Making the Connection
Indian queer filmstravel to Hollywood and beyond, with Sridhar Rangayan who is on the InternationalJury at Outfest in Los Angeles
SridharRangayan, acclaimed Indian filmmaker and activist is on the International Jurythis year at Outfest film festival in Los Angeles. Outfest, which runs from July 12-22nd iscelebrating its 30th year, and is one of the oldest and biggest gay &lesbian film festival in the world.
“I amexcited and honoured to be on the Outfest International Jury. It will not onlygive me an opportunity to watch some of the best and latest in Internationalqueer cinema, but also enables me to talk about the nascent Indian queer cinemamovement on an international platform”, feels Rangayan. “It’s a challenge topush the boundaries”, he adds.
In additionto this, Pradipta Ray’s debut short film ‘The Night is Young (Raat Baaki)’which won the Riyad Wadia award for Best Emerging Indian filmmaker at KASHISHthis year, will screen at Outfest. “I’m grateful to KASHISH for facilitatingthe screening of my film at Outfest. Indian queer films have started making itspresence felt in international platform and KASHISH is doing a fantastic jobsharing Indian work to audiences worldwide. Sexual diversities exist in everysociety and my film highlights different desires both queer and conventional”,says Pradipta who will also be seen soon as a launda dancer in Gangs ofWaaseypur II.
“We willmake every effort to promote Indian queer films worldwide. The new crop ofshort films on gay, lesbian and transgender topics have unique content that isof interest to a global audience. It is a window into a new world”, feelsRangayan, who is the Festival Director of KASHISH Mumbai International FilmFestival. “I’m also screening a few short films from KASHISH in Los Angeles, WashingtonDC and New Yorkalongwith my own films like Project Bolo and Breaking Free (preview). It isimportant to raise awareness about Indian queer cinema as well as make the connectionwith international cinema”, adds Rangayan.
Rangayanplans to raise funds through these screenings both for KASHISH filmmakers andfor his own forthcoming film Breaking Free, about Sec 377, that he has beenshooting for the past five years. The film which documents the changing face ofthe Indian LGBT community before and after decriminalization of homosexuality,will be ready by the year end.
BreakingFree is also seeking crowdfunding through international and Indian platformslike Indiegogo and Wishberry. “I invite everyone to be part of the BreakingFree movement. It is your film, make it happen NOW”, says Rangayan.
