Art Exhibition
Celebrating the lost art of Bollywood Billboards with a `queer twist’
Date: May 23-27, 2012
Venue: Art Corner, Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Glamour, awe and glory – Bollywood billboards and hoardings were a part of the grandeur of the Indian silver screen. In all their multi-coloured kitschy hues, these hand painted colossal artworks gave the junta a sneak peek into the fabulous world of movies, and is to a large extent responsible for the larger-than life image of Hindi movies and its stars in every far flung corner of the country. As we celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema, it is time to paint an ode to the long lost artists and their artworks. Taking this tradition ahead, filmmaker, graphic designer and artist Pradipta Ray weaves stories of the portrayal of themes and characters in Bollywood films and adds his own ‘queer twist’. A set of four paintings depicting homoeroticism, same sex interactions and queer icons from Hindi films.
Panel Discussion
Playing Safe: Talking about Safe Sex, HIV/AIDS through popular media
Date: May 24, 2012
Time: 5 pm
Venue: Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Almost three decades after the emergence of HIV/AIDS, a cure still eludes the world and safe sex remains the best weapon. Over the years, has the emphasis on safe sex been forgotten, especially in the queer community? What is the reaction by the younger generation about safe sex messages? Has there been adequate representation of safe sex practices and HIV/AIDS in popular media? The panel will also discuss whether the way the media speaks on HIV/AIDS affects perceptions and attitudes, besides spurring or complimenting activism. Moderated by Pallav Patankar, the panel comprises of healthcare professionals, queer activists and communication specialists.
This event is sponsored by DKT India
Book Reading
Writing Queer! Readings from Out! – a new anthology of LGBT stories from India
Date: May 25
Time: 5 pm
Venue: Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Queer Ink, India’s first online bookstore for everything queer, is set to release a new anthology of diverse, contemporary LGBT/queer stories. Out! offers a glimpse beyond the closet doors — and into the lives and dreams of India’s most misunderstood minority. The soon-to-be-published anthology, edited by author Minal Hajratwala, promises stories that mirror lives of queer Indians today: poignant, gripping, and occasionally even hilarious. In an exclusive sneak peek for KASHISH, some of the emerging writers and master story tellers whose works feature in the anthology will read from the book followed by a discussion moderated by Queer Ink founder Shobhna S. Kumar.
KASHISH Konversations
Face-to -Face with Hollywood filmmaker Rob Williams
Date: May 26, 2012
Time: 3.15 pm
Venue: Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Rob Williams is regarded as one of the out and prolific gay filmmakers in the US. He and his partner Rodney (a screenwriter and co-producer) have made evergreen festival hits dealing with the politics of human relationships,
pepped up with an attractive and talented cast and interesting scripts. In a conversation with one of India’s leading film critics and film curators Meenakshi Shedde, Rob reflects on his films and how to make a queer movie
on a low budget, get a good cast motivated and find distribution for it! A close and personal conversation with this year’s KASHISH ‘Filmmaker in Focus – Rob Williams’.
Open House
Dialogues with emerging filmmakers
Date: May 26, 2012
Time: 5 pm
Venue: Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Since its debut in 2010, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film fest has provided a platform to budding filmmakers who make films on queer themes with great resource crunch and against all odds. The festival provides a spring board to them to showcase their films on an international scale. For many filmmakers it is the only avenue to showcase their works to a larger mainstream audience. In an Open House moderated by Festival Director Sridhar Rangayan, a panel of young, emerging filmmakers from USA, France, Thailand, Australia and many cities in India, will speak about their joy, anxiety, passion and glory of taking that first step into filmdom.
Panel Discussion
The Pink Screen: Breaking the glass ceiling for queer portrayals in popular Indian cinema
Date: May 27, 2012
Time: 5 pm
Venue: Foyer opposite Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
A Bollywood film with a gay kiss between two male actors won the National Award this year. However, sensitive and well etched queer characters are still rare in Indian cinema. Is there space for gay and lesbian portrayals in Indian cinema? Is it easier to write in a stereotype of a limp wristed comic character, than a sensitive gay/lesbian character in a film? Does the fear of the censor board necessitate rewrites to tone down the queer material? Do young mainstream filmmakers find it difficult to address gay / lesbian issues in their films? How do Bollywood producers, distributors, financiers, the ‘mainstream audience’ and the star system work in, enabling or otherwise, queer portrayals in Indian cinema? Moderated by noted film critic Rajeev Masand of ‘Masand Ki Pasand fame, the panel comprises of eminent filmmakers from Bollywood and independent cinema and actors.
This event is sponsored by Nomura
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Rob Williams, regarded as one of the most prolific gay filmmakers working today, fills many shoes – he is an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer and co-owner of Guest House Films.
Long-Term Relationship is all about love and its inherent problems. Glenn has finally found his soul mate Adam, a cute Southern man, through a personal ad; but he didn’t expect that his first love will also have ‘compatibility’ issues. But a little patience and a lot of humour can perhaps make it a long term relationship. (Screening at Cinemax Versova on May 25, 2012 at 11 am).
