Satya Rai Nagpaul brings diversity to KASHISH 2021 Jury featuring LGBTQIA+ films

For the first time ever KASHISH jury boasts of a highly acclaimed cinematographer and an activist working for trans masculine persons’ rights – Satya Rai Nagpaul – as part of its narrative jury panel.

He joins Gauri Shinde, Ritesh Batra, Cary Sawhney and Selvaggia Velo to judge the Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Performance in a Lead Role, Best International Narrative Short and Best Indian Narrative Short.

"We are extremely delighted, and super proud to have Satya Rai Nagpaul, such a highly accomplished cinematographer from the LGBTQIA+ community, as a jury member this year. His keen eye for cinematic details, and his in-depth understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community, was quite revealing in his jury process," said festival director Sridhar Rangayan.

Satya Rai Nagpaul is a highly accomplished cinematographer, whose most recognised queer work is the film Aligarh.

He has won several awards over the last one decade, including the National Award for his first feature Alms of the Blind Horse, the Filmfare award for The Fourth Direction, and an invitation to be a lifetime member of India’s National body of Cinematographers, the Indian Society of Cinematographers [ISC].

Satya is also a leading activist for the rights of trans masculine persons. He founded Sampoorna in the late 1990s, one of India’s oldest network for trans (and now intersex inclusive) persons.

Over the years, Satya has not only pioneered network building amongst Indian trans masculine communities, their natal & chosen families, medical professionals and human rights lawyers, but has also represented India on various international forums working on Trans Healthcare and Trans Legal Rights.

“Our lives are precarious once again; this time with a severity closer home like never before. Precarity is not new to a queer person. It is our constant companion, demonstrated daily by my trans sisters, mothers, trans brothers & lovers. I remind myself of this, as various institutions forsake us today. And I look to the civil society space which emerges once again to rejuvenate faith in our collective humanity," said Satya Rai Nagpaul, Director of Photography.

One such space is the KASHISH Film Festival, which has unrelentingly placed the queer life in the public domain. It is an honour to be a part of its 12th edition and as one of the Narrative Jury members, to have the opportunity to affirm, endorse and claim stake to our collective queer lives," he said.

Details of all film programs, schedule and how to register to attend can be found at the festival website http://mumbaiqueerfest.com