The fourth edition of the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film festival will be held in Mumbai from May 22 to 26 at Cinemax Versova in Andheri (22 to 26) and at the Alliance Française de Bombay (23 to 25). The festival will screen LGBT films from Iran, Serbia, Slovakia, Pakistan and Morocco. As many as 132 films from 40 countries will be showcased at the event.

China is the ‘Country in Focus’ with over 12 films being screened at the fete. US filmmaker and activist Jim Hubbard, ‘Filmmaker in Focus,’ will participate in the festival. Serbian film ‘The Parade’ will be the opening film at Kashish this year, while ‘Chitrangadha – The Crowning Wish’ by Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh will be the closing film.

Saagar Gupta, festival programmer, said the event showcases “the biggest collection of films and from countries that are very diverse, including countries where making films on LGBT themes is challenging. Also keeping in tune with this year’s themes of ‘Towards Change’ there are several outstanding documentaries to watch out for, including the ‘Vito,’ ‘United in Anger,’ ‘Call Me Kuchu,’ ‘Hide & Seek,’ ‘Invisible Men,’ ‘Not A Man in Sight’ and from India, ‘And The Unclaimed.’”

The films focus on the struggle, trauma and happiness of LGBT individuals across the world, he added.

About Kashish

Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is the first and only gay and lesbian film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre and one of the first queer festivals to receive clearance from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.