Queer Indie Film and Lit Fest returns to Hyderabad, an initiative where ‘Art Meets Heart’

The Queer Women Collective (QWC), a Hyderabad-based initiative, is gearing up to host the second edition of Queer Indie Film and Lit Fest (QIFLIF) on October 12, at Prasad Labs. The festival celebrates queer storytelling, art and performance.

The 2024 edition drew over 300 attendees and this year, the festival is supported by Queer Nilayam, Society for Transgender Action and Rights (STAR), and Queer-Trans Wellness and Support Center (QT Center). The event will run from 10.30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

What to expect

The festival’s line-up includes a variety of creative events. There will be nine film screenings, the launch of the book Surviving Loudly by Supriyo Chakraborty, an LGBTQIA+ rights advocate and marriage equality petitioner, and an array of performances , including music, stand-up comedy, poetry, dance, and storytelling.

A live concert will feature artists such as Nique, Nihar, and Atulya. Additionally, the festival will host an Art Exhibit and a flea market with over 40 queer and ally-led brands. The schedule also features a chat show titled ‘Queer History of Hyderabad’.

Speaking to The Hindu, Apoorva Gupta, Founder of QIFLIF and QWC, shared the personal journey that led to the initiative. Gupta, who comes from Bhopal, felt a personal need for a community as a queer woman. She recounted how, upon moving to Hyderabad, she attended protests and dharnas but avoided parties, which rarely had any queer women representation.

The turning point was during COVID-19. “A lot of queer women were facing challenges because they went back to their homes” and needed a safe place to talk. QWC began with Zoom open mics, which transitioned into three to four hours of conversation. “We did our first one-hour open-mic event here in Hyderabad, and we had about 50 people turning up, most of them queer women,” Gupta recalled. This experience solidified the belief that people need this space, not just to talk, but want to come and be there.

The core theme

Storytelling is the core theme of the QIFLIF festival, used to build empathy and visibility. This is achieved through diverse forms including films, books, discussions, music and dance. “As QIFLIF grows, we are archiving voices, reclaiming spaces and shaping local narratives,” she said.

The community actively spotlights queer artists, particularly trans community members and queer women, though representation is from across the spectrum. The main criteria is that people from the LGBTQIA+ community are on the stage. Gupta also highlighted the importance of allies, who show solidarity by attending and setting up stalls.