The much awaited results of the KASHISH 2020 International Poster design Contest is out! Top fashion designer Wendell Rodricks picked the winning design by UK based designer Joyston Moreira, who will receive a cash award of Rs.25,000 sponsored by Wendell Rodricks as well as a trophy. The winning design will be the look of KASHISH 2020 and will feature in all its promotional materials.

Wendell Rodricks, Padma Shree awardee, Fashion Designer, Writer and Activist said on his choice of winner, “This year’s poster winner is not just a graphic celebration of who we truly are moving together forward, it is also a pean to colourful diversity. The fact that everyone is included shows that we need to look at the KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival as an all inclusive feast of cinematic ideals. The artist has also cleverly included visual delights that don’t register immediately. From the butterfly to the rippled coloured rainbow flag, this poster wins on all levels”.

The 11th edition of South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival will be held from May 20-24, 2020 at two prestigious theaters in Mumbai.

The winner Joyston Moreira said, “As a proud Indian gay man being able to showcase my skills towards helping the LGBTQ+ community’s shine is something that makes me happy. I came out when I was 19. At first, the news of me being gay was hard on my loved ones; but with time they are just starting to understand who I really am. This win makes me stronger and more courageous as I continue my battle towards freedom. For all the LGBTQ+ community out there don’t stop fighting for who you are! Seek support and join hands together for a better and a brighter future!”

The poster was unveiled on February 4, 2020 at the Best of KASHISH event, held as part of Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, by theatre personality Dolly Thakore, who is also an Advisory Board member of the festival. She said, “I have seen KASHISH grow year after year and serve the cause of the LGBTQ community and helped them from coming out of the shadows. I wish them all the luck for the festivals eleventh edition.”

Call for film submissions for KASHISH 2020 is still open with an extended deadline till February 20, 2020.

KASHISH 2020 THEME : ‘MOVING FORWARD, TOGETHER!’
It’s already more than one and a half years since reading down of Sec 377, and the LGBTQ community in India is still celebrating. But apart from the legal change, have things changed at societal level, is there more acceptance? What about the marginalized sections within the LGBTQI+ spectrum? The festival theme of the 11th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2020 will focus on the steps needed to ‘Moving Forward, Together!’ to ensure equality & dignity for everyone.

ABOUT KASHISH MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBTQ Film Festival in the World, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is South Asia’s biggest queer film festival and the first LGBTQ film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre. Founded in 2010, KASHISH is held over 5 days at two venues. It is the first Indian LGBTQ festival to be held with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India. Besides the annual film festival its other initiatives are KASHISH Forward – India’s first travelling campus LGBTQ film festival, KASHISH Global – that facilitates screening of Indian LGBTQ films across the world, Best of KASHISH film screenings and KASHISH Chalchitra Utsav – a festival of LGBTQ films in regional languages.