The Sundance Grand Jury winner, a modern-day love story set in a traditional Maharashtrian village, follows Anand, a city dweller who, during a 10-day mourning period for his father, rekindles a tender bond with his childhood friend.
By casting local actors and filming in his ancestral village, Kanawade’s semi-autobiographical film takes a refreshing approach to a story about queer love and hope, filled with genuine emotion that transcends all conventions.
The film distinguishes itself by challenging the misconception that queerness is exclusive to urban or Western contexts and expands the landscape of queer representation in Indian and global cinema with its authentic portrayal of queer relationships within rural India, a perspective often overlooked, making it a quietly revolutionary work.
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade is a self-made filmmaker raised in a Mumbai slum by a chauffeur father and homemaker mother. After transitioning from interior design to filmmaking, Rohan’s short films have screened globally. His debut feature, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), was developed at the Venice Biennale College Cinema 2022-2023 and participated in platforms such as Film Bazaar, Venice Gap Financing Market, and Goes to Cannes. His short films include U Ushacha (U for Usha), Khidkee (Window), Sundar (Beautiful), and Ektya Bhinti (Lonely Walls).
