputed hospital chain, follows his passion in filmmaking. After working as an actor, subtitler, voice over artist in many Kannada feature and short films, he makes his debut as a feature film director with Dvamdva.

Johnson is also a published author and his first English language children adventure fiction CLI – the Colt won the International Purple Dragonfly Award in 2020.

Director: Kling Johnson

Short Films Package

Family Matters

Total Duration : 80 min

Across cultures and countries, families are always at the epicenter of drama – some joyous, some sad, some dark and some extremely funny! Here is a mix package of five films offering a take on how queer people’s lives are intrinsically connected with their families.

Director: Alecio Araci

7 min World Premiere Romani, Swedish Sweden 2024

The matriarch of the family is worried. One of her grandchildren doesn't come to visit and she doesn't understand why. Time passes and everyday life continues, but soon a phone call comes that changes everything.

Director: Jake Graf, Hannah Graf UK 13 min English Asian Premiere 2023

When Tess learns of her estranged father’s death, she travels to the funeral, hoping for nothing more than some closure and the chance to meet the woman who stole him from her.

UNTIL THE DAY I CALL HER MY SON

Director: Ayumi Kurokawa Japanese 26 min World Premiere Japan 2024

Shota lives as a man. Due to a certain incident, she becomes estranged from her father, who lives in the countryside. Regarding his relationship with his partner Emi and his family, the film questions the form of family accepted by modern society and the way we should be.

May 16, 2024

02.45 PM

THAT'S FAMILY

Director: Puppett

13 min

International Premiere English USA 2022

Lynne and Gloria’s "special date night" is thrown for a loop when dad drops in unexpectedly with some surprising news.

THE LIME GREEN SHIRT

Director: Kaushik Ray

16 min

English, Bengali UK 2024

Asian Premiere

Saraswati, a lonely widow and Bengali immigrant living in northern England, re-enters her estranged son’s life. When the consequences of her conservative parenting come to light, Saraswati discovers she must set aside her own fears to save their relationship.

Short Films Package

International Narrative Shorts Competition 1

Total Duration : 90 min

The first part of this year’s nominations for the Best International Narrative Short award showcases six compelling stories about personal, familial and societal acceptance from across the queer rainbow.

Director: Hamid Vatanparast

15 min Mumbai Premiere Islamic Republic of Iran 2024 Persian

After the disappearance of " Alikija ", (a boy addressed as a female), his uncle reveals that he killed Ali and buried his body in a sacred site to safeguard the family's dignity.

ALL THE WORDS BUT THE ONE

Director: Nava Mau USA 18 min English International Premiere 2024

Maya and Santiago haven’t seen each other since their explosive relationship ended years ago, so neither is expecting to be across from each other at a professional dinner with their new partners.

As both couples contend with their realities, the past and present collide, and Maya finally faces Santiago.

Director: Akanchha Karki Nepali 15 min Mumbai Premiere Nepal 2023

Two teenage girls separated by caste system, fight against their society to play their favorite instrument SANAI (trumpet) forbidden to be played by women, while also keeping their friendship alive.

May 16, 2024 Thursday

Cinema 05.45 PM

MAKING UP

Director: Ryan Paige

15 min Asian Premiere United Kingdom 2023 English

Ted, diagnosed with a hereditary illness, must therefore reconcile with estranged daughter, Cassandra. However, being a celebrated drag queen, paired with the bitter feelings Cassandra harbours over their past, presents a larger obstacle for Ted to overcome.

ENCORE SCREENING | SUN, MAY 19, 3.00 PM | Alliance Française

BREAKING THROUGH (L'échappée)

Director: Siham Bel

29 min Arabic, French France 2023 Asian Premiere

Every summer, Safia returns to Corsica to visit her dad. Ever since she left the island years before, she has kept her distance. On the surface, she seems close to her family, but a secret is stopping them from connecting. This summer, an announcement is going to shake up the family and take Safia on an unexpected journey of self-discovery on the winding and rocky roads of the Mediterranean island.

SKIN

Director: Leo Behrens

7 min No Dialogues USA 2023 Asian Premiere

A poetic exploration of identity and self-discovery, using visual symbolism to depict a woman's transformation into a man. With the help of their inner manifestation, the ice man, they shed their old skin and embraces their true identity.

Liberty Cinema

Thursday

7.30 PM May 16, 2024

Indian Narrative Centerpiece

KAATHAL THE CORE

Kaathal The Core unveils the captivating narrative of Mathew and Omana, a seemingly harmonious couple residing in a serene village of Teekoy in the Kottayam district of Kerala. Mathew Devassy, a retired Co-operative bank secretary with a stellar reputation in the community, reluctantly steps into the realm of politics to contest a Panchayath by-election, upon his party's request. However, shockingly, just two days after Mathew submits his nomination for municipality by-elections, Omana files for divorce, plunging their relationship into turmoil. The film delves into the concealed secret that silently erodes their facade of familial bliss, sparking a town-wide sensation with the news of their divorce.

Director: Jeo Baby

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: 54th International Film Festival of India - Indian Panorama 2023 28th International Film Festival of Kerala, 2023 22nd Pune International Film Festival, 2024

JEO BABY is an award-winning film director, scriptwriter and actor in the Malayalam film industry. His movies like 2 Penkuttikal (2016), Kunju Daivam (2017), Kilometers and Kilometers (2020), The Great Indian Kitchen (2011), Freedom Fight (2022) and Sree Dhanya Catering Service (2022) have garnered several awards and accolades including National Film Awards, State Film Awards and several international awards.

Preceded By

THE LAST TAKE

Director: Brian Foyster

14 min

Narrative Short USA 2023

English

Asian Premiere

Facing the end, a movie star from the golden age of Hollywood must reconcile with the only man he ever loved.

DUINO

108 min

USA, Argentina, Italy 2024

Asian Premiere

In Competition

English, Spanish

Narrative Feature

Thursday

May 16, 2024

Liberty Cinema 10.00 PM

Duino is a coming-of-age story that follows Matias, a gay Argentine filmmaker in his forties, struggling with an unfinished movie inspired by his elusive first love to Alexander, a Swedish friend he met at an international school in the 90’s, in Duino by Trieste, Italy. Tenderness and fascination define their strong friendship, which is short-lived when Alexander is suddenly expelled from school, leaving young Matias with an unresolved story of undeclared emotions. 25 years later, Matias decides to reopen Pandora’s box as he embarks on a journey to find the ending to his story by coming face-to-face with Alexander, discovering life imitating art.

Festivals & Honors

Winner: Audience award & Matthew Shepard Award at Lovers Film Festival, Turin, Italy 2024

JUAN PABLO is an Argentine/Italian director and actor, who has been developing an artistic language across film, music and dance since graduating from London Studio Centre and the Uta Hagen Studio in New York in 2002. His acting credits include the Award-winning portrayal of Jesus Christ in A.D. The Bible Continues (NBC), Mamma Mia! The Movie! (Universal) alongside Meryl Streep and Colin Firth, Fuller House (Netflix), the upcoming The Bad Girl (VIX+) and The Mattachin Family.

Duino is Juan Pablo's debut feature as director with his longtime collaborator Andrés Pepe Estrada

Director: Juan Pablo Di Pace

Chance Encounters Short Films Package

Total Duration : 79 min

Chance encounters aren't necessarily accidental; in fact they are destined to happen anyway. Call it coincidence, fate or kismet — in one moment, lives can collide and change forever. This package of four narrative shorts is about all those crazy, casual, unexpected, or brief encounters with lasting impression!!

EMERALD CITY

Director: Josef Stei

21 min Asian Premiere English USA 2024

Two young men cross paths on the back roads of the American Southwest and despite their different backgrounds, find common ground along the Border.

EVERYBODY'S GOTTA LOVE SOMETIMES

Director: Sein Lyan Tun France, Myanmar, Indonesia

15 min

Two months after fleeing Myanmar and arriving in Paris, Phyo, whose status is uncertain, dreams of romance with another man. He dances freely with a sensual dancer in front of the Pont Neuf bridge, but the trauma and desire become a trap.

Director: Itay Segal

21 min French, English, Burmese Indian Premiere 2023

Hebrew Asian Premiere Israel 2023

For some time, Roy has been planning what he would say to his ex when he ran into him. He never imagined that it would happen in his one night stand’s apartment.

STAY

Director: King Louie Palom

22 min Mumbai Premiere English Canada 2022

Starring Canada's Drag Race legend Kendall Gender, Stay is a tender exploration of relationships.

On their last night in town, Kaleb– known more commonly by the stage name Ivy Diamonds – meets Ryan, an artist from Vancouver. The few hours they spend together before Kaleb heads back to his tumultuous relationship bring him an unexpected sense of clarity.

ENCORE SCREENING | SUN, MAY 19, 3.00 PM | Alliance Française

International Documentary Centerpiece

BLUE ID

Rüzgar Erkoçlar, a former famous actor, struggles with self-realization and acceptance in the traditional society of Turkey under the media spotlight as a trans man. The crowning glory of his transition is the exchange of his pink identity card for a blue one. The entire process, a path paved with frustration, humiliation, and endless waiting, is captured in home movie-esque observations and self-assured phone videos. An intimate report of a struggle with self-realization and acceptance in a traditional society, under intense media scrutiny.

Directors : Vuslat Karan & Burcu Melekoglu

NPO IDFA Audience Award - IDFA 2022 Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2022

2nd Place Audience Award – Frameline, San Francisco, U.S., 2023

Audience Award - Best Documentary - Queer Utrecht Film Festival 2023

Feature Impact Award, Best Editing Award, Best Documentary Award – GEMFest Vancouver, 2024

BURCU MELEKOĞLU an alumnus of UCLA School of Film & Television, is a director and editor based in Istanbul. Her short documentary work includes My First Second Home, Reiki and Bamako.

VUSLAT KARAN got her BFA in Film and Television from Marmara University, is a filmmaker living in Istanbul. Her short films Tangled and Scorpion debuted at !f Istanbul Film Festival. She directed a documentary-narrative hybrid short film Uprooting From the City.

They both have co-founded MOXIE, an independent production company, believing in the power of independent documentary film to change hearts and minds.

Short Films Package

Documentary Shorts Competition

Total Duration : 88 min

Five documentary short films from across the world – Algeria, Brazil, India, Morocco, Myanmar, Tunisia, UK, and USA – are nominated for the Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short Award worth Rs.25,000 supported by K.F.Patil Charitable Trust.

NOTE: The present package showcases only four shorts, the Myanmar entry screens separately on Saturday at Alliance Française with Tops.

THEIR VOICE

Director: Megan Rossman 14 min Asian Premiere English USA 2023

Their Voice follows performer Kristyn Michele as they transition from mezzo-soprano to tenor and are cast in the first ever off-Broadway musical performed by an all trans and non-binary cast.

DEAR SAHITHYA

Director: Leo Paapam

India 23 min English, Hindi Indian Premiere 2023

Also nominated for Riyad Wadia Award

Dear Sahithya is a filmic letter from the director to their friend Sahithya, who is about to transform their body and soul with a double incision mastectomy. The director bears witness and records this pivotal moment in their life, and shares their journey of finding acceptance as a trans non-binary person in a suburban middle class world.

