CALL FOR ENTRIES: KASHISH -Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2011

[Guest guest]

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2011

CALL FOR ENTRIES

It is time once again to get ready for India’s largest mainstream queer film festival: KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival.

The first edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2010 organized by Solaris Pictures and Bombay Dost in association with The Humsafar Trust, held from April 22-25 2010, turned out to be a milestone event in LGBT movement in India.

It had many firsts - the first ever queer film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre: PVR Cinemas; the first queer film festival inIndia to apply for and obtain an exemption from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the first ever queer film festival in India to have competitive categories and cash awards.

The four days of the film festival drew an unprecedented audience turnout of over 1200 people who came to watch 110 films from 25 countries. The festival was attended and supported by a host of Bollywood and media celebrities including Celina Jaitley, Zeenat Aman, Manisha Koirala, Rahul Bose, Sanjay Suri, Purab Kohli, Rajit Kapur, Dolly Thakore, Suhasini Mulay, Onir, Mahesh Dattani, Manvendra Singh Gohil and Ashok Row Kavi, to name a few. There was coverage in more than 200 news sites, ezines and blogs with exclusive features in mainstream newspapers in India and leading international newspapers.

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2011 to be held in April 2011 intends to be BIGGER, BOLDER & BETTER.

We call upon filmmakers, both in India and across the world, to submit shorts, features and documentaries that highlight / focus on gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender characters, communities and expressions.

Requirements-

* Submissions should be of interest to gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, transgendered people.

* Films should be submitted only on DVD. We will not be able to preview online.

* Films / videos of any length and in any language are accepted. All films, other than in English, should be subtitled in English.

* Each film must be accompanied with a duly filled entry form. Submissions without completed entry form will not be accepted.

* Please note THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE for submission.  

* We believe in investing all our resources in showcasing the films to the best possible extent, hence NO SCREENING FEE would be paid to filmmakers / distributors.

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2011.

Entry forms are available on the festival’s website www.mumbaiqueerfest.com and bloghttp://kashishmiqff.blogspot.com, or write to kashish.miqff@....

--Sridhar Rangayan       Vivek Anand

Festival Director           Festival Director