19 May,2011 09:13 AM IST | | Dhvani Solani
The Kashish Queer Film Festival is back! And this time around, It's bigger, better and, dare we say it, queer-er than before. The Guide gets three voices connected to the LGBT community to pick their favourites from this year's selection
One of the things that we loved about the Kashish queer film festival, when it debuted last year, was the choice of venue. Instead of being confined to an experimental space, it took place in a mainstream cinema hall. We remember as we sat in the dark to watch the six vignettes in Riyad Wadia's Bomgay, two boys to our right held hands, while to our left, two middle-aged women did the same.
A still from Javier Fuentes-Le n's Undertow. The movie tops the
list of the must-see films on the film festival's website
This year, while one of the venues remains the Alliance Fran aise at Marine Lines (beautiful for its community feel), the other venue is at the other end of the city: Cinemax, in Andheri. Perfect for those, who prefer a movie on a 'real' cinema screen. The fest grows bigger, and supposedly even better, this year, with 124 films from as many as 22 countries. They span genres in the attempt to explore issues ranging from serious to hilarious, dealing with issues including love, lust, to identity crises and affirmation of identity. Incidentally, two movies even share the same titleu00a0-- I Am).
One of the best parts about the fest is that it is free. But you need to register yourself as a delegate to be able to attend the screenings. There are limited passes available, so hurry! If you can't catch all the films, do try get the top 10 ones listed on the website (including Undertow pictured above).
It will open horizons, we promise. And watch this space for daily film schedules once the festival is up and running.
From May 25 to 29.
At Alliance Francaise (Marine Lines) and Cinemax (Andheri).
Log on tou00a0www.mumbaiqueerfest.com
Because they say it's a must-watch...
Pallav Patankar Head of sales, marketing and operations for the fest and director, HIV services, Humsafar Trust
365 Without 377 is a film shot by an Italian student called Adele Tulli, who was a volunteer for the fest last year. In the film, she follows three people (one of who is me), who are getting ready to attend the July 2 function that marked the one-year anniversary of the amendment of Section 377. Apart from the personal connect; it has a total Mumbai sensibility that works.
Vikram Doctor Journalist and founder of Gay Bombay
We showcased I Am by Sonali Gulati at one of the Gay Bombay parents' meetings, which has some very poignant moments. One of the big differences about being gay in India is that family matters. In the docu-feature, the filmmaker speaks to parents of gay and lesbian Indians, and it's beautiful to see the degree of trust and acceptance in Indian families.
Nitin Karani Handles PR and publicity for the fest, editor of Bombay Dost and prominent gay rights activist
Onir's I Am is very interesting, because we rarely ever see such kind of movies on the big screen. Though the connection between the four vignettes in the film was a little tenuous, it worked for me. Some stories might be too unpalatable for mainstream audiences, but the one that struck a chord was the I Am Megha vignette, even though it has no 'queer' connection.
