MAACHER JHOL – ANIMATION FILM ON LGBTQ ACCEPTANCE, KASHISH WINNER, WINS NATIONAL AWARD
Third time a winner of Best Indian Narrative Short at KASHISH MIQFF has won a National Award.
Maacher Jhol (the Fish Curry) directed by Abhishek Verma, on the theme is parental acceptance of LGBTQ child, has won the Best Animation Film at the recently announced National Awards. Maacher Jhol has won Best Indian Narrative Short Film award at KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival – South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ film festival – in 2017.
This is the 3rd time that the winner of Best Indian Narrative Short at KASHISH MIQFF has won a National Award: Mitraa by Ravi Jadhav won the top award at KASHISH 2014 and won the National Award for Best Short Film in 2015. Daaravta by Nishant Roy Bombarde won the top award at KASHISH 2015 and won the National Award for Best Debut Director in 2016. Maacher Jhol (The Fish Curry) won the top award at KASHISH 2017 and has now won the National Award for Best Animation in 2018.
Abhishek Verma
“A National Award is the biggest recognition for a film in the country. And we are blessed to be chosen. This will help animation get more strength and recognition. Inspire more people to tell their stories in animation. Our journey of super recognition and awards started with KASHISH and was never ending. I actually think we are super blessed. It will help us to come with amazing narratives in the coming future,” said Abhishek Verma, director.
Piyush Priyadarshi, producer of Maacher Jhol dedicated the win to the LGBTQ community. “The National Award motivates us to bring more such issues to public forum through the medium of media and storytelling. Maacher Jhol beautifully explains that it is okay to be queer – it narrates the story on coming out and acceptance. My ode to all the brave people from the LGBTQ community who are living confidently against all odds,” said Piyush Priyadarshi.
Sridhar Rangayan, Festival Director, KASHISH MIQFF, welcomed the recognition for the film. “It is a moment of great pride that Maacher Jhol has won the National Award for Best Animation. The fact that three of the top winners at KASHISH over the years have won the National Award is a telling statement to the recognition of qualitative cinema by the festival. It strengthens our belief that good cinema will triumph whatever the genre. It is time for Indian LGBTQ cinema to take center stage and shine,” said Sridhar Rangayan.
Rangayan himself is a National Award winner, winning National Award for Best Editing (non-fiction) for his film Breaking Free in 2016.
KASHISH has facilitated the screening of Maacher Jhol at more than 8 film festivals across the globe under its KASHISH Global initiative.
MAACHER JHOL (THE FISH CURRY)
Dir: Abhishek Verma
12 min / 2017 / India / Hindi with English subtitles
Lalit Ghosh, 28, decides to come-out to his Parents. He is in love with a man, his very own room partner, Ashutosh Gautam. He cooks his father’s favorite dish, the traditional fish curry (Maacher Jhol) with great effort. He serves it to his father and confronts his sexuality over the dinner table. Will Lalit’s dad love the delicious fish curry?
Awards for Maacher Jhol
1. Awarded as Best short film @Kashish- Mumbai International Queer Film festival-2017, Mumbai (India)
2. Awarded Special prize “City of Annecy Award”, Best Short film in perspective at Annecy International Animation Film Festival -2017, Annecy (France)
3. Awarded Best animation film at International Short and Documentary Film Festival of Kerela-2017, Kerela (India)
4. Awarded Best Animation film at GIIFFA-2017, New Delhi (India)
5. Awarded Best Story in Animation at GIIFFA-2017, New Delhi (India)
6.Awarded Best Animation Film International at Celtic Animation Film Competition-2017, Liverpool
7. Awarded Best short film at Merlinka Queer film Festival-2017, Belgrade, Serbia
8. National Award for Best animated film, India.