MAGHREB’S HOPE

Director: Bassem Ben Brahim

24 min Arabic

Tunisia , Algeria, Brazil, Morocco 2023

Asian Premiere

Queer individuals from the Big Maghreb region share their stories, spanning across their home countries and various locations worldwide. Through a fusion of drawing, animation techniques, and real-life footage, these artistic portrayals highlight the experiences of queer individuals from the “BIG Maghreb” region, including Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.

THE ABCs OF BOOK BANNING

Director: Sheila Nevins

USA 27 min English International Premiere 2023

In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as banned, restricted, or challenged, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right—LGBTQ+ issues, Black History, and women’s empowerment—impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, THE ABCs OF BOOK BANNING reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.

BLUE SUNSHINE

98 min

Tamil India 2023

Mumbai Premiere

In Competition

Narrative Feature

Friday

May 17, 2024

Liberty Cinema 02.45 PM

Aravind, a high school teacher in a small town in South India, transitioned from male to female as Bhanu. While withstanding the strong opposition back at home and even at the school, Bhanu tries to protect the school’s topper student, Karthik who is being bullied by his classmates for his feminine demeanour. Unable to withstand the bullying, Karthik retaliates by wearing eyeliner and nail polish to the school. While Karthik wants to fight for his dignity, Bhanu wonders if she also has the chance to stand up for hers.

Best Feature Jury Award - Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, 2023

International Film Festival of India, Goa, 2023

Best Feature Jury Award - Through Women's Eyes Film Festival, Florida, 2024 Glasgow Film Festival, 2024 Festivals & Honors

SAMYUKTHA VIJAYAN is a dancer and techie who also happens to be a transgender woman. Wanting to bring to the audience an authentic portrayal of the life through transition, Samyuktha learned filmmaking by watching YouTube videos while isolated during COVID. She went ahead to write, direct, produce and do the lead role in her debut movie which has won accolades in International film festivals. Currently she is a Principal Technical Program Manager at an MNC and lives in San Francisco.

Director: Samyuktha Vijayan

Short Films Package

Indian Masala Mix 1

Total Duration : 78 min

The first part of this year’s Indian short films package showcases four narrative shorts about various situations - anticipated or accidental that one finds oneself in. That these queer protagonists find them in. The most endearing part is to finding the courage to face the situation head-on. Because running away never helps!

THEY / THEM

Director: Phelian

18 min No Dialogues India 2023 Mumbai Premiere

A question on a dating app makes a lonely, 50-year-old non-binary person retrace their life, as they finally come to terms with their gender dysphoria.

THE SCORPION (Vinchu)

Director: Sumedh Natu India 17 min

Saleel, a queer content creator has always been a voice for equality and humanity. That’s why he joins a local party. An accidental slip of mistaken identity makes him realize that he has not only gone wrong against his superior’s order but also of his own values.

THE MEETING

Director: Shrish Bagwe Marathi Mumbai Premiere India 2024

21 min Marathi 2022

Trupil faces a pivotal moment as he prepares to open up about his sexuality to his relatives. With just one opportunity for training before the big day, his cousins step in to help him before the impending gathering.

THANKS MOM

Director: Manik Sanjay Talwar

22 min Hindi India 2023

Mrs. Deshpande is worried about her son Rohan living separately with some stranger. Using her chemotherapy sessions as an excuse she wants him to move back with her so that he can accompany her to the hospital, but Rohan can’t as his leg got fractured recently. Concerned about the situation they both are in; she visits Rohan that changes her views about his roommate.

Friday

May 17, 2024

Liberty Cinema 7.30 PM

In Competition

KATLAA CURRY

Set in the sleepy fishing village along the banks of the river Narmada, a local fisherman Raaymal, pulls a young man Ratan adrift in his fishing net, setting off a journey of profound connection and self-discovery. As Raaymal discovers Ratan’s hidden struggle with his sexuality, he extends a helping hand to build a “new home”; and in his journey toward self-acceptance.

Director: Rohit Ganesh Prajapati

Writer-Director-Producer ROHIT PRAJAPATI is an alumnus of Theatre Studies at Maharaja Sayajirao University Vadodara who began as a Theatre Practitioner and Coach and then successfully directed and produced thought-provoking & concurrently captivating theatre productions in Gujarat. Later after creating Ad films for various brands, he directed and produced his debut feature film in Gujarati language Kundaalu which received acclaim and won awards at film festivals like Jaipur International Film Festival. Katlaa Curry is his second Gujarati language feature film.

THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS

96 min English, Urdu

Canada, Pakistan 2023

Mumbai Premiere

In Competition

Narrative Feature

Azra, a Pakistani woman living in Toronto, is worlds apart from her conservative Muslim mother. When her father suddenly dies on a trip home to Pakistan, Azra finds herself on a Bollywood-inspired journey through memories, both real and imagined, from her mother’s youth in Karachi to her own coming- of-age in rural Canada.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, 2023

International Premiere: BFI LONDON, 2023

Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival, UK, 2023

U.S. Premiere: SXSW, 2024

Wicked Queer - Boston's LGBTQ+ Film Festival, US, 2024

Out On Film: Atlanta's LGBTQ Film Festival, US, 2024

Roze Filmdagen, Netherlands, 2024

Filmfestival Oostende, Belgium, 2024

Pune International Film Festival, India, 2024

FAWZIA MIRZA (she/they) is a White House Champion of Change in Asian storytelling, an alumus of the Tribeca Film Institute, TIFF Writer's Studio and Filmmaker Lab, Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative, and the Canadian Academy of Women Directors' Program. She co-wrote, produced & starred in the feature Signature Move which world premiered at SXSW and won 15 awards around the globe (including the US Grand Jury Prize Outfest). She wrote/directed the short films I Know Her, Noor & Layla, Brown Elephant, Hidden Canyons and The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night. The Queen Of My Dreams is her feature directorial debut.

ENCORE SCREENING SAT, MAY 18, 12.45 PM Cinepolis (Andheri)

Director: Fawzia Mirza

Short Films Package

Boys Shorts

For synopses and other information of the short film package please turn to Page 105 Total Duration : 79 min

Liberty Cinema

Saturday

May 18, 2024

11.00 AM

63 min

BEYOND THE BLUES

Documentary Feature Bengali India 2023

Mumbai Premiere

In Competition

Beyond the Blues is a journey undertaken with Neel whose metamorphosis from an Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) person to a feminist non-masculinist transman is not just a story of gender affirmative transition. It is a story of breaking hetero-normative gender roles, challenging transnormative stereotypes and revisiting queer feminist aspirations. The film explores notions of identity and selfhood tied to questions of normativity, masculinity and citizenship, winding its way into chronicles of resilience and vivaciousness to ignite us with sparks of change and hope.

Festivals & Honors

Director: Debalina Majumder

World Premiere: 15th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), 2023

4th Indian Documentary Film Festival, Bhubaneswar, 2023

29th Kolkata International Film Festival. December, 2023

4th Beyond Borders Feminist Film Festival, New Delhi, 2023

10th Kolkata People's Film Festival, (KPFF) 2024

DEBALINA MAJUMDER is a Kolkata based independent filmmaker, cameraperson and photographer. For more than quarter of a century, Debalina has worked in various segments of the entertainment and news industry. A Berlinale Talent, Debalina's film Joy Run was screened at Berlin Film Festival, followed by creative documentary A Stranger in a Bioscope as well. ...And The Unclaimed, If You Dare Desire..., and Gay India Matrimony mark Debalina as one of the few directors in India working on same gender narratives.

Preceded By

Director: Iranmehr Salimi

13 min Islamic Republic of Iran 2022 Persian Short Documentary Indian Premiere

Zainab is a successful girl who supports her family financially, but considers herself a boy in spirit, and now she has decided to undergo gender transition, but in addition to her family's opposition and the society's inappropriate view of this issue, she has more difficulties.

International Narrative Centerpiece

HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS

(Domakinstvo za Pocetnici)

107 min North Macedonia, Sweden, Kosovo, Poland, Serbia, Croatia, 2023 United States, Australia Macedonian, Romany, Albanian, French Narrative Feature

Portrait of an unconventional family: the film tells the story of a vibrant yet complex multiethnic LGBT community living together in Duda’s large apartment. After Duda loses her partner to cancer, she finds herself entrusted with the care of their two daughters, with support from a fake husband and his young lover. The relationships among them prove to be stronger than any racial, social, gender, or generational conflict.

Festivals & Honors

Winner: Queer Lion - Venice Film Festival, 2023

Winner: Best Feature Film - Merlinka Festival, Serbia, 2023

Winner: Best Film & Best Screenplay - LesGaiCineMad, Spain, 2023

Winner: Aurora Award - Tromsø International Film Festival, 2024

Winner: Silver Q-Hugo - Chicago International Film Festival, 2023

GORAN STOLEVSKI was born and grew up in Macedonia before migrating to Australia in his teens. His debut feature You Won't Be Alone, premiered in official competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, while his second film Of An Age, opened the 2022 Melbourne International Film Festival before winning the $100,000 CinefestOz prize for Best Australian Film. Before shifting to features, Goran had made twenty-five shorts, playing over 200 festivals worldwide, with Would You Look at Her winning the jury prize for Best International Short at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

Director: Goran Stolevski

min

Girls Don't Cry, France, 2024 Liberty Cinema

QUEEN TUT

In Competition

After the loss of his mother, Nabil an Egyptian teenager leaves Cairo to live with his estranged father in Toronto where he runs into a trans drag mother, Malibu who runs a queer bar known for its outlandish Drag shows. What follows is the heart-warming journey of Nabil, as he creates colorful gowns and robes for the fundraiser event to save Malibu’s queer bar from demolition by the local authorities and also comes to terms with his own queer identity – Queen Tut!

Festivals & Honors

Nominee: Alexandra Billings for Performance in a Leading Role, Comedy at Canadian Screen Award 2024

Braunschweig International Film Festival, Germany 2023

Before becoming a filmmaker, director REEM MORSI worked as a human rights officer at the UN and other organizations for over a decade. Her debut feature Hysteria was released in 2022 while her second feature The Last Mark screened at TIFF 2021. She was selected as one of 10 participants at the Berlinale Script Lab 2018, and her project Bootleg was highlighted at the Berlinale Talents Opening Ceremony and throughout the program.

91

Narrative Feature English, Arabic Canada 2023

Asian Premiere

Director: Reem Morsi

Special Presentation

I AM SIRAT

87 min India, Canada 2023 Punjabi Documentary Feature Mumbai Premiere

Caught between duty and self-determination, Sirat Taneja is a transgender woman in New Delhi who must act as a son to her mother when at home, but can be the woman she really is with her friends and at work with the Government of India.

Through the collaboration between director Deepa Mehta and Sirat, the film has been constructed around Sirat’s lens. Shot on smartphones, Sirat controls her narrative and makes it accessible to us.

World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, Canada, 2023

Vancouver Film Festival, Canada, 2023

In Competition - BFI London Film Festival, UK, 2023

Indian Premiere: Dharamshala Film Festival, India 2023 Festivals & Honors

DEEPA MEHTA is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose work is internationally renowned. Her emotionally resonating, award-winning films have played at major film festivals, and been sold and distributed around the globe. They include the Elemental Trilogy: Fire, Earth, and the Best Foreign Language Oscar nominee, Water; Bollywood/Hollywood; Heaven on Earth; and the epic adaptation of Midnight’s Children. Mehta also directed Funny Boy, which won best director at the Canadian Screen Awards.

