KASHISH TAKES INDIAN LGBTQ FILMS ACROSS THE GLOBE

KASHISH Global will facilitate the screening of Indian LGBTQ films in UK, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta, Montreal, Chicago, Taiwan, and Korea over the next three months

KASHISH, South Asia’s and India’s biggest LGBTQ film festival that is held annually in Mumbai, is now becoming a platform for supporting Indian LGBTQ films through its initiatives KASHISH Global and KASHISH Forward.

KASHISH Global facilitates the screening of Indian LGBTQ films at festivals and events across the world. In the coming three months, KASHISH will be facilitating eight screenings of screenings Indian LGBTQ films that have been part of the festival over the years.

KASHISH MIQFF Festival Director Sridhar Rangayan said that Indian LGBTQ films have matured and evolved, now appealing to a larger worldwide audience. “We are happy that through KASHISH we are able to reach Indian LGBTQ films across the globe so that they can be viewed and appreciated by a global audience. This is a big boost to the filmmakers who have made these films under severe challenges with limited resources”, said Rangayan, “It will be a proud moment if these films win the cash awards, adding to the filmmaker’s returns, which we also augment by obtaining them screening fees at some festivals”.

Abhishek Verma, director of The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol) said, “It’s a feeling of delight and honor that an animated film Maacher Jhol is being nominated in the Iris Prize award, which is considered the Gay Oscars. The journey of the film started with KASHISH, Zagreb, Annecy and now is screening at so many festivals. This has reaffirmed that storytelling is universal irrespective of region, language, and medium. It’s a huge encouragement to me as an Indian animator that KASHISH is facilitating screenings of our film, but also to the slowly growing Indian animation industry.” Maacher Jhol, which won the Best Indian Short Narrative Film at KASHISH 2017, has been nominated by KASHISH for the £30,000 cash prize at Iris Prize Festival, the largest LGBT short film prize in the world

Ramanathan V, filmmaker from Chennai whose film ‘Physicality (Uttar Thaguthi)’ will be screening at two festivals said, “I feel proud to be part of the prestigious and courageous film festivals in Shanghai and Jakarta. My heartfelt thanks for having a special focus on KASHISH”. ‘Physicality (Uttar Thaguthi)’ is the first production of KASHISH Arts Foundation under its QDrishti Film Grant sponsored by Lotus Visual.

“Absolutely thrilled that Sisak, India’s First Silent LGBTQ Love Story will be a part of the two festivals. Its always thrilling to have the film playing to a new audience. Hoping that the film is received with a lot of love and accolades!”, said Faraz Ansari whose film ‘Sisak’ is gaining a lot of recognition worldwide.

The screenings to be held between September 2017 – November 2017 are as follows.

  1. Transindia by Meera Darji will screen at the Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (September 9 – 24, 2017)
  1. Shanghai Queer Film Festival (September 15 – 21, 2017) will have a special focus on KASHISH with a Best of KASHISH program of 5 films : Naked Wheels by Rajesh James, Physicality (Uttar Thaguthi) by V. Ramanathan, Goddess  (Devi) by Karishma Dube, The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol) by Abhishek Verma and Sisak by Faraz Arif Ansari
  2. 100% Human Film Festival to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia (September 22 – October 1, 2017) will also have a special focus with a program titled “100% Collaboration: KASHISH”. This package will screen 6 films : Aarsa by Kawa Hatef, Selfhood by Vishal Srivastava, Physicality (Uttar Thaguthi) by V. Ramanathan, Goddess  (Devi) by Karishma Dube, The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol) by Abhishek Verma and Sisak by Faraz Arif Ansari
  1. The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol) by Abhishek Verma in competition section at Chicago South Asian Film Festival (September 29, 2017 – October 1, 2017)
  1. The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol) by Abhishek Verma is nominated for the £30,000 cash prize at Iris Prize Festival, the largest LGBT short film prize in the world (October 10 – 15, 2017)
  1. Transindia by Meera Darji, Any Other Day by Vikrant Dhote & Srikant Ananthkrishnan and Normalcy by V.Ramanathan will screen at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (October 27 –November 5, 2017)
  1. Any Other Day by Vikrant Dhote & Srikant Ananthkrishnan will compete for AUD 4000 cash award for Best Asia Pacific Queer Film at Taiwan LGBT film Festival (October 29 –November 5, 2017)
  1. Any Other Day by Vikrant Dhote & Srikant Ananthkrishnan will screen at the Seoul PRIDE Film Festival, Korea (November 2 – 8, 2017)

 KASHISH Global has in the past facilitated screenings at more than 50 International film festivals in UK, USA, Australia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, China, South Korea, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Romania, Taiwan, Pakistan, Netherlands, etc.

KASHISH Forward, the traveling campus LGBTQ film festival, has already screened at more than 16 colleges across India. Recently it organized a screening at Miranda House, Delhi, and will be organizing screenings at Lady Shri Ram College on September 7th and St.Stephen’s College, New Delhi on September 12th.

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival

Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBT Film Festival in the World, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is South Asia’s biggest queer film festival and the only LGBT film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre. Founded in 2010, KASHISH is held over 5 days at three venues. It is the first Indian LGBT festival to be held with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India. KASHISH is presented by KASHISH Arts Foundation and organized by Solaris Pictures.

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