Curated by Muchoki Mathendu, the 15th edition of the Out Film Festival under the theme Tumekuwepo (We’ve been here) took its final bow on Saturday 20th 2026 so let’s break down what stood out in the course of four days and dissect the Indian film, Cactus Pears 2025.
Fictional driven films in the collection were a breathe of fresh air with the characters’ sexuality blending with the story and propelling it rather than being a theme plastered without creative care, honorable mentions being; My Comrade India 2025, The Watermelon Woman USA 1996, and Cactus Pears India 2025.
The level of vulnerability in the documentaries screened is undoubtedly unforgettable, as it wasn’t just about societie’s view on Queerness all around the world but also the psychological process of coming out and solidifying one’s identity in the world, portrayed in docus such as It is not the homosexual who is perverse but the society in which he lives Germany 1971, and Woubi Chéri Ivory Coast 1998
Cactus Pears India 2025
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, tenderly bonds with a local farmer (Suraaj Suman) struggling to stay unmarried.
This piece intergrates the process of grief with familial pressure in both characters respectively, pulling them toward one another and complimenting their destination by the end of the film.
Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman offer calm and moving performances as their chemistry oozes from the screen. Calm is also a term I could use for the aesthetic decision to have no background music or soundrack in the entirety of the film, drawing one in to the rural ambience.
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