Artist talk, Q&A, and screening of two Malayalam short films explore queer self-representation, censorship, intimacy, art as activism, and queer cinematic narratives from contemporary India.
Against the backdrop of Berlin Pride Month, Berlin Art Institute is pleased to present ´Navigating Homophobia — One Frame at a Time ‘: Artist Talk & Film Screening with Jijo Kuriakose, a public event with writer, artist, photographer, filmmaker, and current ifa CrossCulture Programme Fellow Jijo Kuriakose.
Taking place on August 7, 2026, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm, the event brings together Jijo’s presentation, a short Q&A, and the screening of two Malayalam short films: Velipādu – The Revelation and AS WE SEE US (Film Premiere)
Jijo Kuriakose is a writer, artist, photographer, filmmaker, and current fellow of the CrossCulture Programme (CCP) by ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen. His work focuses on male bodies, same-sex intimacy, queer self-representation, and the cultural politics of visibility in India.
In his presentation, Jijo will discuss queer self-representation, male homosexual expression in contemporary India, democratic values, human rights, freedom of expression, state censorship, and the use of art as a tool of activism. The talk will also introduce references from gay art history in India from the 1980s to the present, while reflecting on Jijo’s own experiences as an artist and filmmaker working across fine art, photography, documentary, and fictional cinema.
The event connects BAI’s international residency and fellowship work with Berlin’s wider Pride Month context. Pride Month Berlin begins in June and features a program of panels, meetups, parties, workshops, and community events over four weeks.
BAI’s event adds an international artistic perspective to this city-wide moment of queer visibility by presenting queer cinematic narratives from Kerala and contemporary India.
Film Screening
Velipādu – The Revelation (2024)
Genre: Fictional short
Duration: 25 minutes
Original language: Malayalam
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2UCithNdes
Set against the sensory landscape of Kottayam, Velipādu – The Revelation follows Johnny, a soon-to-be priest, as he navigates a dissonant life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. The film explores Malayali gay and queer desire through Christian music, intimate gestures, touch, faith, and same-sex affection.
AS WE SEE US (2026)
Genre: Fictional short
Duration: 25 minutes
Original language: Malayalam
Trailer: https://youtu.be/RMBqU81EXz8?feature=shared
AS WE SEE US follows David, a retired teacher living in small-town Kerala, who is visited by Christy, a young caretaker, during a period of solitude. The film reflects on elderly queer lives, shared memory, care, companionship, and the intimate moments often missing from dominant narratives of queer life.
About Jijo Kuriakose
Jijo Kuriakose is a writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker from India whose practice focuses on queer visibility, male bodies, same-sex intimacy, and relationships among men, mostly from a South Indian context. He curated the queer art exhibition series Homomorphism in Cochin, Kerala, in 2015 and 2018, and continues to develop his photo series Androphilia, which explores the diversity of the male body. His works have been shown in exhibitions including Living Disobediently at the Queer Asia Conference, SOAS London, Between the Lines – a tribute to Manoj N at Gallery 7, Mattancherry, Kerala, and Vichithra (Queer) Nation by Engendered, New Delhi. His documentary Njān Sānjo / I’m Sānjo was selected by several film festivals, including the Competition section of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, while his short film Velipādu – The Revelation was selected by more than forty international festivals, including KASHISH Pride Film Festival Mumbai and Perth Queer Film Festival, and received several awards.
About ifa CrossCulture Programme
For his current fellowship at the Berlin Art Institute, Jijo Kuriakose is participating in the CrossCulture Programme (CCP) by ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen.
The CrossCulture Programme funds 50 to 60 professionals and volunteers from over 40 countries each year. Fellows spend two to three months working with host organizations in Germany or CCP partner countries to broaden their expertise, build networks, and further develop transcultural skills.
