KASHISH 2022 AWARD WINNERS

The KASHISH 2022 AWARD WINNERS were announced at a glttering award ceremony on June 5^th at Liberty Cinema. Below are the KASHISH 2022 AWARD WINNERS and the Special Jury Mentions in each category.

Best Narrative Feature
NAANU LADIES
by Shailaja Padindala

Jury Citation
This film dives headfirst into the exploration of what it means to be queer and feminist, going beyond relationships and assertion of identity – though it has both – to question heteronormativity and explore individual fulfilment. For its fierce forthright energy, for its outspokenness, for its critique of the traps of heteronormativity, for its exploration of what it could mean to live a queer live, for its unabashed performances, for its playful embrace of popular culture including a most awesome dance sequence, for its statement on individual fulfilment vis-a-vis relationships, and for the smile it brought to our faces, the jury unanimously awards the Best Narrative Feature Award to NAANU LADIES directed by Shailaja Padindala.

Special Jury Mention
The jury would also like to give a SPECIAL MENTION to the exceptional, sensitively staged film that remarkably brings forth the complexities of love and identity across different generations of queer folks, elegantly using cinematic elements – sound, music, framing and casting – to tackle the many layers of social, political and religious constructs in the Georgian seaside town – to WET SAND by Elene Naveriani.

Best Indian Narrative Short
MUHAFIZ
by Pradipta Ray

The jury was deeply moved and equally surprised by this brave film that takes the queer discourse a critical step further. Throwing together two marginalised individuals – one by faith and the other by gender and sexuality – it asks questions of what their relation to each other might be in the context of crisis. Refusing simplistic categories of good and evil, hero and villain, the situations in the film are unpredictable from the start, unfolding with honesty and vulnerability, foregrounding kindness and humanity as a choice to be made. A huge round of applause for the film which the Jury unanimously decided to be the winner of the BEST INDIAN NARRATIVE SHORT 2022 – MUHAFIZ, written, directed and produced by Pradipta Ray.

Special Jury Mention
The jury would also like to give a SPECIAL MENTION to DAL BHAT by Nemil Shah for its queer theme and focus on children, it’s authentic setting, pitch perfect casting, heartfelt performances and the ever so slight but powerful queering of stock characters.

Best Screenplay
MUHAFIZ
by Pradipta Ray and Ashutosh Pathak

A screenplay that first surprises you with its brave twists and turns and then delivers a heartfelt message of humanity. A screenplay that is not afraid to be brutal but is also not afraid to be vulnerable. This screenplay navigates multiple issues and complexities without for a moment getting judgmental or didactic. Set in the backdrop of communal violence where the hatred for the ‘other’ prevails, the screenplay cleverly places two marginalized characters in one space, one fighting for life/survival and the other for space and acceptance. For raising uncomfortable questions and for addressing them, the jury unanimously elected for the BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD, the screenplay of MUHAFIZ by Pradipta Ray and Ashutosh Pathak!

Best Performance in a Lead Role
YU ISHIZUKA
in the film The Fish With One Sleeve

An exceptional performance that gives life to a lived experience has the power to move you. Often their honest and compassionate portrayals force us to look at the already existing aspects of this world with a fresh pair of eyes. This performer made us look at what it means to have social space made for you without acceptance and understanding, the loneliness of always being seen as the ‘other’, the relief of accepting spaces and people, and the dignity of spirit which keeps your head held high nevertheless. For her understated and powerful performance, where the smallest of gestures and expressions spoke volumes, the jury is delighted to award Best Performance In A Lead Role to YU ISHIZUKA in the film The Fish With One Sleeve.

Best International Narrative Short
WARSHA
by Dania Bdeir

It is rare that a film manages to surprise so utterly, where you are absolutely unprepared for what comes next – and when it does come, you are gobsmacked with its beauty and proposition. For its brilliant juxtaposition of the suffocation of the life of a working class man and the utter beauty of the freedom he finds a way to experience, if only for a small window of time, the jury unanimously awards the Best International Narrative Short to WARSHA by Dania Bdeir

Special Jury Mentions
For the painter’s canvas that he makes the film, for his moving navigation of realism, metaphor and silence to capture the queer journey from withholding identity to embracing it, the jury special mention goes to BREATHE by Harm van der Sanden.

