International LGBTQ film festival to raise Rs 5 lakh to help new filmmakers

The International LGBTQ film festival to be held in Mumbai hopes to raise Rs 5 lakh via crowdfunding platform Wishberry. This money will be used to meet part of the organising expense of the festival.

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival and will be held between June 12-16, 2019 at two of Mumbai's iconic theatres - Liberty Carnival Cinemas and Metro Inox.

"Every year the crowdfunding campaign is a star attraction and engages with people all over the world with the simple message, ' Together we can make it happen.' We hope this year with Section 377 gone we can celebrate in a big way," said founder and festival director Sridhar Rangayan.

KASHISH 2019 crowdfunding campaign will use part of the funds raised for a scholarship for selected filmmakers from across India to come to the film festival and interact with the audience, film making fraternity and showcase their films.

This year KASHISH 2019 festival's theme is 'Over The Rainbow' it commemorates the reading down of section 377 and decriminalization of same-sex relationships in India, and also defines the challenges in store for the LGBTQ community's journey towards empowerment and social acceptance. Bringing together films from all over the world as well as panel discussions and performances, the festival will showcase the shared struggles and victories, and offer a window to existing and future possibilities.