Kashish Pride Film Festival
The 16th edition of KASHISH Pride Film Festival (earlier known as KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival) will be held as an on-ground festival in Mumbai from June 4 to June 8, 2025.
KASHISH is committed to showcasing films by, about, and of interest to the LGBTQIA+ community and we specially encourage film submissions from women; people of color; transgender, intersex, asexual & non-binary people; and other underrepresented communities.
The Festival is produced by KASHISH Arts Foundation, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the exhibition, distribution, funding and promotion of LGBTQIA+ films, alongwith Solaris Pictures.
Before submitting you will have an option to select only physical or both physical and virtual, and also if you wish to have your film geo-blocked.
Please read the submission guidelines carefully and submit ONLY if your film is eligible.
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KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is now πππππππ ππ«π’ππ π
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Last year in 2024 when KASHISH turned 15 years and we wanted to celebrate it by being more Inclusive with a change of name and identity.
The festival is being renamed from KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival to πππππππ ππ«π’ππ π π’π₯π¦ π ππ¬ππ’π―ππ₯ to reflect the contemporary aspirations of the LGBTQIA+ community, underlining the fact that the festival and its allied activities offer pride, hope and dignity.
KASHISH Pride Film Festival is the first LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Intersex, Asexual) film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theater, and the first LGBTQIA+ film festival in India to receive clearance from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
KASHISH Pride Film Festival, now considered South Asiaβs biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival and one of worldβs top 5 coolest LGBTQIA+ film festival, has over the past 14 editions become one of the biggest pride events in India.
Founded in 2010, the festival has grown from strength to strength, attracting close to 9000 footfalls over the 4 1/2 days of the festival at two/three venues. The festival, every year, has screened 110 - 180 films that include shorts, documentaries, features - all centered around LGBTQIA+ themes. The festival also attracts topline Bollywood celebrities, prominent filmmakers and media personalities, and receives every year over 150 write-ups in mainstream press in India and globally.
More information at http://mumbaiqueerfest.com
KASHISH Pride Film Festival has both Competitive and Non-Competitive categories.
KASHISH Pride Film Festival awards around Rs.2,00,000 lacs (US$2500) in cash prizes β the largest total amount awarded by any LGBTQIA+ film festival in the Indian subcontinent.
The Competition Categories are:
- Best Narrative Feature
- Best Documentary Feature
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Indian Narrative Short
- Best International Narrative Short
- Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker
- Ismat Chughtai Award for Best Indian Woman Filmmaker
- Best Performance in a Lead Role
- Best Screenplay
- Best Student Short Film
- KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant
The winners will be selected by panels of eminent Jury members. The decision of the Juries will be final and is indisputable.
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