Parenting with Pride: Short films package review from Kashish Pride Film Festival 2025!

What does it mean to nurture, guide, and love while defying society's expectations? These short films document the inspiring experiences of trans and queer individuals who have stepped into the role of parents!

One of the best parts about our job as entertainment journalists is the early access we get to content from all corners of the world! It's both a pleasure and a flex, but most importantly, it's an opportunity to experience stories that not only entertain but also educate and sensitize us towards topics that there aren't enough discussion about. Film festivals prove to be a treasure trove of such experiences and the Kashish Pride Film Festival which celebrates stories based on the LGBTQIA+ community presents cinema enthusiasts with one such opportunity. This year, like the past few years, we attended the festival and watched several remarkable films. Starting with the short film package titled 'Parenting with Pride'. These short films explored the deeply human and exemplary experiences of trans and queer individuals who have stepped into the role of parents, caregivers, and chosen family anchors while defying society’s expectations. 

Also Read: Kashish 2025 opens with celebration of queer voices, tributes, and powerful stories!

Two Sides 

Directed by Mi Ni Ni Aung, Two Sides is a quiet and meditative film featuring Thit Lwin Htun, a transgender man, and his journey of reconciling his past as the mother of a teenage daughter with his present as a newly married man. The film beautifully captures his vulnerability, emotional conflicts, and strong resolve as he explains his decision to his daughter. His choice of words, the examples he puts forward in hopes of convincing her were not only heartwarming but also gave the audience an insight into the emotional turmoils the community goes through just to be themselves and lead a life on their terms. 

Unheard Stories - Kaunish

Kaunish emphasizes the importance of parental acceptance through the heartwarming journey of Kaunish and Aparna, a trans couple from West Bengal who are navigating parental struggles in a system structured to be hostile to the LGBTQIA+ community. The couple share their experience of adopting and raising a kid who has Down syndrome. Director Vaibhav Hatkar does a fine job shedding light on the duo’s daily challenges as trans parents with utmost sincerity. What I loved the most was the sense of security and empowerment in Kaunish and Aparna's eyes. They aren’t a couple seeking your pitiful gaze or sympathy but strong parents who make their points with clarity and conviction and want things to change for the better. The most unsettling aspect to watch was the sheer insensitivity that our society has towards anybody whom it considers different. The incidents of micro-aggression from their neighborhood to an expensive private hospital denying their child treatment citing formalities revealed the extent to which we need to educate and sensitize even the most ‘qualified’ strata of our society about Down syndrome and the LGBTQIA+ community. 

At the heart of it, Kaunish is the story of a mother’s resilience. The quiet strength Aparna displays when confronted by difficulties and roadblocks while parenting and shielding her little one is endearing. The audience cheered the loudest (with moist eyes) when Aparna shared how she put hospital authorities in place when they denied admission to her sick child suspecting the intentions of the trans couple. The anecdote hit me the hardest as a straight person and confronted some notions and biases I subconsciously held about the community owing to erroneous notions of trans people. Kaunish stays with you long after the credits roll and makes you realize that bonds formed by intention, care, and unwavering commitment are also equally beautiful as traditional ones. 

Trans and Pregnant

Trans and Pregnant is a thought-provoking and inspiring documentary about two men, Frankie and Rawa and their journey to parenthood - not by adoption or surrogacy, but via Frankie, a trans man, carrying the baby. The raw and authentic nature of the documentary gives you an intimate peek into their lives and their road to parenthood. Directed by Ramon Te Wake, this film also educates the audience about trans pregnancies and the systematic, societal, and biological challenges they face during every step of it. However, Te Wake’s biggest triumph in the film lies in keeping it spirited throughout its 58-minute run time, despite capturing real-life events in chronology. The most appealing aspect of the documentary is the trust and care that couple shows each other and the support and consideration their family and friends offer them during their testing times. 

Two Sides, Unheard Stories - Kaunish and Trans and Pregnant had their Indian premiere at the Kashish Film Festival this year!