With the aim to celebrate the upcoming pride month, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival has organised several events related to LGBTQ issues.
Twelve award-winning films under three themes — Looking For Acceptance, Looking For Self and Looking For Love were screened for the public on January 21 as a part of LGBTQ Now.
The films, made by young filmmakers, offered a diverse perspective of LGBTQ lives from across the world and India. According to the organisers, the films were from USA, UK, Hungary, Italy, Australia and India and were showcased in different languages – Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali and Hindi.
Sridhar Rangayan, festival director, KASHISH, said, “They represent some of the best films that were screened at KASHISH 2017 and offer a diverse view of LGBTQ lives in India and around the world. They also narrate a new perspective and energise conversations around issues of self, acceptance and love.”
“The subject of homosexuality is universal and has to be discussed boldly. I am very grateful that the subject weaved in the hand-drawn animation is being accepted and getting an audience all around the world. It’s a huge encouragement to me as an Indian animator but also to the slowly growing Indian animation industry,” said Abhishek Verma, director of one of the LGBTQ films screened at the event.
“Films have always been one of the most powerful ways to tell stories of change and we are so excited to collaborate with KASHISH for our Pride Month programming once again. The films explore a range of queer narratives through the lens of young filmmakers in India and the world which ties in with what we are aiming to do through our LGBTQ Now programming this year — to showcase the voices of queer youth and see how they are taking the movement forward,” said Parmesh Shahani, head of Godrej India Culture Lab.
