Kashish Pride Film Festival 2025: 16th Edition To Screen 152 Queer Films From 48 Countries In Mumbai Starting June 4

Mumbai: Kashish Pride Film Festival has returned with a powerful lineup of LGBTQ+ films from across the globe, shining a spotlight on bold stories and groundbreaking creators. The 16th edition of the queer film festival will feature the highest number of Indian films than any other country.

Kashish Pride Film Festival has turned out to be South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival. It is an attempt to encourage greater visibility of Indian and International queer cinema among both queer and mainstream audiences as a means to foster better understanding of queer thoughts, desires and expressions.

This year, the festival will be held from June 4 to 8 at St. Andrews Auditorium, Cinepolis Andheri West and Alliance Francaise. It will screen 152 films from 48 countries with films from Iceland, Peru, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and Palestine.

It will screen a rich haul of films from South Asia with films from India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Indian films top the list with 37 films this year, followed by the USA with 34 films and the UK with 19 films.

Among the stellar line-up of films, few of the key films are ‘Queer’ directed by the Luca Guadagnino featuring Daniel Craig, ‘Close To You’ directed by Dominic Savage featuring Elliot Page as lead actor and producer, the Dutch film ‘Out’ by Dennis Alink and ‘Odd Fish’ by Snævar Sölvason set in a beautiful Icelandic township.

Sridhar Rangayan, founder and festival director of Kashish, said, “Kashish has always been about creating a safe and celebratory space for queer stories to be seen and heard. In a world that’s increasingly polarised, cinema becomes a powerful equalizer, one that opens minds and hearts. We are proud to be a platform where love, identity, and resilience take center stage.”

The 16th edition will host 16 notable personalities from the industry as the festival’s jury members. It includes twice Oscar winning producer Guneet Monga known for ‘Elephant Whisperers’, ‘The Lunchbox’ and ‘Masaan’, filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane known for Udaan, Lootera, Jubilee and Indian director and screenwriter Abhishek Chaubey known for Dedh Ishqiya, Udta Punjab, Sonchiriya. They will judge 12 competition categories, giving away close to Rs6 lakhs to filmmakers and screenwriters.

10 FILMS TO WATCH OUT FOR AT KASHISH 2025

1. QUEER (Opening Feature)

Thu Jun 5, 7.45 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 3

2. CLOSE TO YOU - Closing Film

Sun Jun 8 10.15 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 3 & 4

3. WE ARE FAHEEM & KARUN

Sat Jun 7, 8.00 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 3

4. SALLY!

Fri Jun 6, 5.45 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 3

Sat Jun 7, 3.45 PM / Alliance Francaise, Marine Lines

5. SEBASTIAN

Sun Jun 8, 2.30 PM | Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 4

6. THREE KILOMETERS TO THE END OF THE WORLD

Sat Jun 7, 12.45 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 3

7. ODD FISH

Sat Jun 7, 12.30 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 4

8. RESET

Fri Jun 6, 10.15 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 4

9. FATHERHOOD (Tre Fedre)

Sun Jun 8, 4.45 PM / Cinepolis Andheri West Screen 4

Fri Jun 6, 10.30 AM / Alliance Francaise, Marine Lines

10. BABY

Director: Marcelo Caetano

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