In this special crime thriller, we follow queer detective Pooja, who is investigating a sensitive kidnapping amidst ethnic and racial tensions and political unrest in Nepal. Pooja is confronted with systematic inequality and prejudices and at the same time struggles to hide her identity in a society where there is no tolerance for queer people.

According to Hivos Interim Director Michel Farkas, “Pooja, Sir is a very deserving winner of the Hivos Free to be Me Award. Filmmaker Deepak Rauniya impressively portrays both the socio-political unrest in Nepal and Pooja’s personal challenges in a patriarchal society, keeping the viewer in suspense until the end.”

Hivos Free to be Me Award

The Hivos Free to be Me Award offers a platform to stories from countries where LGBTIQ+ people cannot be themselves safely. The award gives the filmmaker and their work extra recognition. Previous winners were ASOG (2024, the Philippines), Valentina (2021, Brazil) and Rafiki (2019, Kenya).

The special award presentation is on Friday, March 18, at 18:30 in the Ketelhuis in Amsterdam. Director Deepak Rauniyar will be present for a Q&A and will personally receive the Hivos Free to be Me Award. If you want to attend, you can buy a ticket on the Ketelhuis website. 

Pink Film Days

The 28th edition of the Pink Film Days festival runs from March 19 to 30 at the Ketelhuis cinema in Amsterdam, showing almost 120 feature films, short films, and documentaries from all corners of the world.

As a partner of the festival, Hivos shares its mission to make diversity visible and possible to discuss. Michel Farkas: “We want to help queer stories from all parts of the world find their way to the big screen and reach a wider audience. That’s why we’re so proud to present the Hivos Free to be Me Award for the eighth time.”