KASHISH QDRISHTI FILM GRANT
VASSO’N BAHR (Out of My Hands) (India) written by SIMRAT KAUR
Cash award of Rs.4,00,000 supported by Lotus Visual Productions, Vikramaditya Motwane & Guneet Monga

Jury Citation:
When the entire jury gravitates unanimously towards one script, you know that it is already a winner. It chooses satire, humor, and “the great big Punjabi family” to voice the big announcement with elan, flair, and extreme grace, all the while keeping the writing crisp and uproariously funny. The jury felt that it was going to be a very special film. While all the other shortlisted scripts had wonderful aspects working in their favor, it was for the refreshingly different and unique approach it took to tell what could seemingly be a life-changing moment in the principal character’s life that the KASHISH QDrishti Grant is awarded to VASSO’N BAHR (Out of My Hands) by SIMRAT KAUR.

UNITY IN DIVERSITY BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
NIÑXS (Niñxs) (Germany, Mexico) directed by KANI LAPUERTA
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.30,000 supported by K.F. Patil Charitable Trust

Jury Citation:
With irreverence, tenderness, and playfulness, this film crafts a vibrant coming-of-age portrait that constantly surprises in both form and feeling. Set within the cultural textures of rural Mexico, it moves fluidly between time, and inner and outer worlds, while cleverly weaving the filmmaking process into the narrative, expanding the possibilities of nonfiction storytelling. For its freshness, emotional intelligence, and cinematic boldness, the jury would like to present the Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature Award to, NINXS, directed by Kani Lapuerta.

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT
NEVER NEVER NEVER (UK, Australia) directed by JOHN SHEEDY
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by GagOOLala

Jury Citation:
A film that masterfully subverts traditional queer narrative structures to deliver a radiant, old-fashioned romantic fairy tale. We loved its refreshing perspective and infectious joyousness. In charting a path from a mother’s profound acceptance to the ultimate embrace of an entire quaint fishing village, this film reminds us that love and community belong together. A beautifully uplifting and vital piece of cinema. The jury is thrilled to present the Best International Narrative Short Film Award to NEVER NEVER NEVER by JOHN SHEEDY.

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE
SILVER CHICON (Spain) in the film IVAN & HADOUM
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Samruddhi Studios

Jury Citation:
A performance so sensitive and true it may be remembered as a turning point in cinema’s depiction of trans lives. It is healing and a claim to existence. This raw, unmasked story of desire, love and belonging makes us feel longing, fear, hope and the brave necessity of being oneself, offering a mirror to trans people and a window into the human heart and this award belongs to every trans person who has dared to dream, to love, to exist. Best performance for a breathtaking, painfully honest portrayal of Ivan in IVAN & HADOUM, the Best Performance in a Lead Role goes to SILVER CHICON.

BEST STUDENT SHORT AWARD
UPON STARVATION (Upasmaar) (India) directed by SAURAV MAHIND
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Whistling Woods International

Jury Citation:
For its remarkable ambition, courage and execution, through a nuanced exploration of class, physical hunger, emotional vulnerability and the layered realities of queer spaces in contemporary India and offering a deeply human and empathetic portrait of lives left at the margin. Combining social insight with emotional authenticity, it is our privilege to unanimously award the BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM to filmmaker Saurav Dattatraya Mahind for his film, UPON STARVATION.

RIYAD WADIA AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING INDIAN FILMMAKER
INZAMAM MANJU NIZAM (India) for his film SERVED COLD
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Wadia Movietone

Jury Citation:
A deceptively simple story that both conceals and conveys the complexities of life and love against the backdrop of the country India has become. Raw honesty in an everyday setting that exemplifies the ethos Riyad Wadia sought to convey in his work.  The 2026 Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker goes to INZAMAM MANJU NIZAM for SERVED COLD.  Kudos to Inzamam Manju Nizam and the entire team.

ADITYA NANDA AWARD FOR BEST FILM ON QUEER MENTAL HEALTH
NOT CRAZY (No Estamos Locos) (Spain) directed by LUCÍA CRIADO ROSAS
KASHISH Golden Butterfly trophy and Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Keshav Suri Foundation

Jury Citation:
With emotional honesty and remarkable sensitivity, this film captures the invisible weight of  psychological struggle and the fragile realities many young people silently endure. Through nuanced storytelling and human performances, it challenges judgement, encourages empathy, and foregrounds the importance of care and understanding in conversations around mental health. Tender yet powerful, the film leaves a lasting impact by portraying vulnerability not as weakness, but as a human truth deserving dignity and compassion. The Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Queer Mental Health 2026 goes to NOT CRAZY (No Estamos Locos), directed by LUCÍA CRIADO ROSAS.

