Onir's 'Pine Cone' to open South Asia's largest queer film festival

Pic courtesy/ IANS

'Pine Cone', directed by filmmaker Onir, will open the upcoming edition of Kashish Film Festival, which is the largest queer film festival in South Asia. The film is described as a celebration of love within the LGBTQIA+ community and is a story that is a powerful advocate for their true representation in cinema.

'Pine Cone' showcases three stories told from the lens of the life of the lead character Sid Mehra, as he navigates relationships in his quest for love. What sets this film apart is its unique narrative structure, with the stories unfolding in reverse chronological order, spanning the years 2019, 2009, and 1999.

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Talking about the film, Onir said, "'Pine Cone' is a very special film to me as the process started when the Ministry of Defence did not approve one of my scripts that was inspired by a real story. So we started working on this story in 2021 so that we continue telling our stories and overcome resistance to our identity. 'Pine Cone' comes from memories of love, loss, deceit and forgiveness. Forgiving the world, that special person and oneself and celebrating the beauty of our journey - the rainbow journey."

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The screening of 'Pine Cone' at Kashish Film Festival will take place on June 7.

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Meanwhile, when Onir recently visited the Jaipur Film Festival 2023, he opened up about a recent disappointment as a filmmaker. "In 2005, when I made ‘My Brother... Nikhil', it got a U certificate without cuts and in 2022, when I was trying to make a film, which was inspired by an ex-army man about him being gay, the script got banned by the Ministry of Defense. So, forget about making the film, it was even before that," he reveals.

He added, "I was not creating something fictitious, and I meant no disrespect for them," he adds. The Indian filmmaker said nobody wanted to engage in a dialogue with him about why it was not approved, even after he suggested it and was open to discussion. "The Secretary of Defense said it is derogatory for the army and a threat to national security. I've been thinking that I have been doing workshops with the army in Kashmir, so, in a way I was working for the army."

(With inputs from IANS)