KASHISH QDRISHTI FILM GRANT
THE WITCH OF VIHAR LAKE (India) written by Joey Kaushik
Cash award of Rs.2,50,000 supported by Lotus Visual Productions

BEST APQFFA SHORT FILM AWARD
DIPPED IN BLACK (Australia) directed by Matthew Thorne & Derik Lynch
Cash award of US$ 1000 supported by GagaOOLala

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
NEIRUD (Brazil) directed by Fernanda Faya
Cash award of Rs.30,000 supported by K.F.Patil Charitable Trust

Jury Citation:
A poetic and provocative excavation of personal archives and intergenerational memory, the film celebrates the love and partnership of two iconic women from Brazil’s underground circus history. For its seamless play with form and critical engagement with micro-histories of race, identity, and religion, the Jury awards the K.F.Patil Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature to the Brazilian film NEIRUD directed by Fernanda Faya.

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT
BREAKING THROUGH (France) directed by Siham Bel
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by GagOOLala

Jury Citation:
For depicting, with elegance and economy, a young woman’s struggles to come to terms with her father’s unwillingness to accept her when she comes out to him. Exploring with humour and empathy the intersections of culture, race and sexuality in the protagonist’s identity, this film has memorable characters and performances, and is technically and aesthetically excellent. The Best International Narrative short film Award goes to the debutant director Siham Bel’s BREAKING THROUGH from France.

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE
SAMYUKTHA VIJAYAN (India) in the film Blue Sunshine
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Samruddhi Studios

Jury Citation:
For a superlative performance of a person’s desire to be a woman, brilliantly portraying all the struggles and humiliation the person faces; the risk they have taken as an actor and as a human being is deeply courageous. This nuanced performance only helps to bring change and big hope for the audience. The jury award for Best Performance in a Lead Role goes to SAMYUKTHA VIJAYAN as Aravind/Bhanu in the narrative feature, BLUE SUNSHINE from India.

BEST STUDENT SHORT AWARD
POISONED WELL (Slovakia) directed by Radek Sevcik
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Whistling Woods International

Jury Citation:
For a film that takes a plunge to study a society mired in deep-rooted prejudices towards its gay community; with striking black and white cinematography capturing the essence of horror and fear. Interviews, like magic, bring out the true selves of the people, be it anger, fear, vulnerability, despondence, an occasional support or sheer regressive brutality. For a film that peels each layer with care bringing us face to face with a society where the religious and state institutions are largely antagonistic. How do we live here? What hope do we have? For a film that brings us at the brink of these burning questions and yet leaves us with a feeling of hope and solidarity, the student shorts jury is pleased to award to the film from Slovakia, POISONED WELL directed by Radek Sevcik, a joint winner of the Best Film in this category.

RIYAD WADIA AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING INDIAN FILMMAKER
BONITA RAJPUROHIT (India) for her film IYKYK
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Wadia Movietone

Jury Citation:
For a film that is cleverly conceived and made, very well directed and acted, capturing the zeitgeist of our times – both in terms of the app-driven dating scene and the increasing visibility and mainstreaming of trans identity. For a film that is at its heart, about the eternal quest for acceptance, recognition and love – including self-love. These are pillars of our human existence cutting across sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics – but they take on even more urgency and poignancy when applicable to trans life and love. For giving us a bold, innovative and – above all – honest film whose messages are universal, the Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker goes to BONITA RAJPUROHIT for IYKYK.

ADITYA NANDA AWARD FOR BEST INDIAN FILM ON MENTAL HEALTH
SIFAR (India) directed by Edythe
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Keshav Suri Foundation

Jury Citation:
For exploring the themes of love, grief, acceptance, and resilience within queer identities while portraying the black hole of depression one gets sucked into after the loss of someone very dear to them. ADITYA NANDA Award for Best Indian Film on Mental Health goes to SIFAR directed by Edythe, a non-binary trans poet and filmmaker from Lucknow.

SPECIAL MENTIONS FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE 
BONITA RAJPUROHIT (India) for the film IYKYK

Jury Citation:
Society’s curiosity can become utterly over enthusiastic – sabotaging a transgender person’s desire to simply meet a partner, and dialogue remains too distant! A wonderful portrayal of tolerance and mute disappointment, KUSUM’s patience is worth applauding. The jury’s SPECIAL MENTION for BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE goes to BONITA RAJPUROHIT for the short film, IYKYK from India.

SPECIAL MENTION for BEST STUDENT SHORT AWARD
GIVE (USA) directed by Kenya Gillespie

Jury Citation:
This film tells a t​ale as old as time – that of the intoxicating feeling of two hearts drawn to each other, and the debilitating pain that comes with that love withering away. The film’s triumph is in making this familiar story feel unique through its telling, as it plays out like poetry on screen. The breathtakingly evocative background score, while seamlessly blending with stunning cinematography, makes both the euphoria of romance as well as the grief of heartbreak feel personal to the viewer. The masterful final shot of the film stays with you long after this tender ode to lost love has concluded. The jury would like to give out a SPECIAL MENTION to the GIVE by Kenya Gillespie from the USA.

SPECIAL MENTIONS FOR RIYAD WADIA AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING INDIAN FILMMAKER
ABU SOHEL KHONDEKAR (India) for their film Mehroon

Jury Citation:
Wadia Movietone would like to make a special mention of the beautifully made film whose protagonist symbolises dignity, quiet strength and self-love in the face of truly cruel familial and societal rejection, the special mention goes to ABU SOHEL KHONDEKAR for their film Mehroon.