SIRAT TANEJA is a transgender woman who lives in New Delhi, India. She works in the Accounts Department at the Ministry of Social Defence. Previously, she worked at Love Life Society, an NGO working with people living with HIV or AIDS and Sexual Minorities on the issues of HIV/AIDS.

Directors: Deepa Mehta & Sirat Taneja

Liberty Cinema

Saturday

May 18, 2024

07:30 PM

120 min

Special Presentation

KUCH SAPNEY APNE

India, Sweden 2024

Hindi, English

Narrative Feature Indian Premiere

Kartik & Aman’s relationship is tested when one of them has a fling which leads to a domestic spat. Kartik’s parents’ relationship breaks apart when Damodar and Vasudha have a tiff. Will these two couples be ever able resolve their differences? Will their relationships stand the test of time?

Kuch Sapney Apne is a sensitive, heartwarming film about relationships, queer or not, and what happens when relationships are challenged by uncomfortable truths.

Festivals & Honors

Director: Sridhar Rangayan (Dreams Such As Ours)

World Premiere: UK Asian Film Festival, London, UK

SRIDHAR RANGAYAN is an Indian producer, director and writer. His award winning films The Pink Mirror, Yours Emotionally, 68 Pages, Purple Skies, Breaking Free, Evening Shadows and Raja Bro 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 prestigious National Award for Best Editing (non-fiction) awarded by the Government of India. His film Evening Shadows has won 27 awards and has been an official selection in 82 international film festivals. It had a limited theatrical release in India. His films The Pink Mirror, Breaking Free and Evening Shadows have streamed on Netflix; Purple Skies was telecast on Doordarshan, India’s National Network.

SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET

(Desde la ultima vez que nos vimos)

In Competition

For synopses and other information of the short film package please turn to Page 112

This Encore Screening is preceded by

Director: Dong yun Kim

25 min Republic of Korea 2023 Korean Narrative Short Asian Premiere NIGHT AND DAY (밤낮없이)

Eui-jun has been tired of dating only on nights because of Young-taek's new type of sun allergy. On Eui-jun’s birthday, Young-taek asks him his birthday wish, and he replies that he wants to go on a ‘daytime date’ with Young-taek.

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Liberty Cinema 10.00 PM

Smiles & Sunshine Short Films Package

Total Duration : 74 min

A package of five lighthearted narrative shorts about combatting the crises and winning the hearts, that will spread some sunshine in your heart and maybe make you smile - what could be a better start to your Sunday!

Liberty Cinema 09.30 AM May 19, 2024 Saturday

COWBOY, CHOKER, HARNESS & HEART

Directors: Julia Ponce Diaz, Nicolas Blanco

8 min Asian Premiere English USA 2023

Separated by only the thin wall of the stall, Cowboy and Heart’s relationship will be then put through the ultimate test, but will they withstand it?

INSTA GAY

Director: Simon Paluck Canada

12 min

A gay millennial reels after breaking-up with a popular influencer.

LARRY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Director: David Sonnenborn English Asian Premiere USA 2023

23 min English 2023 Asian Premiere

A gay man reconnects with and gets some life advice from his uncle who has passed away in the '90s.

Director: Chad Zemel

14 min World Premiere English USA 2023

A fabulous feminine boy looks for a super strong man to save him from his homophobic mom.

SAFETY STATE

Director: Jeanette L. Buck USA

16 min English Asian Premiere 2024

As rights are being rolled back and travel bans are going into effect, Shay and Quincy decide to leave their home in Ohio and travel East to a safety state.

Short Films Package

Indian Masala Mix 2

Total Duration : 77 min

Journey to acceptance – whether by self or others, is never free from road blocks. Some road blocks are visible and some are imaginary! Once identified it becomes easier to clear those. This is what the second part of Indian Masala Mix intends to do through these five short narratives. Sit tight and see if you can spot those road blocks – within self, or around!

CHUPI ROH

Director: Disha Bhardwaj

16 min Mumbai Premiere Hindi, Pahari India 2023

Nominated for Ismat Chughtai Award

Chupi Roh is about a family of three, Leela Raju & their son, Abbu. Abbu is struggling with his gender identity while at the same time Raju is stricken by loss & failure. Amidst these issues, Leela is trying to find a way to deal with everything in the best possible way she knows.

MEHROON

Director: Abu Sohel Khondekar India 10 min

Nominated for Riyad Wadia Award

11.00 AM

Mehroon, a transgender woman receives the news of her father's death through a text message from her sister, and her father's will through a courier. The will states that Mehroon will be eligible for property only if she presents herself as a son.

AALINGAN

Director: Prashant Patil Hindi India, USA 2023

17 min No Dialogues 2024 World Premiere

Paavni has found the girl she loves with all her heart, and wants to come out to her parents. But on the day she decides to confess, an unexpected truth is unraveled.

FLOWERING MAN

Director: Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar

23 min Hindi India 2023

Shashi undergoes a metamorphosis, as a flowering plant starts growing from inside his mouth. His distanced teenage daughter undertakes a journey towards embracing the new image of her father.

HALFWAY

Director: Kumar Chheda India 9 min English 2023

A turbulent couple finds themselves at opposing entrances of the Juhu beach, compelling them to walk towards each other and meet in the middle.

SAHELA

(English Title: Companion)

Vir and Nitya, a happily married couple living a seemingly idyllic life living in the suburbs of Parramatta, Sydney. However, the happy facade they’ve been putting up begins to slip under the weight of familial expectations and ingrained gender norms, with their marriage reaching breaking point when Vir reveals the truth about his sexuality to Nithya. As Vir embarks on a voyage of self-discovery, Nitya grapples with her own reality, leading them both down pathways of exploration and transformation. Sahela is a poignant and sensitive drama about a couple trying to cope with expectations and dealing with realities.

Director: Raghuvir Joshi

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Adelaide Film Festival, 2023

SXSW Sydney, 2023

MAMI - Mumbai International Film Festival, 2023

London Indian Film Festival, 2023

Queer Screen - Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney, Australia, 2024

RAGHUVIR JOSHI is a film director known for his work on several notable films. He made his directorial debut with the short film Yaman (2019) and recently completed his first feature Sahela (2023), which was nominated for Best Feature at the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival. He has also worked as a second unit or assistant director on movies such as Hotel Mumbai (2018) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). Joshi has also contributed as additional crew in films like The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015).

Short Films Package

Indian Narrative Shorts

Competition

Total Duration : 107 min

Five Indian narrative shorts in Bengali, Hindi, Pahari and also in English language have been nominated for this year’s Best Indian Narrative Short award. These stimulating short films deal with the basic desire to love and be loved; combating one’s own fears of being accepted by others and, most-importantly, being comfortable with oneself.

CHITTHI

Director: Sarthak Chauhan

10 min Mumbai Premiere Pahari India 2023

Also nominated for Riyad Wadia Award

Chitthi explores the idea of alienation through a queer lens as well as the consequences of such subordination. The story unfolds itself through a letter, where the protagonist (the narrator) equates the loss of his lover with a man he sees in his dreams. Unaware of what has happened to his lover, whether he has gone missing or been a victim to of a hate crime; he asks his mother how to cope with such a loss.

LOVE + (Love Positive)

Director: Tushar Tyagi

India 17 min English, Hindi World Premiere 2023

Ajay and Utkarsh, a sero-discordant live in couple who happily live in Mumbai. While Ajay is open about his relationship and HIV status as a HIV positive man, Utkarsh is still not open about his relationship with Ajay. One fine day, during a live streaming when Ajay was sharing his story of a HIV positive person, Utkarsh confesses his love for Ajay.

IYKYK (If You Know You Know)

Director: Bonita Rajpurohit

Hindi, English 18 min World Premiere India 2024

Also nominated for Ismat Chughtai Award + Riyad Wadia Award

Everyone seems to have a different approach to the elephant in the room; her Gender Identity. Address it or ignore it. No one seems to have a clue how to go about it. We follow a series of dates, Kusum goes on.

Director: Tathagata Ghosh

26 min Asian Premiere Bengali India 2023

Jaya and Fatima, two women in love, are separated because of Jaya’s marriage arranged by her conservative father. Trapped and helpless, Jaya is about to give up, when life suddenly brings her to a strange crossroad.

NIGHT QUEEN

Director: Naireeta Dasgupta

India 29 min Hindi World Premiere 2023

Also nominated for Ismat Chughtai Award

Forty-eight-year-old Lakshmikant Sharma lives in Old Lucknow with his wife, daughter and widowed mother, living a life that is the textbook definition of monotony. Except it isn’t. Lakshmi wants to wear Sarees, put on her favourite shade of pink lipstick and live like a woman.

Closing Film

MUTT

87 min USA 2023 English, Spanish Asian Premiere

Feña, a young trans guy bustling through life in New York City, is faced with an increasingly challenging day. Over 24 hours, his foreign father, his straight ex-boyfriend, and his 13-year old half-sister thrust back into his life. Having lost touch since transitioning, Feña must navigate the new dynamics of these old relationships while tackling the day-to-day challenges that come with living a life in-between.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Sundance Film Festival, 2023

Winner - U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award - Acting (Lio Mehiel), Sundance Film Festival 2023

Winner - Special Jury Mention - Generation 14plus - Berlinale, 2023

Winner - New American Cinema Competition - Seattle International Film Festival, 2023

Winner - Best Cinematography (Matthew Pothier) - Next Generation Indie Film Awards, 2023

As a transgender storyteller, Writer, Director VUK LUNGULOV-KLOTZ hopes to expand queer narratives. Mutt is his debut feature film. With this feature film script he is an alumnus of the Sundance Institute Labs, the Inside Out Financing Forum, and was a top five finalist for the Tribeca / AT&T Untold Stories Grant. His award winning trans-themed short film Still Liam played at festivals internationally and earned the attention of celebrated queer filmmakers Ira Sachs and Silas Howard, who have both become mentors. Vuk is also an alumnus of the Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative Program, where he completed a mentorship under director Janet Mock on the FX series Pose.

Director: Vuk Lungulov-Klotz

Alliance Française de Bombay May 15-19, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay

Thursday

May 16, 2024

10.30 AM

LESVIA

77 min Asian Premiere Greece 2024 Greek, English, French, Italian Documentary Feature

Since the 1970s, lesbians from around the world have been drawn to the island of Lesvos, birthplace of the ancient Greek poet Sappho. When they find paradise in a local village and carve out their own lesbian community, tensions simmer with the local residents. With both groups claiming ownership of lesbian identity, filmmaker Tzeli Hadjidimitriou—a native and lesbian herself—is caught in the middle and chronicles 40+ years of love, community, conflict, and what it means to feel accepted.

Festivals & Honors

Director: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou

Official Premiere, Newcomer Director Award - Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, 2024

World Premiere: BFI Flare - London LGBTQIA, Film Festival, 2024

Jury & Audience Award - Festival Écrans Mixtes, 2024

Lovers Film Festival, Turin, 2024

Audience Award - Pink Apple Queer Film Festival, Zurich, 2024

TZELI HADJIDIMITRIOU was born and raised on the island of Lesvos, Greece, and is an award-winning filmmaker, fine art photographer, and writer. Her photographs, which capture liminal atmospheres, places, and people, have been published and exhibited in solo and group shows in many countries. Her short films Sappho’s Granddaughters, Mr. Dimitris and Dimitroula and Sappho Singing focus on gender, and have been screened across the world and won several awards. She is an expert on Sappho's poetry and regularly works as a consultant for BBC television on programs about Sappho and Lesvos.

