KASHISH 2026 Centrepiece Film

CACTUS PEARS (Sabar Bonda)
Dir: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade
117 MIN | 2025 | India | Marathi

Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress.

Screening: Saturday June 6, 7.15 PM | Liberty Cinema

I AM GOING TO MISS YOU (Eu Vou Ter Saudades de Você)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro
87 MIN | 2025 | Brazil | Portuguese | International Narrative Centrepiece

Amanda and Caio are a transgender couple who have shared seven years of love and dreams, but when they decide to move in together, their differences start to weigh on them. He, romantic and dreamy, seeks stability at the radio station where he works. She, ambitious and pragmatic, is focused on her newly launched legal career. As they try to balance expectations and routines, unexpected changes put their relationship to the test. When Amanda meets João at work, new feelings arise, further shaking her relationship with Caio. Between preserving what they built and following their own paths, they must face choices that define who they are.

Screening: Friday June 5, 1.45 PM | NGMA

As the Supreme Court refuses to grant marriage equality, Queering India captures a pivotal moment in the world’s largest democracy. Through the eyes of journalist and actor Swapnesh Dubey, the film weaves a powerful narrative, combining his coming-out journey with voices from across India. This multilingual documentary doesn’t look outward for validation, it looks inward, reclaiming a forgotten truth: that queerness in Indian culture was once revered, not erased. It confronts colonial hangovers, societal silences, and the class and language divides that shape who gets to participate in the national conversation.

Screening: Friday June 5, 5.45 PM | Liberty Cinema

Supported by: Australian Consulate-General in Mumbai

HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY
Dir: Sam Feder
89 MIN | 2025 | USA | English

Fearless civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio battles at the Supreme Court for transgender adolescents’ access to gender-affirming healthcare, confronting not only the legal system but also a media landscape that distorts public perception and threatens the struggle for trans rights. With the dangerous SCOTUS decision upholding the ban on life-saving healthcare, HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY is an urgent call to action against bigotry and injustice.

Screening: Friday June 5, 11.45 PM | Alliance Française