First ever Indian film to reveal the realities of asexuality, ‘Desire?’

When it comes to understanding sexuality, India still struggles to grasp the subtleties. While homosexuality and bisexuality may be vaguely understood by most people, asking them about asexuality is bound to draw confused looks. Even in progressive spaces, asexuality is often underrepresented, being a minority-within-a-minority. Director Garima Kaul’s film Desire? wakes you up to a rarely talked about orientation on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum - Asexuality. Desire? tackles the subject of asexuality with a sincere dedication to tell the stories of individuals who are part of a community that has not found any mainstream representation in the Indian discourse. After playing at nine international and two national festivals, Desire? is now screening at the Dharamshala Film Festival, under the documentary section.

Shot in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, Garima’s film uncloaks the intimate stories of these individuals from different parts of the country, as they talk about finding love and acceptance in a culture that recklessly declares them as impotent and frigid. Her work seeks to navigate the absurdity that marks the lives of non heteronormative asexuals and the lack of understanding and compassion towards them .

Speaking on what encouraged her to make a film on the subject, TISS, Mumbai alumnus Garima, who has previously made award winning documentaries on the conditions of BMC sanitation workers in Mumbai and sex workers in Kamathipura, said, “There is very little information on the asexual experience available to us on mainstream media. So while talking about a rainbow orientation which is arguably the least understood, I wanted to make sure the film remained grounded in its approach to bring up issues and complexities of what it is to be an asexual in India. It also became important for us to validate the realities of asexuality by bringing forth a medical opinion, so we also spoke to doctors who shared insights on the legitimacy of this orientation.”

The film has opened to glowing reviews and widespread appreciation in festivals across the world and has travelled to Long Beach QFilms Festival, Scottish Queer International Film Festival, Glassgow Shorts, Nottingham Arts Mela, Hilltop Film Festival, and Kashish MIQFF. Desire? screens next at Dharamshala International Film Festival which will be held online this year from 29th October-4th November, and will screen 100 films from 40 different countries, reflecting the evolving taste of Indian audiences.

Trailer :