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KASHISH 2017 will have South Asia’s largest prize money for LGBTQ films

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Mumbai – The 8th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival this year will feature the largest prize money for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer films in South Asia. Around 43 of the 144 films that will be screened at the festival will compete in the eight competition categories for a total cash award of Rs 2.20 lakhs. The prize money will be sponsored by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares, Whistling Woods International, Shri K.F. Patil Charitable Trust, Wadia Movietone and Lotus Visual.

South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ film festival KASHISH 2017 will be held between May 24-28, 2017 at two venues in South Mumbai – the city’s iconic art deco theatre Liberty Cinema and Alliance Francaise.

The highest award at KASHISH, Best Narrative Feature as well as well as those for Best Indian Short Film and Actor in a Leading Role are sponsored by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares. A newly introduced award this year is for the Best Student Short film with a cash award of Rs 15,000 sponsored by film school Whistling Woods International. LGBTQ short films made by students of film and media schools will compete for this award.

Two competition categories this year will have cash awards – K.F.Patil Unity in Diversity Award for Best Documentary Feature and K.F.Patil Unity in Diversity Award for Best Documentary Short .The cash awards are sponsored by K.F.Patil Charitable Trust. The Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker was instituted in memory of Riyad Wadia, who made the country’s first gay film – BomGay. The cash award of Rs 15,000 is sponsored by Wadia Movietone.

The QDrishti Film Grant returns for the second year to KASHISH. It is an artistic grant to support and promote independent filmmakers based in India making LGBTQ themed films. Short Narrative or Documentary Films made by India-based filmmakers compete for this honour that gives Rs 1 lakh grant to the chosen film maker to make their next LGBTQ themed film. The chosen filmmaker will be mentored by noted filmmaker Aruna Raje and actor and theatre person Shernaz Patel.