KASHISH ANNOUNCES RS 1 LAKH QDRISHTI FILM GRANT SUPPORTED BY LOTUS VISUAL
QDirshti Film Grant, being launched at KASHISH 2016, is an artist grant to support an independent filmmaker based in India to make his/her next LGBTQ‐themed film. This is in continuation of KASHISH’s commitment to nurture independent filmmakers who are making films on LGBTQ subjects under challenging circumstances. KASHISH is proud to announce a Rs.1,00,000 (Rs.One Lac) film grant to an Indian filmmaker to make his/her next LGBTQ‐themed film which will be mentored by KASHISH Advisory Board members. This grant is sponsored by Lotus Visual.
Indian films that are between 10 – 50 mins in duration and have an aesthetic vision are eligible for nomination and the winner will be chosen by KASHISH 2016 jury panel who will consider not only merit of the film, but also the vision of the filmmaker.
Six films that have been nominated for the QDrishti Film Grant are:
ALL ABOUT LOVE
(2016) 15.23 min / Short Documentary INDIA / Dir: Tejashri Joshi
Living amid the chaos of acceptance and denial by the society, often wrong choices are made without even making an effort to know the unknown. The film tries to create a discussion about the basics of same-sex relationships in India 2016.
Director: Tejashri Joshi
Born in Dhule, Maharashtra and brought up in a small town of Bhusawal (Dist. Jalgaon), Tejashri got into films and theater after shifting to Pune in 2005. Passionate about Photography she undertook professional training in photography from Fergusson College (2010), Pune and later completed her Masters in Communication Studies from University of Pune (2012). She currently works as a freelance cameraperson and owns a production house named – Screen Language Studios. ‘All About Love’ was made under a Media Fellowship that Tejashri received from The Humsafar Trust Mumbai under the Project DIVA.
ANY OTHER DAY
(2015) 12 min / Short Film INDIA / Dirs: Srikant Ananthkrishnan, Vikrant Dhote
It’s just another day in Kabir and Arnav’s life. But in the name of safety, two police officers take it upon themselves to create a spectacle of the young men’s private and intimate relationship.
Director: Vikrant Dhote
Vikrant Dhote is a performer, writer and director based in Bombay. He has studied at the London International School of Performing Arts and hopes to create more work around gender and queerness in the Indian context. He has staged several performances around queer issues. This is his first film.
Director: Srikant A.
Born in 1987, Srikant Ananthakrishnan holds a post-graduate diploma in Film Direction from the University of Mumbai. He has been working in the industry for 5 and a half years making corporate films. This is his first film.
NORMALCY
(2015) 16 min / Short Documentary INDIA / Dir: V.Ramanathan
This film is about a normal life of a transgender person as a home maker, wife and student.
Director: V.Ramnathan
After 15 years of work experience in the field of finance, an inner creative urge pushed him to pursue a course in film making – a Diploma in film direction from L V Prasad Film and TV Academy, Chennai. This move gave him a new meaning in life and broadened his horizon. Since then he has directed for television fifty episodes on grass root scientific and technology innovators and documentary films on agriculture, creation of rural assets and employment as well as Indian Patent Act and Bonded Labour.
His film Naanum Oru Penn was selected and screened in the Panorama of IFFI, Goa 2009, I Have Seen Films Festival 2010, Milan, Italy, Short Film and documentary film festival 2010, Kerala, Bangalore Queer Film Festival 2010 and also at KASHISH 2010.
PROJECT INDIAN BRIDE
(2015) 38 min / Short Film INDIA / Dir: Mujeer Pasha
‘Project Indian Bride’ is the story of a photographer who wants to do a do a photo-shoot with a transgender and present her as a bride. But his business partner and pregnant wife have issues which cause hurdles in the project.
Director: Mujeer Pasha
Mujeer Pasha, a story teller in his pupal stage, has been making films for the past three years in real and for several years in his head. He is on a mission to distract people from their worldly problems and shine a tear of joy in their eyes. Wish him luck.
His earlier films have played at KASHISH 2012 and other festivals. Project Indian bride has played at Bangalore International Short Film Festival, 2015, Queer And Ally Art Festival, 2015, Bangalore Queer Film Festival, 2016
THE THRESHOLD (Original Title: Daaravtha)
(2015) 30 min / Short Film INDIA / Dir: Nishant Roy Bombarde
An adolescent Pankaj is discovering his sexuality. Torn between a patriarchal Indian upbringing full of gender-stereotypes and his natural urge to identify with the opposite gender, he finds an opportunity to express his desires within the bounds of cultural ethos.
Director: Nishant Roy Bombarde
An engineer by degree, Nishant Roy Bombarde later acquired a Masters in Mass Communication from Symbiosis, Pune specialising in Audio-Visual Communication. After working with Zee TV for three years as an Executive Producer on successful shows like Fear Files & Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli, he shifted to Zee Studios. At Zee Studios, he worked on well known Marathi films like Killa, Fandry, and Elizabeth Ekadashi as an Executive Producer. He is also a credited writer for Television and heads the Digital Media promotions at Zee Studios. Besides the professional front, he lives his passion for theatre through Dushyantapriya, a queer adaptation of Kalidasa’s Shakuntalam, where he plays the dual role of Chetan & Priyamvada to much popular & critical acclaim. Apart from acting, he is also the Assistant Director and the Costume Designer for the play.
The film Daarvatha won the National Award for Best debut (short film) at the 63rd National Film Awards held on May 3rd 2016.
WALKING THE WALK
(2015) 32.47 min / Short Documentary INDIA / Dir: Moses Tulasi
Walking the Walk follows the participants of Hyderabad’s queer pride march in February 2015. The walk draws inspiration from the most recently successful social movement which led to formation of a brand new state in India, Telangana. With its unique culture and traditions, Telangana becomes the back drop of the queer pride walk.
Director: Moses Tulasi
Hailing from the state of Telangana, Moses had always been keen on films with social relevance. While living in the US, Moses had served on the board of Trikone-Chicago for six years, a support group for LGBT individuals of South Asian heritage and allies. In the winter of 2014, Moses took a sabbatical and traveled to India, tracing his roots back, in search of a socially relevant subject for his first film. Moses was inspired to give a platform to socio-politically charged queer rights movement in the city of Hyderabad. This is how the film Walking the Walk was made.
The film has played at New York Indian Film Festival 2016, Bangalore Queer Film Festival 2016, Seattle South Asian Film Festival 2015, Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2015, Delhi International Queer Theatre & Film Festival 2015, Chennai International Queer Film Festival 2015, Chennai Rainbow Film Festival 2015.
