The BISFF (Bengaluru International Short Film Festival) winners have been announced!

The Oscar accredited film festival is a reputed one and has lately announced the winners for its animated short films category. Based on legend from Hawaii, animated short Kapaemahu about transgender spirits, is the winner in the category followed by Avarya and Radha: The Eternal Melody as first and second runners up respectively. 

Co-created by director-producers Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, Kapaemahu reveals the healing power of four mysterious stones on Waikiki Beach – and the legendary transgender spirits within them. 

Overwhelmed by the win, Wong-Kalu on behalf of the entire team, told AnimationXpress, “We were initially surprised by the win for Kapaemahu because India seems so far from Hawai’i.  But upon deeper reflection, we realised that Polynesian and Indian culture share much in common, including a more holistic understanding of gender diversity, and a colonial history that brought unwelcome political and societal changes. We also share the need for healing in this time of pandemic, and Kapaemahu teaches us how all healers should be respected for the good they do. In this context, the award from BISFF is incredibly meaningful for our team and makes us feel hopeful about the things that unite us across the distances. Here’s to the power of film, art and storytelling shining their light and bringing people together around the world.”

Full article HERE.