Cactus Pears (EN)

Anand, who works at a call center in Mumbai, returns to his hometown after the death of his father to observe the traditional ten-day mourning period. As his family increasingly pressures him to get married, he reconnects with his childhood friend Balya, who is struggling with similar expectations and desires. During the mourning period, their friendship gradually blossoms into a tender love. The result is a restrained, beautifully shot story about grief, identity, and queer love within a traditional rural community.

In its jury statement, the Sundance Film Festival wrote: “We cried, we laughed, and we longed to be loved in the same way. This is exactly what the world needs right now.”