Mumbai, July 9 (IBNS) Indian queer films would now travel to Hollywood and beyond, with gay filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan, who is chosen on the International Jury at Outfest in Los Angeles.
Sridhar Rangayan, filmmaker and activist, is on the International Jury this year at Outfest film festival in Los Angeles which runs from July 12-22 and is celebrating its 30th year, and is one of the oldest and biggest gay & lesbian film festivals in the world.
“I am excited and honoured to be on the Outfest International Jury. It will not only give me an opportunity to watch some of the best and latest in International queer cinema, but also enables me to talk about the nascent Indian queer cinema movement on an international platform,” said Rangayan.
“It’s a challenge to push the boundaries”, he added.
In addition to 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 KASHISH this year, will be screened at Outfest.
“I’m grateful to KASHISH for facilitating the screening of my film at Outfest. Indian queer films have started making its presence felt in international platform and KASHISH is doing a fantastic job sharing Indian work to audiences worldwide. Sexual diversities exist in every society and my film highlights different desires both queer and conventional”, said Pradipta who will also be seen soon as a launda dancer in Gangs of Waaseypur II.
“We will make every effort to promote Indian queer films worldwide. The new crop of short films on gay, lesbian and transgender topics have unique content that is of interest to a global audience. It is a window into a new world”, said Rangayan, who is the Festival Director of KASHISH Mumbai International Film Festival.
“I’m also screening a few short films from KASHISH in Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York alongwith my own films like Project Bolo and Breaking Free (preview). It is important to raise awareness about Indian queer cinema as well as make the connection with international cinema”, added Rangayan.
Rangayan plans to raise funds through these screenings both for KASHISH filmmakers and for his own forthcoming film Breaking Free, about Sec 377, that he has been shooting for the past five years. The film which documents the changing face of the Indian LGBT community before and after decriminalization of homosexuality, will be ready by the year end.
Breaking Free is also seeking crowdfunding through international and Indian platforms like Indiegogo and Wishberry. “I invite everyone to be part of the Breaking Free movement. It is your film, make it happen NOW”, said Rangayan.
