For a film that provokes you to think, reassess, reimagine and re relate to what seems different, in the most seamless & effortless manner, tugging you gently to understand how common are our human longings, our fears and our experiences, however apart they may look from the outside; for a film that is well constructed, polished and can reach out to a large mainstream audience with its beautifully layered and richly nuanced story, the Narrative Jury is delighted to present the Best Narrative Feature Award to the French film LIE WITH ME by Olivier Peyon.

Our power is in our openness and vulnerability but it takes courage to be authentic – to live one’s grief, one’s madness and one’s self love. For an emotional journey across self-doubt, conflict and resolution; the empathetic gaze of the filmmaker following an activist voice who strings notes of music for trans rights – making us dance with a spirit of freedom and love, the Documentary Jury presents the Unity in Diversity Award for Best Documentary Short to the British film WHAT IT MEANS TO BE, directed by Lea Luiz De Oliveira

For a film that deeply moves one by the captivating cinematic experience, set against the enchanting backdrop of vibrant streets – a story of a courageous transgender woman, crossing path with a free-spirited cisgender man and their powerful on-screen chemistry that has the power to immerse viewers in a transformative journey of love, self-discovery, and acceptance, through breath-taking visuals and a heartfelt narrative, leaving the audiences inspired and moved, the Narrative Jury accords the Best International Narrative Short Award to the Portuguese short AN AVOCADO PIT directed by Ary Zara.

For a film that had the best writing, in our opinions is a film that was poetic and heart-breaking, at times. The ending monologue by the lead actor, when he realizes that his closeted lover was finally able to come out after his death, is the tear-jerking highlight of the film and sealed the deal for this jury. The award for Best Screenplay award goes to OLIVIER PEYON for his exquisite French film Lie With Me.

For a film that is beautifully made with exquisite cinematography, direction and central performances; for a film that doesn’t answer the question but merely provides a poignant slice of life adding to its impact, since life is rarely neatly packaged with a ribbon, but complicated and complex; for a film that takes an affectionate look at what may be an adolescent same-sex crush or the awakening of sexual identity, we are delighted to present the Riyad Wadia Award for the Best Indian Emerging Indian Filmmaker to the collaborative duo of PREETI KANUNGO and SOURAV YADAV for their film Malwa Khushan, that punches far above its weight.

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival and Lotus Visual Productions is pleased to announce the Winner and Runner-Ups of the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2023, which was declared at the closing night of #KASHISH2023.

The Winner is ABU SOHEL KHONDEKAR for their project ‘Mehroon’. They receive Rs.2,50,000 to make the short film, sponsored by Lotus Visual Productions.

The Runners-Up are RAHUL ROYE his project ‘Aman‘ and ASHUTOSH SHANKAR for thier project ‘Tara‘. Both of them will receive grants of Rs.25,000 each, supported by actress Renuka Shahane, to develop their project alongwith mentorship from the jury members.

This KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2023 Jury members were producer ADITI ANAND, festival curator CARY SAWHNEY and screenwriter & theater personality KAIZAAD KOTWAL, alongwith producer and grant sponsor NEERAJ CHURI.

For a film that is an exceptional, sensitive portrayal of the complexities of finding basic accommodation in a city for our trans community, for its brave move of enrolling actors from the trans community who were trained in rigorous acting workshops to play the two leads, the Narrative Jury would like to give a Special Jury Mention to the Indian narrative feature EK JAGAH APNI by the Ektara Collective.

For a film that tickles us with its disarmingly self-deprecating humour and gently holding the mirror to show that even those who swear by the seven colours are sometimes stuck in binaries of black and white; for its visualisation, stop motion animation, script, voice, music and direction that only an auteur can lend with such fluidity, the Documentary Jury would like to make a special jury mention to the German/Israeli animated short BI THE WAY, directed by Amir Ovadia Steklov.

For its nuanced portrayal of a sensitive coming of age story, as well as for its’ beautiful construction, mise-en-scene and nuanced subject matter, the jury would like to present a Special Mention to PREETI KANUNGO for her film Malwa Khushan.