India’s first traveling campus LGBT+ film festival ‘ KASHISH Forward’ and Sridhar Rangayan’s ‘Purple Skies’ will screen at Miranda House in Delhi University, to raise awareness about LGBT+ issues
After travelling to 13 cities with 16 screenings, KASHISH Forward now travels to New Delhi to screen at Miranda House, University of Delhi on August 25th from 11.30am to 4.00pm. The event which is open to all will screen 7 LGBT+ films focused on youth and their issues like gender identity, coming out and family acceptance.
The event will also screen Sridhar Rangayan’s acclaimed documentary film on LBT (lesbians, bisexuals and transmen) ‘Purple Skies’, produced by PSBT India and Solaris Pictures. This was the first lesbian themed film to receive a U certificate from the censor board and also was telecast on Doordarshan.
“Lesbians and bisexual women face double discrimination – as same-sex loving persons and as women – and have a tougher time negotiating for their rights in Indian society. There has to be a move to make LBT community more visible and their concerns heard loud”, said Sridhar Rangayan, director of the film and festival director of KASHISH,
“It is important to start dialogue at college level with young minds”, he added.
The event, organised by the Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House and KASHISH Arts Foundation, the parent body of KASHISH MIQFF in association with Queer India Support and Movies That Matter (Netherlands).
“We at Miranda House believe in creating inclusive, safe and brave space where diversity is accepted and equitable access between all individuals is normative”, said Aishwarya Unnikrishnan, President of Women’s Development Cell, Miranda House whose motto is “Together We Rise”, aiming to forge solidarity with different movements happening across the globe to anchor beyond the binaries.
Queer India Support is a new initiative that essentially aims to be the first line of support for LGBT+ individuals and their allies and a platform that surpasses geographical constraints with the digital medium.
“We are happy to bridge the gap between such compelling film screenings and the campuses. Hope this contributes to the sensitization of the students and becomes a step in building a more inclusive society”, said Harsh Aggarwal, Founder of Queer India Support, which aims to be the first line of support for queer individuals and their allies.
The films to be screened at the event are Keep Your Head Up from Ireland, Amar: Deaf Is An Identity and Scarlines from Canada, No Matter Who from France, To Mum (Love Me) from Singapore, and All About Love and My Child Is Gay, I Am Happy from India
