Daniel Craig And Elliot Page Films To Bookend KASHISH Fest

Photo: Twitter

India-West Staff Reporter

MUMBAI- The sixteenth edition of South Asia’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival, the KASHISH Pride Film Festival, will unfurl its vibrant cinematic banner from June 4 to 8, marking the onset of Pride Month with a compelling line-up of global queer cinema. The festival will open with Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” starring Daniel Craig, and close with “Close To You,” a heartfelt narrative directed by Dominic Savage and featuring Elliot Page as both lead actor and producer.

This year, the festival will screen a record 152 films from 48 countries, including cinematic entries from diverse and often underrepresented regions such as Iceland, Peru, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, and Palestine.

India leads the festival with 37 entries, followed by the United States with 34 and the United Kingdom with 19, showcasing a robust South Asian presence alongside a dynamic global selection.

Founder and festival director Sridhar Rangayan reflected on the festival’s resilience and evolution, saying, “KASHISH has always taken on challenges in its stride and emerged stronger; and this year is no exception. With our move back to the suburbs and a line-up of amazing films that will appeal to the younger audiences, the festival hopes to infuse new energy and enthusiasm. Sixteen years ago, we laid the first bricks of Indian queer cinema. Today, we’re witnessing an entire movement rising—brave, brilliant, and uncompromising.”

The festival’s theme this year, “Love=Peace,” resonates deeply amid contemporary global tensions. Artistic director Saagar Gupta emphasized the significance of this theme, stating, “Peace isn’t just the absence of conflict — it’s the presence of love. Love for who we are, for each other, for the spaces we belong to, and for every identity that makes us whole.”

Among the festival’s highlights is Onir’s much-acclaimed “We Are Faheem & Karun,” selected as the Indian Narrative Centerpiece, while the Romanian film “Three Kilometers To The End Of The World” by Emanuel Pârvu holds the position of International Narrative Centerpiece.

Paying homage to one of its most celebrated patrons, the festival will feature a special tribute screening of Shyam Benegal’s iconic 1983 film “Mandi.”