The winner for the KASHISH 2026 International Poster Design Contest for the 17th KASHISH Pride
Film Festival was revealed today – Pari Nirmal, a Mumbai based designer who works across
publication, packaging, branding, and illustration.
The winning entry was picked from around 35 submissions to the contest received from across
several parts of India like Gurgram, New Delhi, Bangalore, Mangalore, Kolkata, Assam, Chennai and
Navi Mumbai.
Mumbai-based designer Pari Nirmal's design touched a chord with the organizers of the festival who
felt her design resonated well with the festival theme this year.
She said, “My first experience at KASHISH last year opened up a whole new world for me. When the
poster competition was announced and I saw the theme 'Reflect, Resonate, Rejoice!', it immediately
struck a chord. In a time when we are constantly on the move, it is crucial to pause, reflect, and
celebrate what we achieve- both individually and collectively. The design captures the vibrant,
shared reality that KASHISH brings to life: a space where voices flow freely, emotions combine, and
identities find expression. This energy extends beyond the festival itself, contributing to a larger
movement of visibility, understanding, and acceptance. The recognition reaffirms why I design- to
listen closely, learn continuously, and create work that connects people. I am grateful that my design
is the face of this year’s festival."
Sridhar Rangayan, festival director, said, “The design is simple as well as complex – the way the
hands almost touching each other connects the past and the present. Also the filmstrip shaped like
an hourglass, symbolizes stories across time. Vibrant colours and radiating patterns represent the
diversity of LGBTQ+ voices and the emotional ripple of cinema—inviting audiences to reflect on
identities, resonate with shared experiences, and rejoice in pride and community.”
The theme for #KASHISH2026 is “Reflect, Resonate, Rejoice!”, is an invitation to embrace the full
emotional spectrum of queer life. It encourages us to look back with honesty and honour our legacy ,
to let our truths echo through collective experience, and to celebrate the vibrant, resilient joy that
binds us as a community. It is a journey that transforms the personal into the universal.
The winner will receive a KASHISH golden butterfly trophy as well as a cash award of Rs.20,000. The
design will be used across all creative of the festival, like posters, billboards, cinema slides, T-shirts,
Coffee Mugs, etc.
The film program is being currently curated and will be revealed soon.
More information about the festival can be found at http://mumbaiqueerfest.com
About KASHISH Pride Film Festival
KASHISH Pride Film Festival is South Asia's biggest LGBTQ+ film festival, and the first LGBTQ+ film
festival in India to be held in a mainstream theatre. It is the first Indian LGBTQ+ festival to be held
with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India. Founded in 2010,
KASHISH has grown to become an important medium for exhibition, production and distribution of
LGBTQ+ films and the most needed platform to nurture the Indian LGBTQ+ movement. KASHISH has
been voted as one of the Top 5 LGBTQ+ Film Festivals in the World.
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