Anubhav Sinha, Aamir Bashir, Chitra Palekar, Meghna Malik, Malavika Sangghvi and Sridhar Rangayan announce South Asia’s and India’s biggest LGBT film festival
Noted filmmakers Anubhav Sinha and Chitra Palekar, national
award winning filmmaker and actor Amir Bashir, actor Meghna Malik, columnist
Malavika Sangghvi and festival director Sridhar Rangayan today announced the
sixth edition of Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival - South
Asia’s biggest and India’s only mainstream LGBT film festival. The festival -
that will screen 180 films from 44 countries - will be held between May 27-31,
2015 at three venues in South Mumbai – the iconic Liberty Cinema and Alliance
Française de Bombay at New Marine Lines and Max Mueller Bhavan at Kalaghoda.
Anubhav Sinha, Aamir Bashir, Chitra Palekar, Meghna Malik
and Malavika Sangghvi are part of the eminent jury that will judge the films in
the seven competition categories at Kashish 2015. “I am so happy to be
associated with Kashish Film Festival. Looking forward to a lot of exciting
films from around the world,” said Anubhav Sinha, director of blockbusters like
Ra One and Tum Bin.
Actor and filmmaker Aamir Bashir, whose film Harud won the
National Award said: “With the LGBT community under siege by a colonial law, it
is nothing short of heroic that Kashish has persisted and persevered and is growing
each year as a festival. I am honoured and privileged to be a part of it as a
member of the jury.”
Filmmaker Chitra Palekar said that since its debut in 2010, Kashish
had created a special place for itself. “Kashish not only brings wonderfully different
films to the film lovers of Mumbai, but also creates awareness in the
mainstream society about the various concerns of the queer community,” she
said.
Actor Meghna Malik, well known for her role as Ammaji in the
television serial Na Aana Is Des Laado, too reflected on the growth of the
festival. “In times when our government, our leaders and we as people at large
are confused and struggling with the existence of LGBT community, Kashish gives
a platform to the community to express themselves through films. They have been
doing it successfully past six years and it's only growing leaps and bounds
each year. It's a brave and massive effort. My best wishes are with the team
and as juror I am looking forward to some very exciting films.”
“It is with great pleasure that I have accepted Kashish 's
request to be on this years' film jury for the festivals' competitive section,
which receives entries from all over the world. I look forward to watching some
great cinema over the next week,” said columnist Malavika Sangghvi.
“We are indeed delighted to announce the 6th edition of Kashish
MIQFF. The festival is no more a LGBT event, but an annual event in Mumbai’s
cultural calendar that cuts across barriers of age, class, gender and
sexuality. This year the festival promises to be bigger than ever with a range
of events that could be of interest to everyone. Pride comes in seven colours
of the rainbow, and all of them coalesce to form Kashish”, said festival
director Sridhar Rangayan
Acclaimed filmmaker Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares has
sponsored cash prizes for the three top competition categories at Kashish - Rs
30,000 for the Best Narrative Feature Film, Rs 20,000 for the Best Indian
Narrative Short film and Rs 20,000 for the Best Performance in a Lead Role.
Wadia Movietone has instituted a cash award of Rs 15,000 for the Riyad Wadia
Award for the Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker. The other competition categories
are Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short and Best International
Narrative Short film.
The festival is organized by Solaris Pictures and
co-organised by the Humsafar Trust.
“In the last six years Kashish has done a journey that been
full of challenges but despite all odds it has grown and has become an annual
event that every LGBTQ individual will be proud of and Humsafar Trust as
co-organizers feel privileged that we have been part of this journey,” said
Vivek Anand, CEO of The Humsafar Trust.
The 6th edition of Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film
Festival will be held from 27th to 31st 2015 at Liberty Cinema, May 28th to
30th 2015 at Alliance Française de Bombay and May 29th to 30th 2015 at Max
Mueller Bhavan. The theme for this year’s festival is "Reaching Out, Touching
Hearts".
Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBT Film Festival in the World, Kashish
Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is South Asia's biggest queer film
festival and the only LGBT film festival in India to be held in a mainstream
theater. Founded in 2010, Kashish is held over 5 days at three venues. The
festival this year will be held at Liberty Cinema, Alliance Française and Max
Mueller Bhavan in South Mumbai. It is the first Indian LGBT festival to be held
with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of
India.
To know more about registration, please visit www.mumbaiqueerfest.com
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