Lesvia is her first feature documentary.

DAYS OF HAPPINESS

(Les Jours Heureux)

118 min

Narrative Feature French Canada 2023

Thursday

May 16, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay 12.15 PM

Charismatic, gifted Emma is on track to become a major player on the Quebec classical music scene. Audiences are enraptured by her work, but her career is very closely managed by her controlling father, Patrick, who’s also her agent. After years of acquiescing to his demands, Emma is finally in a position to re-evaluate both their professional and personal relationships — and that’s when cellist and single mother Naëlle enters her life, offering her the chance to experience an entirely different type of family dynamic.

World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, 2023

Goteborg International Film Festival, Sweden, 2024

Pune International Film Festival, India, 2024 Festivals & Honors

Writer/ Director, CHLOÉ ROBICHAUD holds a Bachelor of Arts (with distinction) in directing from Concordia University. At the age of 25, her first feature film, Sarah Prefers to Run, was part of the official selection for the Cannes Film Festival’s ‘Un Certain Regard’. In 2016, her film Boundaries, about the lives of female politicians, was selected for the TIFF, and also won the prestigious “New Directors Prize” at the Seattle International Film Festival. Her other notable work includes Delphine (2020) which won the Best Canadian Short award at TIFF, and the popular Canadian series, Transplant. Chloé is currently in pre-production on a new adaptation of the legendary Quebecois cult film, Deux femmes en or.

This screening is supported by: Bureau du Québec à Mumbai

Mumbai Premiere

Director: Chloé Robichaud

Alliance Française de Bombay

Thursday

May 16, 2024

02.30 PM

71 min

AKOE/AMFI–THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION

Indian Premiere Greece 2023

Modern Greek Documentary Feature

In Competition

In 1977 a group of friends created A.K.O.E. – the Greek Homosexual Liberation Movement. The movement’s magazine – “Amfi” –and its offices at the legendary basement on Zalongou street, will become a place of refuge for the Greek LGBT community until 1990. AKOE and Amfi, will be the first reference points for a community that is just beginning to gain conscience and organize. It will be a revolution for the right to exist, the right to happiness, the right to love. This is the first time its story is being told.

Festivals & Honors

Audience Award - 25th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, Greece, 2023

Director: Iossif Vardakis

18th Lemesos International Documentary Festival, Cyprus, 2023

16th Beijing Queer Film Festival, China, 2023

10th Asterisco Festival Internacional De Cine LGBTIQ+, Argentina, 2023

Wicked Queer: Docs, Massachusets, USA, 2023

37th Griechische Filmwoche, Munich, Germany, 2023

Gilbert Baker Film Festival, Kansas, USA, 2023

The Greek Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, 2024

39th Lovers Film Festival, Turin, Italy, 2024

2nd Sunny Bunny LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine, 2024

IOSSIF VARDAKIS studied Film/TV at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has been working as a theatrical director in Greece since 1997, having directed over 30 stage shows. This is his debut film.

Matters of Heart

Total Duration : 83 min

A package of five poignant narratives from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, covering a variety of themes like asexuality, mental health, acceptance, polyamory , self-discovery, families and finding love at the ‘fag’ end!

Thursday

May 16, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay 04.00 PM

Director: Kalpit Patel

13 min Asian Premiere English Canada 2024

In a close-knit community, imagine a teenager's struggle with asexuality, where faith clashes with personal discovery.

YOU CAN'T GET WHAT YOU WANT BUT YOU CAN GET ME

Directors: Samira Elagoz, Z Walsh Netherlands, Finland, Germany, United States

13 min English Asian Premiere 2023 Experimental Short

A unique slideshow documenting two long-haired trans men falling in love. Over the course of one year, the artist couple gathered photographs from real-life events. A sweet and steamy celebration of T4T love, with life and art all tangled up.

MACHO MAN

Director: Agustí Estadella

24 min

World Premiere Catalan Spain 2023

Who is ‘Macho’ – his egoistic, dominating boyfriend, or the caring painting man! Emotionally wrecked Ferran has to rethink about himself and his relationship.

PURE BREEDS (Razze Pure)

Director: Giuseppe Zampella

Italy 20 min English, Italian International Premiere 2023

During a summer course for young farmers, Danilo finds himself romantically attracted to two of his batch mates - Gianni and Anthia, that will upset the balance of their symbiotic relationship.

SAXYFRAGE

Directors: David Luis Pérez, Ana Alejos

English, French

13 min World Premiere Spain 2023

Saxyfrage suffers from unrequited love. To escape from his present, he dives into the sea, but there he encounters the darkest moments of his past.

YOU PROMISED ME THE SEA

(L’air de la mer rend libre)

90 min

Narrative Feature French France 2023

In Competition

International Premiere

May 16, 2024 Thursday

Alliance Française de Bombay 05.45 PM

French Brittany, nowadays. Still living at home, Saïd is carrying on a secret affair with Vincent. Unable to confront his family, he accepts an arranged marriage with Hadjira. She too has given in to her mother’s demands, following a romantic disappointment and trouble with the law. Trapped by their families, Saïd and Hadjira join forces to follow their own path to freedom.

Official Premiere: Film francophone d’Angoulême, France, 2023

World Premiere: BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2024 Révélations Masculines César 2024 nomination - Youssouf Abi-Ayad Festivals & Honors

NADIR MOKNÈCHE born in Paris and studied directing at The New School for Social Research, New York. Back in Paris, he directed his first feature Le Harem de Madame Osmane, followed by Viva Laldjérie, shot in Algiers in 2003. Délice Paloma, his third feature, was not approved for release in Algeria, but met with great success in France and at film festivals. The film also won Lumiere Awards for the Best French Language Film in 2008. His other films include Goodbye Morocco (2012) shot in Tangier and Lola Pater (2016), his first film entirely shot in France. It was selected at the Locarno Film Festival 2017 and successfully released simultaneously in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Director: Nadir Moknèche

Alliance Française de Bombay

Friday

May 17, 2024

10.30 AM

CHASING CHASING AMY

In Competition

This charming, earnest meta-documentary examines the transformational impact of a 90s romcom on a 12-year-old queer kid growing up in Kansas. For young Sav Rodgers, the Kevin Smith cult classic Chasing Amy became lifesaving representation of queer identity. A deeper dive into the film as a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ cinema finds the director at many unexpected and emotional crossroads. Featuring interviews with Kevin Smith, Joey Lauren Adams, Guinevere Turner, Bob Hawk, Andrew Ahn, Princess Weekes and many others.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Tribeca Festival, New York, USA, 2023

BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2023

Director: Sav Rodgers

Winner: Frameline Completion Fund - Frameline SF Int’l LGBTQ Film Festival, 2023

Winner: Ad Hoc Docs Competition at Cleveland International Film Festival, 2024

Winner: Best Documentary Feature - Hell's Half Mile Film and Music Festival, 2023

Winner: Best Documentary at FilmOut San Diego, USA, 2023

Originally from Kansas, SAV RODGERS is a filmmaker and screenwriter whose feature directorial debut Chasing Chasing Amy is about the complicated legacy of Chasing Amy (1997) and its profound impression on his life. The TED Talk he gave in 2018 kickstarted this filmmaking journey, and spurred the writing of scripts that center on highly specific, surprising stories about queer people. An alumnus of the Producers Guild of America’s inaugural PGA Create program, Sav is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Transgender Film Center, a nonprofit aiming to help trans creators bring finished films to audiences around the world.

PEAFOWL

(Les Jours Heureux)

114 min Korean Republic of Korea 2022 Narrative Feature

Indian Premiere

Friday

May 17, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay 12.15 PM

Myung is a transgender who cut ties with her family and hometown because of who she is. Now, all she needs is the surgery but the only way to earn money, by winning the Waacking dance competition, didn’t go well. One day, she receives a call that her father passed away and Myung finds out that her father left a will that he will give her the legacy if she performs Drum Dance during his 49th memorial ritual. With no choice left, Myung goes back to her hometown to perform according to her father’s will.

Festivals & Honors

National Premiere: Busan International Film Festival, South Korea, 2022

BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2023

Frameline: San Francisco International Film Festival, 2023

Asian Film Festival of Dallas, USA, 2023

Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival, 2023

Rainbow Reel Tokyo, Japan, 2023

Nancy International Film Festival, Nancy, France, 2023

Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, 2023

Queer Lisboa, Portugal, 2023

MIX COPENHAGEN - LesbianGayBiTransQueer+ Film Festival, Denmark, 2023

Asian Film Festival Barcelona, Spain, 2023

Vinokino Helsinki, Finland, 2023

Mezipatra Queer Film Festival, Brno, Czech Republic 2023

Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Israel, 2023

Director: Sungbin Byun

Born in Seoul, 1991, director SUNGBIN BYUN majored in Oriental philosophy and Film at Sungkyunkwan University. His short film God’s Daughter Dances was awarded at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and also screened at various film festivals. Peafowl is his debut feature film.

NEIRUD

Neirud died shrouded in mystery, leaving behind no trace of her past. Confronting family secrets, the filmmaker pieces together the life of her enigmatic aunt, who toured Brazil as a wrestler in an underground all-female circus troupe throughout the 60s and 80s. As she investigates Neirud’s controversial ring persona – “Gorilla Woman”, the filmmaker uncovers a fascinating story about race, identity and queer life.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Olhar de Cinema, Curitiba Int' Film Festival, Brazil, 2023

Best Film & Editing Award - Olhar de Cinema, Curitiba Int' Film Festival, Brazil, 2023

Best Script Award - Mix Brazil LGBTQ+ Festival, 2023

Director: Fernanda Faya

Best Film Award - Pirenópolis Documentary Film Festival, Goiás , Brazil, 2023

International Premiere: DOC NYC, USA, 2023

Honorable Mention - OUTshine Film Festival Miami, USA, 2023

Honorable Mention - Cleveland International Film Festival, 2024

FERNANDA FAYA is a filmmaker, cinematographer, and educator, born and raised in São Paulo. Her work emphasizes female perspectives and centers on stories on the brink of fading into obscurity. Faya graduated in Cinema, specializing in cinematography, at Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP) in 2008. She holds an MFA in Film from Hunter College and is based in Queens, New York. Neirud is her debut feature.

HOW TO TELL A SECRET

99 min English Ireland 2022 Documentary Feature Indian Premiere

Friday

May 17, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay 04.00 PM

A powerful examination of the experiences of people who are living with HIV in Ireland today, How to Tell A Secret is a hybrid documentary film that looks at social stigma and the art of telling your story.

Robbie Lawlor was diagnosed with HIV at 21 and became one of the youngest people to come out on Irish television. Enda McGrattan, also known as Veda, promised to keep their HIV status a secret for a decade but eventually broke free by releasing a song. And a group of Irish and migrant women, who cannot show their faces, found creative ways to have their voices heard. In this compelling film, directors Anna Rodgers and Shaun Dunne use documentary, performance and genre-blurring storytelling techniques to communicate a powerful message.

