'Sheer Qorma' world premiere at BAFTA Qualifying Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival

The short film 'Sheer Qorma', starring Swara Bhasker, Divya Dutta and Shabana Azmi, will have its world premiere at the BAFTA Qualifying Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival. The festival, regarded as the largest queer film exhibition event in the world, is scheduled from June 10 to 27.

The film is based on an LGBTQ+ theme and it narrates a story of love and acceptance, revolving around its leads Swara, Divya and Shabana Azmi.

"Love shouldn`t be judged, love shouldn`t be restrictive, love shouldn`t be confined. `Sheer Qorma` is one such tender story that the freedom to choose who you love. We are extremely happy to see our labour of love transcending across borders and getting recognition at a global platform like the Frameline Film Festival. In these gloomy times, this has come as a ray of happiness and hope," Shabana Azmi told IANS.

Swara Bhasker added, "(I am) Super excited for the fact that the world premiere of `Sheer Qorma` is going to be at the BAFTA Qualifying Frameline. It`s a story that needs to be platformed well, a story that needs to be presented well, a story that needs to reach out to as many people as possible within India, outside of India because again it`s such a universal tale of our time. I think is very important for these stories to be heard."

Divya Dutta said, "I think it`s a huge deal to qualify for Frameline at the BAFTA. BAFTA itself is the most prestigious festival we have and it`s not easy to qualify at Frameline. So, I think to get out there and be the first to be there -- that is the biggest platform for us."

Directed Ansari said, "I am elated and grateful to have such a prestigious world premiere for Sheer Qorma. It is such a massive honour and feels like such a huge win for us. Frameline is the world`s biggest queer exhibition that celebrates the best queer cinema from across the world. I don`t think I could`ve asked for a better platform for our film to takes its first steps into the world."

Producer Marijke Desouza added, "What drew me to the film is I liked how Faraz at the scripting level itself had delicately handled the topic of a non-binary & a queer person`s love story while concentrating on the relationship on a parent and child. It made me feel this could be anyone`s love story. It does not have to fit into a queer box but it does so effortlessly and naturally. So I was confident we had a beautiful film to share with everyone."

The trailer of the film was released early last year. The short film`s release date is yet to be announced.