KASHISH 2025 Awards –
South Asia’s largest prize money for LGBTQ+ fılms

KASHISH 2025 announces cash prizes of Rs.7,00,000!!!.

55 Films compete in 11 Competition categories at the festival, 6 LGBTQ+ filmmakers to pitch for KASHISH QDrishti 2025 Film Grant, and one International Poster contest.

KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant

In its 9th year now, the path-breaking KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant, which has already facilitated production of 8 LGBTQ+ short films, offers Rs.2,50,000 to a LGBTQ+ identifying filmmaker to make their queer short film, sponsored by Lotus Visual Productions. Two runner ups stand to receive Rs.25,000 cash award each supported by noted film actress Renuka Shahne.

Best Narrative Feature

The best narrative feature award category includes Indian and International narrative features completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the KASHISH Arts Foundation.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature

The best documentary feature award category includes Indian and International documentary features completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the K.F.Patil Charitable Trust.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short

The best documentary short award category includes Indian and International documentary short films completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by the K.F.Patil Charitable Trust.

Best Indian Narrative Short

The best Indian narrative short award category includes Indian narrative short films which are under 60 minutes, completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by the KASHISH Arts Foundation.

Best International Narrative Short

The best international short award category includes international narrative short films which are under 60 minutes, completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 sponsored by the GagaOOLala (Taiwan).

Best Screenplay

All the films in all the above 3 categories are eligible to compete for the Best Screenplay Award. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 instituted in the memory of distinguished Marathi scholar and writer Dr. Arvind Vaman Kulkarni. The award is instituted by his son, actor Abhay Kulkarni.

Best Performance in a Lead Role

All the films in all the above 3 categories are eligible to compete for the Best Performance in a Lead Role Award. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by Samruddhi Studios.

Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker

Indian narrative and documentary short films that are the filmmaker’s first or second film completed after January 1, 2024, playing at KASHISH 2025 are eligible for nomination to this award category. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash award of Rs.25,000 instituted by Wadia Movietone, in the memory of Riyad Wadia, the pioneering filmmaker who made India’s first gay film BomGay.

Ismat Chughtai Award for Best Woman Filmmaker of Indian origin

Instituted in memory of renowned novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and filmmaker Ismat Chughtai, this award is an attempt by KASHISH to acknowledge and encourage women voices in the Indian queer cinema. This prestigious award acknowledges the best emerging voice of a woman (cis or trans) filmmaker of Indian origin, based in India or abroad – whose first or second short fiction or nonfiction film, completed after January 1, 2024, is officially selected for KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Butterfly Trophy and a cash award of Rs.20,000 supported by Ismat Chughtai’s grandson and filmmaker Mr. Ashish Sawhny.   

Best Student Short

The best student short award category includes Indian and International short films made by students of film and media schools, completed after January 1, 2024 and having their Mumbai Premiere at KASHISH 2025. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by the Whistling Woods International.

Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Mental Health

Indian & International films playing at KASHISH 2025 – narrative or documentary of short film – with a focus on mental health issues of LGBTQ+ persons, will be considered for the Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Mental Health. The award carries a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.30,000 supported by Keshav Suri Foundation.

Best Poster Design

This is an award given to the Best Poster Design chosen from an international poster design contest. The winning design is used on all the KASHISH 2025 collaterals. This award carries a KASHISH Butterfly Trophy and a cash prize of Rs.25,000 supported by KASHISH Arts Foundation.