RUNNERS-UP FOR KASHISH QDRISHTI FILM GRANT
DAAG written by GUNTAJ DEEP SINGH
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Renuka Shahane

Jury Citation:
This script is both thought-provoking and deeply moving. It is lyrical in its silences and powerful in its anguish. While holding a mirror to society’s hypocrisies, it also illuminates the transformative power of unconditional familial love. It challenges patriarchal norms while also, exploring a very tender, nuanced and affecting father-son relationship. It is at once unsettling and comforting, intimate and expansive. Rooted in a deeply personal exploration of queer identity and self-expression, it ultimately transcends its specific context to speak about profoundly universal themes of  love, acceptance, and belonging. The title Daag translates to “stain,” yet to the jury, this script felt remarkably free of artifice, born from “pure” emotion and written with clarity of vision. The jury is therefore delighted to award the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant First Runners-up award to DAAG by GUNTAJ DEEP SINGH.

ANYWAY, WE LOVED written by NEGHA SHAHIN
Cash award of Rs.25,000 supported by Renuka Shahane

Jury Citation:
When a story is deeply personal, its voice carries a truth that cannot be ignored. From the moment we heard this story, we knew it deserved to be shared with the world. Its honesty, vulnerability, and quiet strength stayed with us long after it ended. Equally inspiring is the filmmaker herself — her passion, her relentless desire to learn, and her courage to stand firmly by her beliefs. Through her storytelling, she gives voice to a community that has always carried immense love, yet has too often been denied the space to be seen, heard, and celebrated. We are proud to support her on this journey and look forward to the stories she has yet to tell. The KASHISH QDrishti Grant Second Runners-up is awarded to ANYWAY, WE LOVED by NEGHA SHAHIN.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATUVE SHORT
NO CONTEST (La Premiére Marche) (France) directed by OLIVIER WRIGHT

Jury Citation:
For navigating a highly charged contemporary discourse with immense maturity, avoiding melodrama to deliver a deeply human and emotionally nuanced character study. By confronting the structural barriers LGBTQI+ individuals face in athletics, it questions the true meaning of sportsmanship. It accomplishes this without preaching  – relying entirely on the power of compelling drama. We present a special jury mention to NO CONTEST (La Premiére Marche) directed by OLIVIER WRIGHT.

INDIAN NARRATIVE SHORT
THE CRACK (Fatol) (India) directed by SANKHAJIT BISWAS

Jury Citation:
Through its stunning visual style the film captures the emotional embodiment and lived realities of a community frequently obscured by social prejudice and stereotype. Most notably, the film anchors its narrative in the critical political realities of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). By examining the intersections of gender, queerness, religion, and class, the film handles a complex political landscape with nuance and artistic control. For its sharp insights and formal discipline, the Jury is proud to honor this work and present a Special Mention in the Indian Narrative Shorts category to THE CRACK (Fatol) directed by SANKHAJIT BISWAS.

STUDENT SHORT
DELAY (China, USA) directed by DARYL WANG

Jury Citation:
For its raw, subversive gaze that observes and subtly challenges masculinity in filial relationships struggling with parents’ queer identity in deeply conservative societies; a tender, poignant and deeply empathetic film that lets us in its intimate world, seeing the unseen everyday lives of characters striving for acceptance. We are chuffed to award the Special Jury Mention for Student Short Film  to filmmaker DARYL WANG for his film DELAY.

GENDERATION SHORT
SISTER OF MINE (Sweden) directed by ANDRÉ VAARA

Jury Citation:
Crafted through silences, small gestures, and precise performances, this film sensitively captures childhood longing, jealousy, and identity. It draws us deeply into a child’s world, revealing the complexities of siblinghood and growing up within the often unthinkingly enforced boundaries of gender. For its delicate storytelling, the Genderation Shorts Jury would like to give a Special Mention to SISTER OF MINE from Sweden, directed by ANDRÉ VAARA.