With DARE TO DREAM theme, Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2014 returns with the 5th Edition

With DARE TO DREAM theme, Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2014 returns with the 5th Edition

May, Mumbai, 2014 : KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2014 – the fifth edition returns to win million hearts and create ripples with a bold theme ‘DARE TO DREAM’ starting from 21st May – 25th May 2014.

Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBT Film Festival in the World, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, KASHISH returns for its fifth year with a renewed commitment.

With the Supreme Court of India granting recognition to Hijras and Transgenders by creating a 'third gender' status the nascent queer rights movement in the country can see a ray of hope for the community.  KASHISH is committed to work with queer and civil rights organizations to take ahead the struggle for upholding human rights and ensuring a nondiscriminatory world.

Highlighting this year's theme for KASHISH 2014 gay activist, filmmaker and festival director of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival Sridhar Rangayan comments ,"Dare To Dream' aptly reflects the emerging change. Every year we program a large number of films on transgender issues from across the world and they have been greatly appreciated. This year too there is a spotlight on transgender films as well as a panel discussion planned to discuss the current scenario".

Director of programming Saagar Gupta speaks about the key transgender films, , "Films on Transgender issues to watch out for at KASHISH 2014 are 'Will This Change' from Bangladesh, 'My Mother' from UK, 'Sexicas' from Spain, as well as 'Rainbows Are Real', 'I'dentity' from India, among several others. 'Can You See The Real Me' about the life of work of celebrity transgender hairstylist Slyvie is sure to touch many hearts and offer hope".

KASHISH believes that films and art are a powerful medium to bring about social change and continues its commitment to bring the best of international and Indian queer cinema to Mumbai to mainstream queer issues and their lives.

 ‘DARE TO DREAM’- the theme for KASHISH 2014 :

KASHISH 2014 will reflect this spirit of optimism with its theme ‘DARE TO DREAM’, a theme that is a salute to the undying spirit and synergy of LGBT communities around the world and the changes it has brought in. ‘Dare To Dream’ is a reflection of the hopes, plans, strategies, dreams for the future and will reinvigorate and reinvent aspirations.

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, as every year, will seek the support of filmmakers, producers, distributors, academics, activists, opinion makers, celebrities, media, companies, organizations, corporate and brands. The festival will specially look for financial support from UN agencies, banks, financial institutions, media houses, diplomatic institutions and LGBT community initiatives.

The DARE TO DREAM  poster speaks a  thousand words. India's top fashion designer Padma Shri Wendell Rodricks has picked the poster submitted by Hyderabad-based graphic designer Punith Mahesh as the winning design of the KASHISH International Poster Competition. The poster with stark graphics reflects the concept of exploring the mind, thus creating an unforgettable and easily identifiable impact on the audience. 

KASHISH 2014 highlights :

- KASHISH 2014 is proposed to be held at a Liberty Cinema and  will screen 154 films from 31 countries

- Continuing its USP of screening the largest collection of queer films at an Indian film festival, KASHISH 2014 will once again showcase over 100 films from over two dozen countries.

- Apart from 7 competition sections, there will also be a Panorama section that focuses on the theme: ‘Dare To Dream’.

- This year, the Country Focus will be CANADA and will feature features, docus and shorts from Canada and Quebec. An effort will be made to invite one or two filmmakers / actors from Canada.

- ‘Retrospective of Rituparno Ghosh’ with his gender questioning film ‘Memories In March’.

- The Red Ribbon Package of films will focus on HIV/AIDS vis-à-vis the LGBT community.

- Continuing KASHISH’s mission of showcasing and promoting Indian queer shorts and emerging young Indian filmmakers, this year too would see an interesting ‘Indian Masala Mix’ program of Indian short.