South Asia’s biggest LGBT film fest to be held between May 27-31, 2015
KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival – South Asia’s biggest and India’s only mainstream LGBT film festival – has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise a part of the funds required for organizing the sixth edition of the festival. The film festival will be held May 27 – 31, 2015 at Liberty Cinema and Alliance Francaise de Bombay.
“KASHISH was the first LGBT event in India to launch a crowdfunding campaign in 2012, and since then every year, we have successfully carried out such a campaign to fulfill gap funding for the festival,” said festival director Sridhar Rangayan. “While the total amount of the crowdfunding campaign is a modest percentage of the overall budget of the festival, it is a very important component, as it involves individuals from all over the world. It invigorates, motivates and challenges people to come forward and show their support in whatever capacity they can. It is a ripple effect of enthusiasm that pours in – not just money, but a lot of goodwill. We feel invigorated and motivated in return to bring to the audience the best possible KASHISH edition,” added Rangayan.
The target this year is to raise Rs 2.5 lakh for the festival. The festival is a not-for-profit event and primarily community driven.With no government support and very little corporate sponsor support, the festival relies on crowdfunding to bridge the gap. This crowdfunding campaign aims to cover some part of the total festival budget, including covering some portion of the cost of venue, equipment hire, catalog printing, other printing costs; and full cost of scholarship to filmmakers and volunteers’ allowance. There are a diverse range of exciting Rewards for each contribution slab – from free delegate registration, KASHISH DVDs, Tshirts to an invite to the exclusive Opening Night party.
In line with its aim to provide a platform for Indian filmmakers who make films on LGBT themes, KASHISH 2015 crowdfunding campaign will spend part of the funds raised, on a scholarship for few filmmakers from across India. The selected filmmakers from outside Mumbai will be offered a modest travel scholarship to come to the film festival and interact with the audience, filmmaking fraternity and showcase their films.
The crowdfunding campaign is on Wishberry.
One of the messages sent by a person who has contributed money for this year’s festival reads: “It’s always a pleasure to be part of the LGBT movement through films in South Asia! Kashish rocks!”
The theme for this year is ‘Reaching Out, Touching Hearts’, “reflecting the urgent need for all to reach across barriers and boundaries; to challenge prejudices, change attitudes and create a society that allows each person to live with love and dignity,’’ says the festival organisers.
KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
Voted as one of the Top 5 LGBT Film Festival in the World, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is South Asia’s biggest queer film festival and the only LGBT film festival in India to be held in a mainstream theater.
Founded in 2010, KASHISH is held over 5 days at two venues. The festival this year will be held at Liberty Cinema and Alliance Francaise in South Mumbai. It is the only Indian LGBT festival to be held with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India.
THEME: ‘REACHING OUT, TOUCHING HEARTS’
The theme of KASHISH 2015, ‘Reaching Out, Touching Hearts’, reflects the urgent need for all of us to reach across barriers and boundaries, reach out to everyone – parents, families, friends, colleagues and peers.
An equal society without stigma and discrimination is a shared responsibility.
The Indian LGBT movement is at a crucial time in its history, where it is fighting an unjust law – section 377 of the Indian Penal Code – that criminalizes the community. It is important to broad-base this struggle and build alliances across race, class, caste, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation to challenge prejudice, change attitudes and create a society that allows each person to live with love and dignity