Festivals & Honors

Best Documentary - London Irish Film Festival, 2022

aGLIFF/ Prism Film Festival, Austin, 2022

GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, 2022

Best Documentary - LGBT+ Film Festival, Poland, 2023

Frameline: San Francisco International Film Festival, 2023

BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2023

Queer Screen- Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydeny, 2023

ANNA RODGERS is a multi-award winning director and producer, best known for her feature documentaries Today is Better than Two Tomorrows, and When Women Won, screened at various festivals and numerous Best Documentary awards. How to Tell a Secret is her third feature documentary.

SHAUN DUNNE is a Dublin based film and theatre artist. His films The First was a Boy, Iarscoláire and Dúirt Tú have won several awards across the world. How to Tell a Secret is Shaun’s debut feature-length documentary.

Directors: Anna Rodgers, Shaun Dunne

Alliance Française de Bombay

Friday

May 17, 2024

05.45 PM

104 min

RIVIÈRE

Indian Premiere Switzerland, France 2023 French, Russian Narrative Feature

Seventeen-year-old Manon leaves the Swiss mountains to head out in search of her father, who is nowhere to be found. As she forms new bonds and encounters her first love, she is determined to follow the path she has set herself on the ice: to become a professional hockey player.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Locarno Film Festival – Cineasti del presente, 2023

International Premiere: Alice nella città, Italy, 2023

Festival international du film francophone de Tübingen, Germany, 2023

Director: Hugues Hariche

ENCORE SCREENING

SAT, MAY 18, 10.300 PM

Cinepolis, Andheri

Pink Screens Film Festival, Belgium, 2023

CINEMANIA | Festival de films francophones, Canada 2023

Outburst Queer Arts Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2023

Mix Brasil Festival de Cultura da Diversidade, Brasil, 2023

IMAGE+NATION: Festival Film LGBTQUEER, Montreal, Canada, 2023

CHÉRIES CHÉRIS – Festival du film LGBTQI & +++ de Paris, 2023

Tel Aviv’s International LGBTQ Film Festival, Israel, 2023

Roze Filmdagen – Amsterdam LGBTQ+ Film Festival, 2024

1st FIJA Festival International Jeunes Acteurs.Ice.S, France, 2024

HUGUES HARICHE is a Franco-Swiss writer, director based in the United States. His short films Bloodlines (2003), Flow (2012) and Metropolis (2015) were selected for and awarded at several international festivals. He was a resident at the Premiers Plans workshop in Angers and at the Berlinale Talent Campus. RIVIÈRE (2023) is his debut

feature-length film, selected at the Locarno Film Festival 2023 under – “Filmmakers of the Present”.

OUR BABY: A MODERN MIRACLE

Director: Gussy Sakula-Barry

In this revealing, heartwarming and often inspiring film, Jake and Hannah Graf, Britain’s most high profile transgender couple, navigate the emotional journey of surrogacy and the rollercoaster of Covid – 19 challenges.

Short Films Package

International Narrative Shorts Competition 2

Total Duration : 119 min

The second part of this year’s nominations for the Best International Narrative Short award presents seven soul searching narratives from Asia, Europe and North America, centered on the core theme of Acceptance – by oneself and by others!

NOTHING SPECIAL

Director: Mikko Makela

14 min

Asian Premiere English UK 2023

A filmmaker’s and a moviegoer’s ideas of cinematic romance are put to the test during a one-night stand that turns emotional.

FISH BOY

Director: Christopher Yip Canada 11 min

Asian Premiere 2023

Alliance Française de Bombay

Saturday

May 18, 2024

12.15 PM

Fish Boy is a lyrical meditation on faith, love, and polyamory through the eyes of an Asian American teenager. When 16-year-old Patrick questions his love for God, his self-discovery manifests in his skin.

MANTING

Director: Shuyao Chen

15 min English, Yue Chinese (Cantonese)

Chinese Indian Premiere China, USA 2023

Manting, a Chinese woman in her early 60s, reconnects with the lesbian lover from her adolescence when one of her old classmates passes away. After classmates’ reunion event in a karaoke bar, they end up spending a night together roaming in the city.

THE ELLIPSIS FIGURE

Director: Saeed Heshmati

15 min Persian Republic of Iran Islamic 2024 World Premiere

A religious woman shelters a young girl in her house based on the request of one of her friends. But in reality, the young girl is a boy who has undergone hormone therapy and wants to perform the sex change operation, and due to this reason, her family has threatened to kill her. The religious woman is in an unwanted situation after learning about the truth about the girl.

THE ODDITY IN THE BLUE CRAYFISH

(Il Difetto Dell’astice Blu)

Director: Simone Marino

16 min Asian Premiere Italian Italy 2023

Edo is an 18 years old boy with fast-progressing alopecia, which he wants to cure before his boyfriend returns from his year abroad. The drops he takes begin to transform something in his body. However, also his boyfriend seems to have undergone a change.

THE WAKE

Director: Peter Ahlén Denmark 30 min Danish International Premiere 2023

Gerda (73) has just lost her husband. She has lived the perfect life, where appearances have been the most important thing to her. Now being alone she finds safety in perfection. This suddenly changes when she finds some letters in the basement from a male lover of her late husband.

TOMAS

Director: Ferran Navarro-Beltrán Catalan, Spanish

18 min Asian Premiere Spain 2024

Thomas moves to a nursing home after becoming a widower. He wants to integrate well into the group and the assistant Alba helps him to introduce himself just the way he is.

Alliance Française de Bombay

Saturday

May 18, 2024

02.30 PM

Unfurl Your Pride

Total Duration : 76 min

For synopses and other information of this short film package please turn to Page 45

TOPS

66 min Documentary Feature English UK 2023 International Premiere

Fun, satirical and a pastiche of the chaotic, brash, self-deprecating and clueless 1990s/2000s British reality TV, Tops sees TV’s Amy Pennington delve into the lives of four individuals who’ve had TOP surgery in a desperate attempt for the presenter to make their first-ever trans friend. These four interviewees include a powerlifter and gay-games Olympian hopeful, a housing-officer-come-actor, an Essex filmmaker, and an equality diversity & inclusion specialist-slash-occasional model. They open up their lives, homes and, in one case, bag of dicks, to the invasive, neurotic and yet loveable Amy Pennington.

Director: Amy Pennington

Friday

May 17, 2024

Alliance Française de Bombay 04.00 PM

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2024

AMY PENNINGTON (they/them) is a northerner - they think it’s important you know that. They make films, performances and collaborative projects about class, sexuality and gender. Amy has made art with their family, residents in a care home and clients at a queer hair salon. Their work challenges who gets to express themselves, share their experiences and under what terms.

Preceded By

THE BUS DRIVER

Director: Ku Ki

22 min Myanmar 2024 Burmese Short Documentary International Premiere

This film explores the challenges of a bus conductor and his wife to make ends meet, having to cope with the long working hours and the daily power cuts in Myanmar. Yet, this queer couple seems to be completely integrated and accepted in their community despite LGBTQIA+ being legally persecuted by the military regime.

Short Films Package

Student Shorts Competition

Total Duration : 106 min

A mixed package of six short films made by students of media colleges from China, Germany, India, Slovakia, Sweden and USA bringing their fresh takes on LGBTQIA+ narratives; make to the nominations for this year’s Student Short competition.

POISONED WELL (Otrávená studňa

)

Director: Radek Ševčík

14 min

Documentary Short Slovak, Czech Slovakia 2023 Indian Premiere

Media School: Ateliér réžie dokumentárneho filmu (ARDF FTF VŠMU)

Bratislava, Slovakia

October 12, 2022 – a terrorist attack in Bratislava – the death of innocent LGBTI+ people – no political response. Film-requiem discusses the deteriorating state of society after the attack, as well as the intimate feelings of LGBTI+ people, including the author himself. A rotten well poisons society’s opinions, which do not improve even after the attack. Do people really need to live in fear?

Director: Luka Lara Ste en

30 min Narrative Short German 2023 Asian Premiere PIECHT

Germany

Media School: Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), Germany

For 17-year-old Johanna, a vacation in idyllic Piecht is anything but relaxing. While her mother dreams of an ecological alternative life, a real nightmare unfolds for Johanna as she is confronted with a far-right community and their backwards ideas. She bravely tries to get to the bottom of what is happening, but encounters brutal resistance.

SIFAR

Director: Eishita

21 min

English, Hindi Narrative Short India 2024 Mumbai Premiere

Media School: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi, India

Also nominated for Ismat Chughtai Award

The film explores the themes of love, grief, acceptance, and resilience within queer identities. Through Inaaya, the narrative unravels emotions in the face of life-altering loss. She wakes up every day, grieving the suicide of her partner, Shaayra, and the life she thought she once had.

Saturday Alliance Française de Bombay

May 18, 2024

05.45 PM

Director: Yulin Yang

16 min

Narrative Short Chinese China 2023

Indian Premiere

Media School: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, NY, USA

On a surfing trip, a female couple with an age difference attempts to navigate their uncertain relationship. Yet after an unexpected change in circumstance, they each begin to see themselves and their relationship in a new light.

Director: Felix Augustin Greisinger

8 min Swedish Narrative Short 2024

World Premiere

Sweden

Media School: Stockholm University of the Arts, Sweden

Rafael and his friends reign supreme in a world dominated by masculinity and casual sex. One of these hookups leads to a passionate but brief encounter with Alex and a moment of intimacy arises between them. However, when Alex shares an intimate moment with another man, Rafael grapples with his own desires and fears, torn between two worlds.

Director: Kenya Gillespie English

16 min Narrative Short USA 2023

Asian Premiere

Media School: University of Texas, Austin, USA

A composer attempts to unravel the memories of his relationship with his classical singer ex-boyfriend. Blending lyrical visuals and poetry by Carol Ann Duffy with a lush orchestral score, Give takes the viewer on a journey through the mind of the composer.

Short

Films Package

APQFFA Shorts

Total Duration : 78 min

KASHISH being the proud member of Asia Pacific Queer Film Festival Alliance, gets the honour to host and present this year’s Best APQFFA Short Film Award, sponsored by GagaOOLala, Taiwan.

The nominations showcase a mixed package of six fabulous queer films from Asia Pacific region’s cultural and contemporary prospective

Alliance Française de Bombay

Sunday

10.30 AM May 19, 2024

DIPPED IN BLACK (Marungka Tjalatjunu)

Directors: Matthew Thorne, Derik Lynch

24 min Yankunytjatjara Australia 2023 Mumbai Premiere

Nominated by: Queer Screen - Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

This short documentary follows Yankunytjatjara man Derik Lynch's road trip back to Country for spiritual healing, as memories from his childhood return. A journey from the oppression of white city life in Adelaide, back home to his remote Anangu Community to perform on sacred Inma ground.

REMEMBERING THE GLADE

Directors: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson Hawai'i

7 min

Nominated by: Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival

Legendary 80 year-old showgirl Brandy Lee recalls how the Glade, a Honolulu nightclub famous for its drag revues, became a place of community refuge and joy for māhū – individuals of dual male and female spirit – during a time of violent anti-trans discrimination.

THERE’S

NO SEX, ONLY FANS

(Original Title: 推特事)

Director: Chi-Wen Ting Mandarin Mumbai Premiere Taiwan 2023

19 min English 2024 World Premiere

Nominated by: Taiwan International Queer Film Festival

Reel creator Hsuan, with 20k followers, receives a letter for a joint collaboration from A-hsien, When the two met to create Hsuan's best shooting theme. The novice A-Hsien is caught in a dilemma between meeting the technical needs of Hsuan's filming and being immersed in it.

