In
its
6th
year
now
the
pathbreaking
KASHISH
QDrishti
Film
Grant,
which
has
already
facilitated
production
of
5
LGBTQIA+
short
films,
is
now
turning
its
focus
specifically
on
the
LGBTQIA+
filmmaking
community.
The
KASHISH
QDrishti
Film
Grant
2021
is
putting
out
an
open
call
submission
of
screenplays
by
filmmakers
who
identify
as
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual,
transgender,
intersex,
asexual,
queer
or
non-binary,
and
offering
a
grant
of
Rs.2,00,000
to
make
one
narrative
short
film.
The
grant
is
being
sponsored
by
Lotus
Visual
Productions.
"We
felt
that
it
is
important
to
support
filmmakers
who
belong
to
the
LGBTQIA+
community
have
no
funding
support
to
realize
their
dream
projects.
They
are
often
sidelined
by
production
houses
and
OTT
platforms,
because
the
LGBTQIA+
filmmakers
believe
in
being
true
to
their
content
and
do
not
chase
after
bringing
on
board
big
stars.
This
ties
up
with
KASHISH's
mission
of
enabling
the
platform
for
LGBTQIA+
community
and
be
inclusive
in
its
truest
sense",
said
Sridhar
Rangayan,
festival
director
of
KASHISH
Mumbai
International
Queer
Film
Festival.
Amazon
Prime
Video
Announces
World
Premiere
Of
Movies
Across
Multiple
Languages
Neeraj,
producer
who
is
sponsoring
the
grant
said,
"Emergence
from
these
trying
times
have
shown
us
the
vital
role
filmmakers
play
in
keeping
us
entertained,
engaged,
and
expanding
our
minds.
The
KASHISH
QDristhi
award
empowers
the
members
of
the
LGBTQIA+
filmmakers
to
own
their
narrative
and
boldly
bring
their
own
stories
on
their
own
terms
to
the
world.
The
award
celebrates
the
optimism,
courage,
and
indomitable
spirit
of
these
visionary
risk-takers
on
their
mission
to
open
our
hearts
to
new
experiences
and
possibilities
towards
shaping
a
fairer
humankind
through
acceptance
and
pride."
An
eminent
pre-jury
panel
comprising
of
well-known
writer
Jyoti
Kapoor
(Good
Newz,
Badhai
Ho,
Daawat-e-Ishq),
writer/director
Charudutt
Acharya
(Sonali
Cable,
Vaastu
Shastra,
Dum
Maro
Dum,
Nautanki
Sala)
and
actor
Avantika
Akerkar
(Four
More
Shots
Please,
Sense
8,
Vagina
Monologues)
alongwith
Saagar
Gupta
(director
of
programming
at
KASHISH)
will
shortlist
5
participants
who
will
pitch
their
project
to
an
eminent
jury
panel
online.
One
final
winner
will
be
announced
at
the
closing
award
ceremony
of
KASHISH
2021
on
September
5,
2021.
Arun
Fulara
who
received
the
grant
in
2020
and
has
completed
the
short
film
My
Mother's
Girlfriend
exults,
"The
KASHISH
QDrishti
film
grant
enabled
me
to
put
my
plan
for
my
short
film
into
motion.
It's
not
just
the
money
but
the
confidence
of
being
awarded
the
grant
by
an
eminent
jury
of
very
respected
writers
and
filmmakers
that
gave
wings
to
me
and
the
film.
Even
after,
through
the
entire
process
of
making
the
film,
I've
had
so
much
support
from
Sridhar
Rangayan,
Saagar
Gupta
and
Neeraj,
as
producers
that
I
feel
blessed.
Their
inputs
from
the
script
to
casting
to
helping
get
discounts
wherever
possible
in
the
production
process
through
to
the
post-production
of
our
film,
has
been
an
absolute
pleasure.
It's
been
a
fun
ride
and
that's
rare.
Trust
me."
Past
awardees
of
the
KASHISH
QDrishti
Film
Grant
are
V.Ramanathan
(Physicality),
Debadrita
Bose
(Languages),
Siddharth
Chauhan
(Catch
The
Light)
and
Sudipto
Kundu
(Radhavab).
The
12th
edition
of
KASHISH
Mumbai
International
Queer
Film
Festival
is
scheduled
to
be
held
August
19
-
September
5,
2021
online
over
3
weekends.
Discounted
earlybird
registrations
are
currently
open.
Do
check
details
about
how
to
Attend
and
also
films
that
are
being
shown
at
http://mumbaiqueerfest.com.