Sundance Competition Title, Indian LGBTQ Drama ‘Cactus Pears,’ Lands MPM Premium for International Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
Naman Ramachandran Paris-based sales outfit MPM Premium has acquired international rights to “Cactus Pears” (Sabar Bonda), the feature directorial debut from India’s Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it is in the world cinema dramatic competition.
The Marathi-language film follows Anand (Bhushaan Manoj), a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, where he tenderly bonds with a local farmer Balya (Suraaj Suman) struggling to stay unmarried.
The genesis of the film came from Kanawade’s personal experience. “My father passed away in 2016 and before that, almost for a decade, I was avoiding going to my village because everyone there was constantly talking about marriage,” Kanawade told Variety. “When my dad passed away, my mother decided that we should go to the village so that all the relatives who live there can come and meet us, and they can be part of the 10-day ritual as well.” The director found himself contemplating escape during this period. “I started thinking, what if I had a friend over here who knew about my sexuality, so I could have just sneaked out for a while and stayed away from this pressure,” he said. “That thought stayed with me, and I started thinking more about it.
While I was doing that, I thought this is an interesting premise for a story where I can also weave in grief and love, and how love can help this person to come over grief.” “For once, it was moving away from all the tropes that we see in the conventional LGBT films,” producer Neeraj Churi said. “The way the entire story unfolds, I thought it was so organic, and it was very close to some of the experiences I have had growing up in India.” “We want to present these two men as normal as any other man,” Kanawade added. “Sexuality can never be your identity.