WEGEN HEGEL

Director: Popo Fan

14 min German, English Germany, Taiwan, China 2023

Indian Premiere

Nominated by: Beijing Queer Film Festival, China

Philosophy student Ping moved to Germany in the middle of the Covid-19 lockdown. He meets someone online and pays them a visit. An epiphany and an unknown liquid add up to a special evening.

MOUNTAIN LINGERS

(Original Title:

)

Director: Hyeryeong Song Republic of Korea 10 min Korean 2022 Indian Premiere

Nominated by: Seoul International Pride Film Festival, Republic of Korea

Meongjin and Inho went separate ways after their breakup. Meongjin became a fake shaman, while Inho started a family. Twenty years later, they unexpectedly reunite to predict Inho's daughter's college entrance exam results.

Directors: Preeti Kannungo, Sourav Yadav Hindi 20 min India 2023

Nominated by: KASHISH Pride Film Festival, Mumbai, India

Coming of age story of two sisters Malwa and Khushan in their adolescent years. Living with their grandmother, Khushan always looks up to Malwa for her outspoken nature and courage. Soon a new girl arrives in her class Khushan begins to develop feelings for her.

MALWA KHUSHAN

HAILEY ROSE

Hailey Rose is a contemporary family comedy about love in all its expressions. Twentysomething Hailey hasn’t been back to her coastal Nova Scotia hometown in a decade. Now, recently unemployed and running out of excuses as to why she shouldn’t move in with her non-binary partner, Syd, her frantic sister calls with news compelling her to return home – only to discover a stunning surprise waiting for her. Before Hailey can return to her protected life out west, she must face some startling truths – about both her parents, the effects of her sudden departure on her sister and closest friends, her feelings for Syd, and the fate of one rundown old fishing boat.

Festivals & Honors

Director: Sandi Somers

Cinefest International Film Festival, 2023

Calgary International Film Festival, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2023

Image+Nation LGBTQueer Film Festival, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2024

Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose California United States, 2024

Canadian Film Fest, Toronto Ontario Canada, 2024

SANDI SOMERS has worked for the past 30 years as a filmmaker, theatre artist and educator who works in a variety of genres. Creating thought-provoking films that revolve around human nature and the personal discovery of truth, while addressing themes of connection (or lack thereof). Her debut feature film Ice Blue was released in Landmark Cinemas across Canada and won several festival awards. Sandi is the founder of HERLAND, providing workshops, mentorship and networking for the advancement of women’s careers in screen-based industries.

Preceded By

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative short please turn to Page 53

LADY LIKE

88 min English UK, USA 2024

Asian Premiere

In Competition

Documentary Feature

Alliance Française de Bombay

Sunday

May 19, 2024

03.00 PM

London-born San Francisco-based drag queen Lady Camden is catapulted into the spotlight when she becomes a contestant on season 14 of RuPual’s Drag Race. As she struggles to manage the demands of her newfound fame, she must come to terms with a traumatic childhood in Camden that drove her to seek joy, fantasy, and escape through the performing arts.

BFI Flare Closing Night Gala (London) 2024

World Premiere: BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2024 (Closing Night Film)

Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam, 2024 Miami Film Festival, 2024 Sarasota Film Festival, 2024 Milwaukee International Film Festival, 2024 RiverRun International Film Festival, 2024 Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, 2024 Festivals & Honors

LUKE WILLIS is a 2024 Peace Studio fellow whose award-winning short films have been screened at more than 40 film festivals around the world, including Academy Award and BAFTA qualifying festivals like Outfest, Flickers' Rhode Island IFF, BFI Flare, Encounters, and NewFest. He comes to filmmaking after 20 years in the theater, 10 of which were spent as a classical ballet dancer for the San Francisco Ballet and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. He developed his passion for queer cinema while working as an assistant on the 2019 Tribeca Audience Award-winning feature documentary Gay Chorus Deep South.

PRECEDED BY

MAKING UP

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative short please turn to Page 53

STAY

Director: Luke Willis

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative short please turn to Page 57

Cinepolis (Andheri) May 17-18, 2024

Short Films Package

Boys Shorts

Total Duration : 79 min

A selection of four narrative shorts exploring the pleasures and pitfalls of gay men’s world in urban landscapes. Their flings, romances, careers, camaraderie and day-to-day challenges of life – there is always so much to keep them busy!

ENCORE SCREENING | SAT, MAY 18, 09.30 AM | Liberty Cinema

ASYLUM

Director: Lionel Onyekwere

19 min Asian Premiere English USA 2023

In an attempt to figure out the root cause of the fractured relationship between her and her son, Mrs. Abiodun surprises Tunde in the US with a visit, only to find him shacked up with Nadir.

Asylum is a story of self-acceptance, family, love and life!

COBALT (Cobalto)

Director: Julián Hernández

Mexico 21 min

Friday Cinepolis (Andheri)

May 17, 2024

09.30 AM

Damien returns injured to the apartment he lived with Orlando. The two avoid talking about what happened but the memories that nestle all over the place they once made their own are present. The longing for the idyllic past becomes anguish for both of them, who are forced to live together once again.

FORWARD DRIVE

Director: Anomaa Rajakaruna Sinhalese Mumbai Premiere Sri Lanka 2021

21 min Asian Premiere Spanish 2022

A well-known cricketer’s sexual orientation becomes a hot topic in social media and he tries to isolate from his team mates, friends and family. He becomes suspicious of his partner and a popular singer who lives next-door tries to reconcile them.

FRIEND OF A FRIEND (Ami d'ami)

Director: Simon Gualtieri

15 min Asian Premiere French Canada 2023

Jules is bi. Bi as in bisexual. Bi, even though he’s only slept with women. Bi and ready to try his first experience with Samuel, a friend of a friend.

Friday

May 17, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 11.00 AM

SPIRIT OF ECSTASY

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative short please turn to Page 44

(La Vénus D’argent)

ARE WE LOST FOREVER

104 min Narrative Feature Swedish Sweden 2020 Mumbai Premiere

It started as a fairytale romance, Adrian and Hampus were destined to be together, but one morning Hampus suddenly declares “There’s no more we”, instantly ending their engagement. Moving on from the life they built together, Hampus and Adrian begin to navigate the Gothenburg dating scene and discover who they might be without each other. As the finality of the situation dawns upon them they have to ask themselves, can this ending lead to new beginnings, or “Are We Lost Forever”?

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Göteborg Film Festival, Sweden, 2020

European Film Market, Berlinale, Germany, 2020

Marché du Film, Cannes, France, 2020

Athens International Film Festival, Greece, 2020

Reeling: The Chicago LGBT+ Film Festival, USA, 2020

Iris Prize Film Festival, UK, 2020

Film Fest Gent, Belgium, 2020

Seoul International Pride Film Festival, South Korea, 2020

TLVFest, Israel, 2020

Merlinka Film Festival, Serbia, 2020

Image+Nation Film Festival LGBTQ Montréal, Canada, 2020

Roze Filmdagen, the Netherlands, 2021

Chéries Chéris, France, 2021

Pune International Film Festival, India, 2021

Best of Sweden Film Festival, Germany, 2024

DAVID FÄRDMAR is a Director, Screenwriter, Producer and Casting Director based in Göteborg, Sweden. His directorial feature film debut Are We Lost Forever had its World Premiere at the Göteborg Film Festival in early 2020, and has been picked up for distribution in 37 countries. Previously Färdmar has written and directed multiple short films, such as My Name Is Love (2008), A Sting Of Maud (2011), No Tears Behind The Camera (2014) and No More We (2018).

Director: David Färdmar

Cinepolis (Andheri)

Friday

May 17, 2024

02.45 PM

ONENESS

114 min World Premiere India 2024 Meitei, English Narrative Feature

Ivan Martin, hailing from a conservative Christian family, found himself developing feelings for Pamheiba, a boy from the Meitei community. Their relationship came to light when they were both apprehended during a raid at a hotel. Ivan's family, driven by their beliefs, subjected him to conversion therapy in an attempt to change him. Despite the relentless efforts of both families to separate them, the love between Ivan and Pamheiba only grew stronger till Ivan’s brother, consumed by the notion that Ivan had disgraced their family, took matters into his own hands.

Inspired by an actual event that occurred in 2013 the film sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals who dare to love freely in a society constrained by prejudice and intolerance.

Director: Priyakanta Laishram

PRIYAKANTA LAISHRAM is an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, and television host from Imphal, Manipur who predominantly works in Manipuri films, known for his socially relevant and unconventional movies. He started making children's films at the age of 9 by using a Nokia N70 mobile phone, for which he won several titles including The Youngest Filmmaker 2009 from Nokia and Manipur's Rising Star 2011 from Asian News International. His short films, including It's Not My Choice, The Foul Truth, I am Special, Who Said Boys Can't Wear Makeup, and Spaced Out - Panthung Di Kadaaida!, have garnered numerous national and international awards.

TURTLES (Les Tortues)

83 min English, French Belgium, Canada 2023 Asian Premiere

Narrative Feature

Since Thom and Henri met 35 years ago, their love for each other has never faltered. The seemingly perfect life they had built in Brussels started to go awry when Henri retired from being a police officer. Now, Henri’s days seem to stretch endlessly, each one as bland as the next while his feelings for Thom are fading fast. They drift away from each other a little more each day, to the point that their house has become a battleground. Thom’s love for Henri remains strong though and he is not ready to give up. He will do anything to save his relationship and rekindle their love, even if that means asking Henri for a divorce.

Director: David Lambert

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Festival SXSW, USA, 2024

Rencontres cinématographiques de Cannes, France

Friday

May 17, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 05.00 PM

LesGaiCineMad – Festival Internacional de Cine LGBTI+ de Madrid, Spain

Chéries Chéris – Festival du film LGBTQI & +++ de Paris, France

Special Mention Award - International LGBT Film Festival Cinhomo, Spain

Opening Night Film - OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, USA

Best Feature Award - Torino Lovers Film Festival, Italy

Jury Award: Narrative Feature - Wicked Queer Film Festival, USA

Pink Apple Queer Film Festival, Switzerland

DAVID LAMBERT is a Belgian film director and screenwriter. He is most noted as cowriter with Guillaume Senez of the 2016 film Keeper, for which they received a Magritte Award nomination for Best Screenplay at the 7th Magritte Awards in 2017. Lambert co-wrote the screenplays for Senez's short film In Our Blood (Dans nos veines) and the feature films The Boat Race (La Régate) and Angel at Sea (Un ange à la mer) with Bernard Bellefroid, and wrote and directed the short film Vivre encore un peu..., before releasing Beyond the Walls (Hors les murs) in 2012 as his feature debut. He subsequently directed the films All Yours (Je suis à toi) in 2014, and Third Wedding (Troisièmes noces) in 2018.

Preceded By

TICKER

Director: Thom Petty

9 min UK 2023

English Narrative Short Asian Premiere

Howard drives his partner Joseph to hospital to undergo a high-risk operation and the intimacy of the car, alongside a long forgotten mix tape, sees the masculinity of their forty year relationship start to yield.

Indian documentary centerpiece

Cinepolis (Andheri)

Friday

May 17, 2024

06.45 PM

46 min

HUES & BLUES

India 2024

English, Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu Documentary Short

World Premiere

Prasanna, Prasenjit, Ayushi and Vivek are individuals living separate lives and having distinct careers in different cities of the world. Being queer is a common thread they have and united by chance, they come together to throw a camping festival for the queer community in India. The festival is named “URU” meaning “VILLAGE” in the southern languages of India. The documentary captures these individual’s journey as they design and build the space for India’s first queer camping festival. Their aim is to build a safe space where there is no judgement and all voices can be heard.

