We Are Faheem & Karun shines at Canada’s ReelOut Festival

Filmmaker Onir’s queer feature We Are Faheem & Karun continues its international journey, earning recognition at the ReelOut Queer Film + Video Festival in Kingston, Ontario. At the festival’s 27th edition in 2026, Kashmiri debut actor Sava Javeid received the prestigious Kim Renders Memorial Award for Best Supporting Performance, marking a significant moment for Kashmiri representation in global queer cinema.
The film was selected in competition alongside 65 narrative and documentary features and short films from Canada and 15 other countries, underscoring its strong international resonance. Founded in 1999, ReelOut has grown from grassroots community screenings into a globally respected platform celebrating 2SLGBTQ+ stories.
We Are Faheem & Karun is a tender gay love story set in the Kashmir Valley. It follows Karun, a young security guard from southern India posted to a remote Kashmiri village, who forms an intimate bond with Faheem, a local student. As their relationship deepens, the two men find themselves trapped between faith, borders, and the rigid masculinity imposed by surrounding institutions. Quietly radical and deeply human, the film is widely noted as the first queer feature set in Kashmir, positioning love as an act of resistance against inherited hatred.
Adding emotional depth to the narrative is Sana Javeid, who plays Faheem’s mother — a woman who silently accepts her son’s sexuality and seeks to protect him. A first-time actor, Sana was discovered by Onir in Srinagar, where she runs a heritage homestay. Struck by her presence, Onir later approached her when casting the role. With two sons close in age to the film’s protagonists and a background in school theatre, Sana accepted the part.
Reflecting on her performance, Onir said, “I am so proud of Sana. While working with her in the first schedule, I realised how natural she was, and I decided to increase her role in the film.”
Already screened at over 30 international film festivals, We Are Faheem & Karun has earned multiple accolades, including the Best Director Award at the UK Asian Film Festival, cementing its status as one of the most significant Indian queer films in recent years — both for its artistic merit and its courageous choice of setting.





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