The three-day event culminated in the Out & Loud Awards ceremony, honoring outstanding contributions in various film categories, like Out & Loud Movie Awards: 1. Best Indian Documentary: Hues & Blues, 2. Best International Documentary: Beyond Norms: Exploring Identity – Masc Vs Masc, 3. Best Indian Short Film (Narrative): Love+, 4. Best International Short Film (Narrative): Everything is Easy Everything is Hard, 5. Best Indian Feature Film (Narrative): Valentine@3, 6. Best International Feature Film (Narrative): Everything of Value, 7. Best of Out & Loud 2024: Valentine@3.
Out & Loud People Awards: 1. Out & Loud Warrior of the Year 2024: Maya Awasthy, Director of Tweet Foundation, 2. Out & Loud Workplace Advocate of the Year 2024: Ali Khan, Pride & ZS Lead of ZS Associates, 3. Out & Loud Ally of the Year 2024: Sumeksha Bhat, Associate Director and Head of National Sales at IHCL Pune, 4. Out & Loud Journalist of the Year 2024: Amrita Prasad, Senior Copy Editor, The Indian Express, 5. Out & Loud Organisation of the Year 2024: IBM India Pvt Ltd.
Shyam Konnur, Founder & Director of Mist LGBTQ Foundation, expressed his gratitude: “Welcome aboard this incredible cinematic celebration, Out & Loud! Embark on a journey of imagination, emotion, and inspiration with us! Honoring the talented directors, actors, and behind-the-scenes visionaries whose collective efforts have brought these stories to life, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed sponsors, dedicated volunteers, and all the incredible individuals who have contributed to making this festival a reality!”
Sriram Sridhar, Director of PIQFF, remarked on the festival’s success: “This year’s PIQFF was a triumph. Cinema unites our community and celebrates stories that deserve a platform.” Ali Khan from ZS Associates, recipient of the Out & Loud People Award, emphasized their dedication to inclusivity: “At Pride@ZS, we prioritize creating a culture where ZSers can bring their authentic selves to work. Treating people right is at the core of our values.” Aadya Mishra, an intern at PIQFF, shared their personal experience: “This festival is more than just cinema. It’s about seeing ourselves on screen, hearing our stories, and knowing we’re not alone.”
The Out & Loud Pune International Queer Film Festival 2024 was not just an event but a vibrant celebration of identity, diversity, and community. The Mist LGBTQ Foundation extends its heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, participants, volunteers, and audiences who made this festival an unforgettable success. Director Faraz Arif Ansari were also present on the occasion.