Director: Vinayakram C

C VINAYAKRAM completed his Diploma in Film Direction from L.V.Prasad Film & TV academy in 2011. He went on to assist in a feature film and a mythological TV serial, where he felt disconnected among the large crew. He then started assisting documentary filmmakers with minimal crew members, and began to find a connection in the process. His first film Hues & Blues with a 2 person shooting crew (he and his wife). They engaged their friends for the post production process to make the film a little better. They firmly believe that content can drive narratives and they have tried to incorporate that in their film.

SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET

(Desde la ultima vez que nos vimos )

81 min Spanish Argentina 2023

In Competition

Friday

May 17, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 08.15 PM

Narrative Feature Asian Premiere

Victor, a restless loner, is snapped out of his workaholic stupor when he runs into David outside his Buenos Aires apartment. This reunion revives the clandestine love they had when they were younger. Victor could never get over the wound that David inflicted on him by disappearing suddenly from his life because he could not bear the weight of society. In this reunion Victor finds himself with a David that is married to a woman, but nevertheless, they meet again affectively in all those moments that David can sneak away from his parallel life. Victor struggles with his own feelings knowing that every time they meet might be the last one.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Outshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival – Miami edition, 2023

Melbourne Queer Film Festival, 2023

Reeling 2023 – Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, 2023

Image+Nation Montreal LGBTQueer Film Festival, 2023

ROZE FILMDAGEN Amsterdam LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the Netherlands, 2024

BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2024

MATIAS DE LEIS CORREA is the co-founder of the audiovisual production company De Atar Contenidos where he works as a screenwriter, director and editor. He is a National Actor graduated in Dramatic Arts at the Universidad Nacional de Arte. His first feature Convaleciente was released in 2021, which won awards in Spain and toured to many festivals around.

Director: Sungbin Byun

Cinepolis (Andheri)

Friday

May 17, 2024

10.00 PM

114 min

F.L.Y.

International Premiere USA 2023 English Narrative Feature

F.L.Y. is a slice-of-life comedy about two exes, Max and Rafael, who get stuck under the one roof after the pandemic hits – for better or worse! Having not seen each other in five years and with a new boyfriend in tow, things get off to a rocky start as Max navigates the situation with Raf, who just moved to LA with the dream of becoming the next drag superstar. They’ll both face up to some hard realities and also learn more about each other than they did before. This wistful comedy celebrates living your truth and trusting where it takes you.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: Outfest Film Festival Los Angeles 2023Puerto Rico Film Festival, 2023

Way out West Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2023

Out on Film Atlanta, Georgia LGBT Film Festival, 2023

Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, 2023

Queer Screens Sydney's Mardi Gras Film Festival, 2024

Outshine Miami LGBT Film Festival, 2024

Directors: Rafael Albarrán, Trent Kendrick

RAFAEL ALBARRÁN is a Puerto Rican actor and writer trained at The New School for Drama MFA Acting program. Credits include leading roles in the films: Lupe, HBO Max, and Party Time The Movie!.

As a writer, his play I Catch You Dreaming was produced at the Flamboyán Theater in Lower East Side, and his play Checkmate was part of the first Fuerza Fest LGBTQ Theater Festival in the Upper East Side. His book Little People: Fifty Poems is available on Amazon.

TRENT KENDRICK was raised in a small town in Southwest Kansas. At 17, he signed to Ford Models and was quickly thrust into the world of international fashion. Trent left modeling to attend the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Post-graduation, Trent directed a PSA for the Los Angeles LGBT Center, which helped raise more than three million dollars for the newly constructed homeless youth shelter.

Best of IRIS Short Films Package

Total Duration : 54 min

Iris Prize in Cardiff, Wales, UK; is a BAFTA A-list qualifying festival and KASHISH has been partnering with Iris since 2010. Every year the winner of Best Indian Narrative Short film at KASHISH gets to be nominated to compete for this award at Iris. Here is a curated collection of extraordinary short films that have been honored and celebrated at the 2023 Iris Prize Film Festival.

Iris is home to the largest short film prize in the world – the coveted £30,000 Iris Prize. Supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation, the prize allows the winner to make their next LGBT+ short film here in Cardiff.

REALNESS WITH A TWIST

Director: Cass Virdee

12 min Narrative Short English UK 2023 Indian Premiere

Winner: 2023 Youth Jury Award

A talented footballer is forced to battle between his secret passion for voguing and the fear of his team-mate's disapproval.

09.30 AM May 18, 2024

TED AND NOEL

Director: Julia Alcamo UK 25 min English Documentary Short 2023 Indian Premiere

Winner: 2023 Co-op Audience Award

Ted and Noel deals with a grieving LGBTQ+ activist who tries to find the strength for one last campaign.

Director: Sara Harrak English 6 min Narrative Short UK 2023

Indian Premiere

Winner: Best British Short

What exactly are the rules in an open relationship? With no rulebook, it’s down to the couple to draw their lines… F**KED raises the question many of us secretly ask ourselves - have I really explored and enjoyed my own sexuality?

SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT

Director: Karimah Zakia Issa

Canada 11 min English Narrative Short 2022

Indian Premiere

Winner: 2023 Iris Prize

Two strangers are scared on a late walk home. As they try to escape one another, their worlds collide at an intersection forcing them to question who they’re afraid of and why

This screening is supported by

Preceded By

EVERYBODY'S GOTTA LOVE SOMETIMES

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative short please turn to Page 56

Girls Shorts Short Films Package

Total Duration : 85 min

Enjoy six sexy-senti-raunchy-crunchy-punchy shorts… a potpourri of almost all the possible emotions and feelings. After all, girls don't believe in anything half-way!

Cinepolis ( Andheri)

Saturday

May 18, 2024

11.00 AM

AUNTIE ISSUES (Complejo De Algo)

Director: Tadeo Pestaña Caro, Rita Hostt 14 min

Narrative Short Spanish Argentina 2023

Indian Premiere

Veronica is known for falling in love with her middle aged teachers. One day, wondering why this is, she has an epiphany.

LOVESICK (Mal de Amores)

Director: Fiorella Vescovi Garcia

USA 15 min English Narrative Short 2022 Asian Premiere

Natalia “Nat” Barbieri just discovered that her ex-girlfriend Tara is engaged to a douchey, rich, European playboy. She goes to her friends Beatriz and Lucia for support, but they’ve had enough of her pity party and call her out on her obsession. Nat doesn’t want to hear it and tells them to leave, adding that she won’t be going to dodgeball practice.

INVITATION

Director: Panha Theng

Central Khmer 10 min Narrative Short Cambodia 2023

International Premiere

Invitation is a thought-provoking film about a lesbian couple, Vann, and Nin, who live in a cozy condo in the city. They have been together for six years, and their relationship has been tested by their personal battles with their past.

I FOUND MY YELLOW

Director: Shin Thandar

15 min

Documentary Short Burmese Myanmar 2024 Asian Premiere

Two women, Shin and Susan, and one cat, Shwe Lone Chay, are slowly learning to be a family unit, lovingly accepting each other’s insecurities. In the face of the current LGBTQIA+ repression in Myanmar, same-sex marriage, for the time being, remains a faraway dream.

SEAGULLS CUT THROUGH THE SKY

(As Gaivotas Cortam O Céu)

Director: Mariana Bártolo, Guillermo García López Portugal, France 18 min Portuguese Narrative Short 2023 Asian Premiere

Dense atmosphere of change and union strikes in Porto’s harbor. Clara, owner of a fishermen’s bar threatened by closure, finds in the arms of Raquel, waitress on cruise ships, the only shelter to express her fears and contradictions.

UNEX·TEXT·ED ENCOUNTERS

Director: Ria Mirchandani English 12 min Animation Short USA 2023 World Premiere

An unexpected romance, as told by the screen of an iPhone

THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 2.45 PM

KATLAA CURRY

In Competition

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative Feature please turn to Page 64

KITTY KELLY’S DIWALI

(Original Title: Kitty Kelly Ki Diwali)

Nominated for Riyad Wadia Award

Good Indian Girl KITTY decides to kill grumpy old landlady KANJI to save her love KELLY from deportation. White American Kelly, Bollywood backup dancer, has a murky past. But even for her committing two murders in one night, is a new low.

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 05.00 PM

VIVEK SHAH is a Mumbai-based cinematographer working in the film and television industry since 1995. He has graduated in Fine Arts from M.S. University, Baroda and done his post-graduation in Motion Picture Cinematography at FTII, Pune. Some of his notable work as Director of Photography includes feature films: Bariwali by Rituparno Ghosh, Love Hostel, Gurgaon, Khargosh, which won Best Cinematography at Imagine India Film Festival 2010, Spain, Kaphal by Batul Mukhtiar which won the National Award for Best Children's Film 2014, Lilkee and Johny, Johny, Yes Papa. He has also been the DOP on the web-series Inside Edge Seasons 2 & 3, Masoom and Aakhri Sach.

Kitty Kelly Ki Diwali is Vivek's debut work as a writer and director.

Preceded

By

LOVE AND LET LOVE

Director: Shailaja Padindala

8 min India 2024 No Dialogues Narrative Short

A middle aged widow who has been a single parent most of her life, finally decides to let go off her past and go out on a date on valentine's day unaware about her daughter is also going on a date that very day to the same cafe.

52 min Narrative Short India 2023 World Premiere

Director: Vivek Shah

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 6.30 PM

YOU PROMISED ME THE SEA

(L’air de la mer rend libre)

STUDIO ONE FOREVER

95 min English USA 2022

Documentary Feature Asian Premiere

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 8.15 PM

From 1974-1994, Studio One and its adjoining live music venue, The Backlot, became symbols of hope and community for gay men during tumultuous times. Amidst the rise of gay rights, disco’s heyday, and the devastating AIDS crisis, the club offered sanctuary from rampant homophobia and police oppression. Fast forward 26 years, and as West Hollywood faces the demolition of this iconic building, a community uproar emerges to preserve its history. Through personal accounts, the documentary delves into Studio One’s story against the backdrop of a progressing gay liberation clashing with 80s conservatism and the escalating AIDS nightmare.

Festivals & Honors

World Premiere: OUTFEST LA 2023

Image+Nation Culture Queer Film Festival, Montreal, Quebec, 2023

Audience Choice Award - OUTSouth Queer Film Festival, 2023

Freedom Award - FILMOUT San Diego, 2023

Best Editing - QFest Long Beach, 2023

OSLO/FUSION International Film Festival - Oslo, Norway, 2023

Closing Night - Out At the Movies Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 2023

Jury Award Best Documentary - Key West Film Festival, Key West, Florida, 2023

Seattle Queer Film Festival, 2023

Closing Night Film, Audience Choice Award - OUT REELS Cincinnati, 2023

Best of Fest - Audience Favorite - Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival, 2024

Winner Best LGBT Film - 2024 Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival

BFI Flare: LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, 2024

MARC SALTARELLI is an award-winning director with work in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. His eight narrative films and three docs have collectively screened in over 250 major film festivals globally. His docs include Red Ribbons of Love and I Knew Andy Warhol He also produced film packages for KTLA telethons benefiting Project Angel Food and The LGBTQ Center Los Angeles. His narrative films include To Comfort You and Remember To Breathe. Marc is a two-time Iris Prize nominee and a Planetout Short Movie Award recipient.

