Mumbai Queerfest Pushes Envelope

Kashish – Mumbai Queer Film Festival, 2010

Pride parades in all metros, the historic Delhi High Court’s verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, relaunch of India’s first gay magazine Bombay Dost, the Indian Election Commission’s decision to recognize transgender as a separate category… the pink flag is rising over India, queer (or LGBT – lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) visibility is increasing.

Kashish - Mumbai Queer Film Festival, 2010 takes this journey further through the medium of films. The festival offers cinema as a means to understand what being queer means today, and how it impacts both the queer community and the society at large.

Kashish - Mumbai Queer Film Festival to be held between April 22 and April 25, 2010 will be spread across two venues in Mumbai – one in the city and one in the suburbs. Features, short films, documentaries and experimental films will be screened, highlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters and stories. The films explore the diverse realities, complexities, joys and sorrows that make up the Indian queer experience as well as celebrate, reclaim, and explain LGBTQ identities while engaging and entertaining audiences. The film festival is an attempt to bring together the audience, the films and their makers.

Many recent as well as undiscovered Indian films and cutting edge contemporary international films from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA are being screened. In addition, two internationally acclaimed curators Paul Lee from Canada and John Badalu from Indonesia will showcase sensitive and sensible queer films from North America and South-East Asia in special packages.

Eminent personalities from films, art, fashion, media and queer activists are part of the jury for its competitive sections, which will carry awards. Panel discussions about Indian queer culture and its portrayal, and a photo-exhibition will be a part of the film festival.

“Our vision is to encourage greater visibility of Indian queer cinema and bringing it into the mainstream discourse. We are showcasing the films to both queer and mainstream audiences, in order to make them aware about queer thought, desires and expressions,” says Sridhar Rangayan, Festival Director.

Kashish - Mumbai Queer Film Festival is being organized by Solaris Pictures and Bombay Dost in collaboration with The Humsafar Trust and Movies That Matter (Netherlands).

About Solaris Pictures: Solaris Pictures is the only Indian film production company that has consistently been making films on queer themes that engage the audience and initiate dialogues on issues dealing with health and sexuality, human rights, and the gay and transgender communities. Its award-winning films like ‘Gulabi Aaina’, ‘Yours Emotionally’ and ‘68 Pages’, all dealing with gay and transgender stories, have pushed the boundaries in queer portrayals in Indian films. Solaris is also distributor for Indian queer films for international markets. (www.solarispictures.com)

About Bombay Dost: Bombay Dost, India’s first registered LGBT magazine, is a standard bearer for the growing confidence and artistic alacrity displayed by India’s LGBT community. The magazine eschews any notion of ‘them and us’, and mirrors the inclusiveness that we would expect in a more egalitarian society. Bombay Dost was launched in 1990 and after a seven-year hiatus was re-launched as a bi-annual (half-yearly) in April 2009 with support from the UNDP. The magazine boldly showcases LGBT cultural expression and is proud to co-organize Kashish. Bombay Dost also organizes fortnightly film screenings and other events like book readings and community discussions under the name ‘Bombay Dost Sunday High’. These events are free, publicly listed and open to all. (www.bombaydost.co.in)

Press contacts:

Sridhar Rangayan (Solaris Pictures), Festival Director

Email: sridhar.rangayan@gmail.com

Vivek Anand (Bombay Dost), Festival Director

Email: avivekr@gmail.com

Festival Contact:

Website: www.mumbaiqueerfest.com

Blog: mqff2010.blogspot.com

Email: kasishmqff@gmail.com

Twitter: @kashish2010

Facebook: Kashish Mqff