Outside The Safehouse (India)
Journey of Jai who is drawn to Bharatnatyam. His family throws him out but with the right teacher, he learns and becomes sensation. Over his journey he finds love with another man but jealousy soon creeps in and he faces heartbreak when love conflicts with his art. The film highlights resilience, identity, and the unjust societal pressures faced by the LGBTQ community. This film is based on the choices, the voids, and the struggles that the LGBTQ community has to go through on a daily basis.
My Quarantine Diary (India)
This film depicts a psychological journey of a 37 year old protagonist, a successful designer who returns during the peak of Covid 19 pandemic to his hometown in Assam, India from Paris. He plans to unite and live with his longtime lover. But, following the pandemic regulations, he had to stay confined in a hotel room for days where he recalls their previous conversations and slowly enters into a delusional phase. The film shows how the power of one’s desires dictates one’s dreams.
Love’s Green Patch (India)
Best friends Raja and Deva are so close that they often share the same twin bed. When Raja finally feels comfortable enough to come out to his bestie, the dynamics of their relationship begin to change. A 15-minute student film, it shows how a true, deep, abiding friendship can weather just about any interpersonal storm. It’s amateurish but tackles the subject beautifully. I loved first how the straight friend pulls away and when the gay guy feels the pull, he also starts to pull back. The title did not make much sense to me.
Birthday Wala Gift (India)
Veer is planning a special birthday celebration for the love of his life – Sameer. Everything seems to go perfectly. Veer complains that Sameer has forgotten him and Sameer says that he wont come back ever so Veer also needs to mov on with Jay, a guy who immensely loves Veer. But Veer finds it hard to move on from Sameer. A twist is shown (I saw it coming) with Smaeer asking for his birthday gift for Veer to move on with his life, ow that Sameer is no more.
Vaidya (India)
Kabir meets the mysterious Vaidya at a beach on a solo trip. The two fall for each other and Kabir leaves with a promise to come back, since Vaidya keeps saying he cannot go far from the beach. He decides otherwise and is confronted by Vaidya in Gurgaon. With Kabir unsure of whether the drop have a future together or not, we finally get to know who Vaidya really is – the song of God of the sea.
Mind Mera Mind (India)
A short depicting how the LGBTQ+ community deal with mental health issues but in a funny way. The film uses caricatures of various mental health issues and personifies them and shows how they engage with Prateek. Prateek, who has just started to become independent, finds himself grappling with issues around sexuality, body image, and finding love. It goes to the point where his day-to-day functioning is impaired. Psychological problems like anxiety, self-doubt, toxic masculinity, insomnia, loneliness and depression manifest themselves as annoying friends and family members. He reaches out to his friend Vijay for help; will Vijay be able to help him out? Will Prateek be able to mind his mind? I highly recommend this film.
Shaadi Ke Kapde (India)
A wedding in the family puts Sunny in a spot as a family member insists that they have to wear gender-conforming clothes on the occasion. Sunny’s mom knows about his gender identity but it take s while for the relatives to make sense of it. Transman form an often ignored and invisible part of Indian LGBTQ community. They face violence in home and in society. This film is an effort to create visibility and add to the limited conversations on the lived realities of transmen.
Tera Mera Heart (India)
Jai and Veer have moved in to a big city from a small town to start a life together after dating for 3 years. Valentine’s day is here and both are broke. Earlier in the day they both talk about their dreams. Jai has a vintage collection of records and he wishes he could listen them on gramophone again while Veer had a camera but lens is broken. They both end up selling their prized possession to buy what their love wants – a gramophone and a camera lens. Beautiful love story (amateurish execution though) and perfect for valentine day.
Dil Dear Dil (India Mini-Series) [Love Dear Love]
After a brief meeting, playboy Armaan, invites aspiring model Ravi, a small town simpleton, to move in with him. Armaan’s sudden urge to settle down baffles his friends Sumit and Vinita. Though skeptical, they welcome Ravi with open arms. Clearly Armaan soon gets bored of Ravi and one night throws hi out. Sumit helps Ravi in these tough times and eventually creates a portfolio for me that helps Ravi land a modeling gig. Sumit falls hard for Ravi but doesn’t confess since he doesn’t want Ravi to feel obligated. But Ravi knows better and he has also fallen for Sumit as a person and as his love. Episodes of 8-9 minutes each.
Summer in My Veins (India) (Short Doc)
This short doc by graduate student Nishit Saran in 1999, chronicles how he came out to his mother while recording their vacation in the United States after his graduation. It begins with his decision to tell his mother about his sexuality while grappling with the fear of HIV after a sexual encounter. The build up to the conversation is telling of the filmmaker’s anxiety, and the eventual exchange between the mother and the son highlights the significance of having the support of the people you love and those who love you. The film maker passed away 3 years later in a car accident at a tender age of 26.
Kohra (India) [Mist]
A tragic gay love story set on the heartland of conservative rural India. Ronny an this close friends are always together. Ronny’s father is a farmer and a typical patriarch controlling everyone. One day when he sees Ronny and his friend together, he unleashes fury which eventually leads to a tragic ending. This film delicately explores queer love in a conservative landscape, where silence often speaks louder than words. Through subtle glances and shared moments, the film captures the emotional depth and quiet resilience of a love that dares to exist against societal norms. A very beautiful/brave attempt.
Love, Possibly (India)
This 6 episode, about 5 minute each series on YouTube is from Gaysi channel, or every gay man who’s ever wanted more than just another hookup.. It follows the messy, funny and hopeful search for love, friendship and connection by Ari in the city of Mumbai, where most folks are sadly looking for quick hookups. He meets Nakul who is also looking for something more. Between awkward dates, chai, butterflies in stomach and hanging out, they both find a connection and maybe a chance at finally finding that Love. A very sweet, simple, dream free and uncomplicated series with feel good atmosphere.
Stay (India)
2 guys hook up one night and it seems this is not their first time. Maybe a fab kinda situation. Only this time one of them wonders what would it be like, if the other one stayed back and did not have to leave. They start talking and turns out how the other guy fell in love with a guy back in university an dhow thats messed up his head about intimacy. This 6 minute short film is essentially about casual intimacy, old heartbreaks, unresolved feelings, and the quiet ache of wanting something more from someone who might not be ready to give it. Because sometimes, the hardest thing to ask for is the simplest: stay.
One More Night (India)
After two months of silence, Luv reaches out to Yuvraj with a simple message about meeting tonight, a day before he is supposed to leave for Germany. What follows is a quiet conversation between two people carrying memories, feelings, and words they never found the courage—or the right moment—to say. Yuvraj is older and he talks about his insecurities of how he could neither bring Luv close to him or let him go completely. On the other hand Luv likely always had a ray of hope that their affair may eventually lead to something more meaningful. Sometimes, there isn’t a perfect goodbye. Bad acting but decent story idea.
My Gay Dad (India)
Its diwali time and its a stark reminder for a young man that when he ws 5 years old, his father abandoned him and left him with a male servant. Since then he has tried to reach out to his son every year but he has refused and want nothing to do with him. Thankfully his roommate arranges for a surprise meeting so that he can hear his father’s side of the story. Only then he realizes how difficult it must have been for his father in those days to tell someone one that he is gay and what tough times he probably went through. The son finally sees it through and is apologetic on how closed minded he was, hoping the rekindle the emotional story of a father and son. Done in a light hearted comedy yet serious, this film is actually quite decent.