Director: Marc Saltarelli

Saturday

May 18, 2024

Cinepolis (Andheri) 10.00 PM

RIVIÈRE

For synopsis and other information of this Narrative Feature please turn to Page 92

KASHISH 2024 ALLIED EVENTS

Panel Discussion

LGBTQ+ Narratives in Regional Cinema

Post reading down of Sec 377 in 2018, there seems to be a spate of LGBTQ+ focused films and web series – both in mainstream and independent film space, both by queer and non-queer filmmakers. But a majority of them, which are in the public eye, are made in Hindi. This pane brings together awesome filmmakers from Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Manipur; and tries to explore LGBTQ+ narratives in regional cinema – both long & short format – to see how viable it is to make these films in their own regions and the challenges they face, or the triumphs of these films.

Panelists:

Jeo Baby (dir. Kaathal The Core) Disha Bhardwaj (dir. Chupi Roh), Priyakanta Laishram (dir. Oneness), Kling Johnson (dir. Dvamdva ), Rohit Prajapati (dir. Katlaa Curry)

Moderator: Ashish Sawhny

Liberty Cinema

Thursday

May 16, 2024

4.30 – 5.30 PM

Panel Discussion

Perspectives from the Pages

While queer narratives in films and web series has become commonplace now, what is the situation with queer narratives in fiction and non-fiction writings? Of course queer writings precede queer films, but what are the new narratives, who are the emerging writers, what are they writing about? A panel putting a spotlight on LGBTQ+ fiction & non-fiction writing and publishing.

Panelists:

TBD

Moderator: TBD

Liberty Cinema

Friday

May 17, 2024

4.30 – 5.30 PM

KASHISH 2024 ALLIED EVENTS

Panel Discussion

Rainbow Parents Speak up!

Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents, a support group for parents of LGBTQ+ children, was formed in 2017 with a handful of ‘out & proud’ parents who wanted to advocate for their children’s well-being. Now over the past 7 years, it has become a veritable movement in itself, having a membership of almost 400+ Indian parents from Mumbai, other cities in India, and also some parents based in other countries. These parents who have come out to support their children, are also outspoken voices for equal rights participating in pride marches, conferences and workshops, community consultations and creating a storm on social media and in the press. This panel speaks to some of these brave parents to understand what motivated them to come out, and take centrestage.

Panelists:

Shuchita Basu, Arindum Basu, Vikram Sikka, Meghna Kulkarni

Moderator: Avril Miranda Fernandes

Supported by: Morgan Stanley

Theatre Performance

The Only Person in the Hall

First Floor, Liberty Cinema

Saturday

May 18, 2024

3.00 – 4.00 PM

Excerpted from the walking play Postcards from Colaba is a unique exploration of Mumbai's alternative history, brought to life through a queer heritage performance staged directly on Colaba's streets. This particular scene is usually performed in front of the majestic art-deco Regal cinema, where three intrepid festival-goers, accustomed to draw out the queer from the most mainstream of offerings, discover how Mumba’s cultural landscape is evolving, through festivals like KASHISH and MAMi, and films as diverse as Fire, Aligarh and Call Me By Your Name, to include more diverse and inclusive portrayal of queer folk.

15 mins, English

Written by: Vikram Phukan

Performed by:

Anmol Oberoi

Vibhanshu Doshi

Parul Rana

Cinepolis (Andheri)

Friday

May 17, 2024

6.45 – 7.00 PM

KASHISH 2024 ALLIED EVENTS

Panel Discussion

‘’Fire’’side

chat with Deepa Mehta and Nandita Das

More than 25 years ago, unaided by Twitter and Facebook, a film went viral in India. Fire was the first in mainstream Indian cinema to explore lesbian love. Released theatrically in 1998 in India, it introduced a taboo subject to the audience of the world’s largest film-producing and film-viewing nation. It became a sparking point for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and rally for equal rights. 26 years later, with homosexuality having been decriminalized and the struggle for marriage equality taking centerstage, we look back and also track forward the impact of films on equal rights movements. In a momentous conversation with the director and lead actor of the film Fire – Deepa Mehta and Nandita Das – with well-known film critic & curator Meenakshi Shedde.

Panelists:

Deepa Mehta, Nandita Das

Moderator: Meenkashi Shedde

Supported by: Consulate General of Canada

Panel

Discussion

KASHISH 2024 Filmmakers Interface

May 18, 2024

4.30 – 5.30 PM

KASHISH Pride Film Festival has become a renowned platform for showcasing diverse works on LGBTQ+ narratives from across the world. Every year the festival hosts a large number of filmmakers who throng to KASHISH, to not only screen their films and participate in Q&A, but also to network, meet people who may be beneficial to their future journeys. KASHISH also provides scholarships to some of the emerging Indian filmmakers to attend the festival. In this chat with some of the filmmakers, we find out what motivates them to make these films against all odds, what a screening at KASHISH means to them and their films and what are their future goals.

Panelists:

KASHISH 2024 Filmmakers (TBD)

Moderator: Stutee Ghosh

Supported by: Film Critics Guild, India

Alliance Francaise de Bombay

Sunday

May 19, 2024

5.30 – 6.30 PM

KASHISH 2024 FESTIVAL TEAM

Festival Director

Sridhar Rangayan

Director of Programming

Saagar Gupta

Director of Finance

Chandresh Mehta

Director of Operations

Aaron D’souza

Program & Jury Coordinator

Abhra Das

Venue Manager, Liberty Cinema

Sumit Pawar

Venue Manager, Alliance Françoise de Bombay

PK

Venue Manager, Cinepolis Andheri

Tinesh Chopade

Venue Coordinator, Cinepolis Andheri

Deep Gohil

Panel Coordinator

Juhi Rajpal

Hospitality Coordinator

Arun Nair

Technical Coordinators

Amar Rajpoot, Koustabh Mukherjee

Production Manager

Kamran Naqvi

Production Coordinators

Parikshit Sethe, Umar Khan

Preview Team Members

Abhay Kulkarni, Abhra Das

Aayushi Mandloi, Bhagirathi Raman, Guelcin Koerpe, Murali Raman

Nadika N, Nishtha Nishant, Rishi K Sarker, Shreya Reddy

Opening Night Hosts

Anu Menon, SeduQtress SoniQa

Closing Night Hosts

Rohini Ramnathan, Rohan Joshi

Festival Animation

Rahul Kumar Choudhary

Festival Trailer

Priyanka Arora

Digital Marketing

Durraiya Hasta (Digital Fix)

PR Agency

Actimedia PR & Digital

Website Design

Idigitize

Catalog Design

Rutuja Alshi, Divya Bhatia

Catalog Program Notes

Saagar Gupta

Opening & Closing Ceremony Script

Divya Vinekar

Art Director

Sumeet Patil

... and the entire team of OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS!

Friends of Kashish

KASHISH 2024 thanks to each one of its contributors who have made this edition possible with their generous support. We value your support immensely.

All the contributors (as of May 8, 2024) are listed below. Any errors or omissions are sincerely regretted.

Animesh Bahadur

Maulik Thakkar

Jo

Mayuresh Tapale

Davy Van Obbergen

Neil Pate & Roop Gursahani

Parag Pradhan

Piyush Upadhyay

Aruna Desai

Neelima Lavana

Andrea Kuhn

Dhruv R S

Nandita Das

Praveen Rai

Priya Iyer

Sudipta Roy Barman

Ankit Bhuptani

Rrutum Lavana

Samprati Lavana

Vachan Kudmule

PROGRAM PARTNER

PROGRAM PARTNER

FAMILY

FAMILY

WELL WISHER

WELL WISHER

WELL WISHER

WELL WISHER

SUPPORTER

SUPPORTER

SUPPORTER

SUPPORTER

Kashish 2024 Partners

Index Films

NARRATIVE

Are We Lost Forever

Blue Sunshine

Days Of Happiness

Duino

Dvamdva

F.L.Y.

Hailey Rose

Housekeeping For Beginners

Kaathal The Core

Katlaa Curry

Kuch Sapney Apne

Mutt

Oneness

Peafowl

Queen Tut

Riviere

Sahela

Since the Last Time We Met

Spirit of Ecstasy

The Queen Of My Dreams Turtles

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

City of Mirage

Dear Sahithya

Dipped in Black

Everyone's

Hues & Blues

I

Our

Exes

F**ked

Fish Boy

Forward Drive

Friend of a Friend

Give

Insta Gay

Invitation

Larry in the Sky with Diamonds Like a Moonflower

Like Wave Like Cloud

Lovesick

Macho Man

Making Up

Mami

Manting

MASC4MASC

Nothing Special

Piecht

Pure Breeds

Realness With A Twist

Index Films

Stay Stone

That's Family

The Ellipsis Figure

The Last Take

The Left Hand

The Lime Green Shirt

The Oddity in the Blue Crayfish

The Wake

There’s no Sex, Only Fans

Ticker

Tomas

Until The Day I Call Her My Son

Wegen Hegel

INDIAN NARRATIVE SHORTS

Aalingan

Chitthi

Chupi Roh

Flowering Man

Halfway

If

IYKYK (If You Know You Know)

Kitty Kelly's Diwali

Love and Let Love

Love+ (Love Positive)

Malwa Khushan

Mehroon

Night Queen

Sifar

Thanks Mom

The Meeting

The Scorpion

They / Them

ANIMATION SHORTS

SHORTS

Filmmaker/s

Filmmaker/s present THEIR VOICE, DEAD SAHITYA, MAGHREB’S HOPE, THE ABC OF BOOK BANNING INTERNATIONAL

Filmmaker/s

(May 1619,

SHORTS COMPETITION 106 MIN (6 films) Filmmaker/s present GIVE, LIKE WAVE LIKE CLOUD, MASC4MASC, PIECHT, POISONED WELL, SIFAR

YOUR PRIDE 76 MIN (6 films) INNER WOUND REAL, LIKE A MOONFLOWER, 302, IT’S A GRAY, GRAY WORLD, THE LEFT HAND, CATBOY

NARRATIVE SHORTS COMPETITIONS 2 119 MIN (7 films) NOTHING SPECIAL, FISH BOY, MANTING, THE ELLIPSIS FIGURE, THE ODDITY IN THE BLUE CRAYFISH, THE WAKE, TOMAS

INTERFACE 60 MIN 5:30 PM THE ABCs OF BOOK BANNING 27 MIN OUR BABY: A MODERN MIRACLE 47 MIN WITH

Filmmaker/s present APQFFA SHORTS 94 MIN (6 Films) DIPPED IN BLACK, REMEMBERING THE GLADE, THERE’S NO SEX, ONLY FANS, WEGEN HEGEL, MOUNTAIN LINGERS, MALWA KHUSHAN THE BUS DRIVER 22 MIN TOPS 66 MIN BREAKING THROUGH 29 MIN HEAILEY ROSE 93 MIN WITH MAKING UP 15 MIN 3:00PM STAY 22 MIN LADY LIKE 88 MIN WITH WITH

*Schedule subject to change without prior notice, at the discre tion of the festival

Cinepolis Andheri (May 1718, 2024)

subject to change without prior notice, at the discre tion of the festival