For its elegantly delivered narrative that reveals the social system’s resistance to the integration of the transgender subject, even as it seems to make space, the jury special mention goes to THE FISH WITH ONE SLEEVE by Tsuyoshi Shôji.

Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker
NEMIL SHAH
for the film Dal Bhat

For its theme which is both bold and sensitively handled; for a film that is beautifully conceptualized and executed, with sensitive direction and performances, especially from the children, with strong cameos from other performers, and for its very unusual setting the jury has decided to award the Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker to NEMIL SHAH for his film Dal Bhat.

Special Jury Mention
The jury would also like to recognize the brave and beautiful vision of filmmakers Sagar Minde for HER CANVAS and Anureet Watta for their film KINAARA. The jury would like to present them with special jury awards.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature
LA QUEENCIAÑERA
by Pedro Piera

For telling the engrossing story of a 50 years old transgender, trans-activist, and undocumented immigrant living in the USA; for its craft & narrative structure, as the film moves between the past & the present and reveals her story – from her traumatic childhood in Mexico, her escape to the USA, gender transition and her tireless work for the trans community. The film touches upon multiple issues and politics in a nuanced way, bringing out the human side of the story. We fall in love with the central character as we watch her live through a difficult but flamboyant life, a life that moves from the margins to the mainstream, through sheer perseverance. Hence, the award for Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature goes to LA QUEENCIAÑERA by Pedro Piera

Special Jury Mention
For highlighting and unfolding the lives of its characters, in a quiet, nuanced way, as they go through gender transition, come out to their families or try to find love within the complexities of South Korean society, where social acceptance of the LGBTQ community is still difficult and same sex marriage is not possible; the jury lauds the film for its compassionate focus on parental relationships of the protagonists, which is done with humour & pathos; and for celebrating mothers, in all their glory & contradictions – the Special Jury Mention, Documentary Feature goes to the film COMING TO YOU by Gyuri Byun.

Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short
BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOUR
by Michael Collins

For its powerful story that focuses on the reality of queer rights in Lebanon & Egypt through the intertwined stories of Masrou’ Leila the popular Lebanese indie rock band, with an openly gay band member; and Sarah Hegaz an Egyptian, lesbian activist & their fan. The Jury lauds the film for its compassionate insight into the three main protagonists, as they face the consequence of speaking up for LGBTQ rights, in societies that penalise & persecute – the loneliness, isolation, exile that befalls all of them, and tragic death for one of them. The jury is moved by the film’s quiet message of hope, that the power of music & rebellion can seep into society & slowly bring change. Hence the award for Best Documentary Short, goes to BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOUR by Michael Collins

Special Jury Mention
For its unusual story & characters – a beautiful story of a man who tries to find the clown whom he remembers from his 3rd birthday party. And whose photo, he holds on to. The clown now has a new life as Marcel a trans woman, running a flower shop. Their meeting is poignant. The jury appreciates the film as it celebrates the power of imagination & memories. And the message that we can bridge all gaps when we listen to the human instinct within us and follow the path of love. The Special Jury Mention Documentary Short goes to the film MARCELLA by Gaston Calivari.

Best Student Short
THE THIRD SOLAR TERM
by Zhanfei Song

To a soft queer film, one that shows desire as erotic, confused, and layered, to a sensitive and a subtle film about how should a mother react to a son’s coming out, how should the son react to mother’s reaction, how to enable a safe space to take up responsibilities and encourage agency. For the nuance of the emotions shown and the quiet humour, the jury unanimously awards the Best Students Short Film to THE THIRD SOLAR TERM by Zhanfei Song

Special Jury Mention
The central space of the Bar Mitzwah was used so evocatively to pull together different strands of stories, producing a multi-layered film that touches on gender, linguistic differences, and the tragedy of age and love – the jury has decided to award a special jury mention to MAZEL TOV by Eli Zuzovsky.