Tag: KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival

Entertainment

Kashish 2022 Theme Announced: Flights For Freedom

Dec 21, 2021 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Flights For Freedom, #Jérôme Marrel, #Kashish 2022, #KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, #South Asia's biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, #Sridhar Rangayan, #Wendell Rodricks

Poster Submissions Insta

The 13th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, will be celebrated online from June 1st, 2022 to June 5th 2022, with a possibility of a few days on-ground events in Mumbai (decision will be taken about this only by mid-March).

The theme of KASHISH 2022 is FLIGHTS FOR FREEDOM, underling the contemporary aspirations of the LGBTQIA+ community in India and across the World, who believe in diversity in its truest sense, and are now flying towards newer horizons on wings of hopes & dreams.

Sridhar Rangayan at Liberty Cinema (pic Punit Reddy)

Sridhar Rangayan, festival director said, “These are challenging times when everyone is trying to look beyond the pandemic and forge new journeys ahead. KASHISH 2022 promises just that with its theme ‘Flights For Freedom’, where all of us together can take a flight to newer horizons. We hope to bring a hybrid film festival bringing the best of both online and on-ground events to kick start the Pride Month in June”.

The festival is inviting artists and graphic designers across the world to participate in the KASHISH 2022 Wendell Rodricks International Poster Design Contest to design the official festival poster and overall look for the festival’s upcoming edition.

Started by the late couture designer Wendell Rodricks in 2012, and continued in his memory by his partner Jérôme Marrel, the poster design contest offers a cash award of Rs.25,000 (approx. US$340) and a KASHISH Butterfly trophy. The winning design will be used on all the KASHISH 2022 collaterals.

Wendell Rodricks & Jerome Marrel (July 2013) (1)

Jérôme Marrel said, “KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2022 is round the corner and submissions will start for the poster design competition. Once again I will be selecting the best poster to receive the Wendell Rodricks Poster Design Award 2022 in memory of my life partner. We expect a lot of creativity with a practical touch to allow the poster to be reproduced on various media. May the winner make the KASHISH team proud. I wish all of you good luck.”

The contest deadline is January 31, 2022.

Film Submissions are open too for filmmakers with an LGBTQIA+ themed film to submit to the festival. Considering the challenging situation all filmmakers must be going through, the festival has decided to waive off submission fees in all categories. Filmmakers can visit https://mumbaiqueerfest.com/film-submissions-for-kashish-2022-open-now/ to check rules and submit.

Entertainment, News

KASHISH offers film grant to LGBTQ+ filmmakers

Jul 8, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, #KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant

In its 6th year now the path breaking KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant, which has already facilitated production of 5 LGBTQIA+ short films, is now turning its focus specifically on the LGBTQIA+ filmmaking community. The KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2021 is putting out an open call submission of screenplays by filmmakers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, queer or non-binary, and offering a grant of Rs.2,00,000 to make one narrative short film. The grant is being sponsored by Lotus Visual Productions.

“We felt that it is important to support filmmakers who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community have no funding support to realize their dream projects. They are often sidelined by production houses and OTT platforms, because the LGBTQIA+ filmmakers believe in being true to their content and do not chase after bringing on board big stars. This ties up with KASHISH’s mission of enabling the platform for LGBTQIA+ community and be inclusive in its truest sense”, said Sridhar Rangayan, festival director of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival.

Neeraj, producer who is sponsoring the grant said, “Emergence from these trying times have shown us the vital role filmmakers play in keeping us entertained, engaged, and expanding our minds. The KASHISH QDristhi award empowers the members of the LGBTQIA+ filmmakers to own their narrative and boldly bring their own stories on their own terms to the world. The award celebrates the optimism, courage, and indomitable spirit of these visionary risk-takers on their mission to open our hearts to new experiences and possibilities towards shaping a fairer humankind through acceptance and pride.”

The call for submissions is currently open at https://www.instamojo.com/KASHISH_MIQFF/kashish-qdrishti-film-grant-2021/ and the deadline to register is July 18, 2021.

An eminent pre-jury panel comprising of well-known writer Jyoti Kapoor (Good Newz, Badhai Ho, Daawat-e-Ishq), writer/director Charudutt Acharya (Sonali Cable, Vaastu Shastra, Dum Maro Dum, Nautanki Sala) and actor Avantika Akerkar (Four More Shots Please, Sense 8, Vagina Monologues) will shortlist 5 participants who will pitch their project to an eminent jury panel online. One final winner will be announced at the closing award ceremony of KASHISH 2021 on September 5, 2021.

Arun Fulara who received the grant in 2020 and has completed the short film My Mother’s Girlfriend exults, “The KASHISH QDrishti film grant enabled me to put my plan for my short film into motion. It’s not just the money but the confidence of being awarded the grant by an eminent jury of very respected writers and filmmakers that gave wings to me and the film. Even after, through the entire process of making the film, I’ve had so much support from Sridhar Rangayan, Saagar Gupta and Neeraj, as producers that I feel blessed. Their inputs from the script to casting to helping get discounts wherever possible in the production process through to the post-production of our film, has been an absolute pleasure. It’s been a fun ride and that’s rare. Trust me.”

Past awardees of the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant are V.Ramanathan (Physicality), Debadrita Bose (Languages), Siddharth Chauhan (Catch The Light) and Sudipto Kundu (Radhavab).

The 12th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is scheduled to be held August 19 – September 5, 2021 online over 3 weekends. Discounted earlybird registrations are currently open. Do check details about how to Attend and also Films that are being shown at http://mumbaiqueerfest.com