In it's fourth year, the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2013, highlights real stories in at attempt to reach out to audiences.
This year, their theme is ‘Towards Change’ and with it Kashish is hoping to add fuel to the movement across the world to bring LGBT issues to the foreground. In this edition, they also see an increasing number of films from countries where, not only is it challenging to be queer, but it is also challenging to make queer films. “Audiences can see films and documentaries from Pakistan, Uganda, UAE, Iran, Serbia, Morocco and Slovakia,” festival director Sridhar Rangayan said. “The country focus this year will be China with over 12 works from there including a documentary Mama Rainbow, where mothers of LGBT children speak on camera for the first time,” he added.
Kashish is the only queer festival in India to showcase in a mainstream theatre, this year showing over 132 films from 40 countries, and giving non-queer folk an opportunity to see the films, opening their mind to LGBT life and issues. “There is a sense of empowerment for men and women to hold their girlfriend/boyfriends hand and watch queer cinema on the big screen,” Sridhar says about providing a window into queer lives. “Audiences now want to see good cinema, even if it is queer,” he says adding, “The focus is on films that are telling a good story in a good way, talking about issues that are important and accurate,” on the process of film selection for Kashish.
“An event like Kashish brings together the LGBT community and mainstream audiences. We offer a space where you don’t need to wear a label, nor pretend about who you are, unlike many pride marches were you have to wear a label. Here there’s no need to wear a label nor hide who you are,” Sridhar says of the growing acceptance of the LGBT community.
Films to watch out for this year
Facing Mirrors, Keep The Lights On, A Perfect Ending, Call Me Kuchu, ...And The Unclaimed, Noor, Pride, Reminiscence of Ether, The Piece of Furniture, Urmi, Performance Anxiety, What You Looking At?, The Lala Road and United in Anger: A History of Act Up.
The complete schedule will be available on www.mumbaiqueerfest.com after the weekend.
When & Where: May 22-26, Cinema Versova, Andheri West; May 23-25, AllianceFraincaise de Bombay, Churchgate
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}