Queer Film Fest
22.04.14
KASHISH Mumbai
International Queer Film Festival is a platform to mainstream queer visibility,
through advocacy and entertainment, using the medium of cinema and arts to
offer a better understanding of queer thoughts, desires and expressions.
Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons in India have remained underground
and invisible due to a colonial law Section 377 of IPC. After reading down of
this law on July 2nd 2009, which effectively decriminalized homosexuality,
there has been an environment of more openness to have discussions around LGBT
issues. On December 11th 2013, the Supreme Court reversed the Delhi High Court
verdict, thereby re criminalizing homosexuality.
Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons in India have remained underground
and invisible due to a colonial law Section 377 of IPC. After reading down of
this law on July 2nd 2009, which effectively decriminalized homosexuality,
there has been an environment of more openness to have discussions around LGBT
issues. On December 11th 2013, the Supreme Court reversed the Delhi High Court
verdict, thereby re criminalizing homosexuality.
This decision of the
Indian Supreme Court is indeed a big setback to the nascent queer rights
movement in the country. The verdict makes lesbian-gay-bisexual and transgender
persons vulnerable to not just penal action of imprisonment but also extortion,
blackmail and social stigma. Started
in 2010 as the first ever LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) film
festival in India to be held in a mainstream theater and to receive clearance
from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Over the past 4 very
successful editions of the festival, it has emerged to be South Asia's biggest
queer film festival, an important event in Mumbai's cultural calendar and
also recently voted as one of World’s Top 5 Coolest LGBT Film
Festival.
Bhawana
Somaaya/@bhawanasomaaya
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