Total cash award worth Rs 1,80,000 will be given out at Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, which will be held online from July 22 to 30 this year, owing to the Covid- 19 pandemic.

The LGBTQIA+ film festival has been titled Kashish 2020 Virtual. This year marks the festival's 11th edition.

A total of 157 films from 42 countries will be screened at the festival. Out of these, 52 films will be shortlisted for competition.

The films will be competing in nine categories including Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Performance in a Lead Role, Best Documentary Feature and Short, Best Indian and International Narrative Short and Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker.

Registrations have already begun for the festival.

"Kashish celebrates its 11th year with a bounty of cash awards in nine categories. We are thankful to several companies, organisations and individuals who have come forward to sponsor the awards. It is a great encouragement to filmmakers who have made these films under challenging circumstances, sometimes in countries where being LGBTQ is still dangerous", festival director Sridhar Rangayan said.