The 16-minute film will make its debut in the competitive Short Cuts section at Toronto before traveling to the BFI London Film Festival for its European premiere. The London festival selected the project for its prestigious shorts competition, which curates just 10 films from around the world, underscoring the project’s artistic merit and global appeal.

Parallax Films, an international sales agent with roots in Sinophone cinema and teams positioned across Asia and Europe, focuses on bringing high-quality Asian films to the global marketplace. The company’s acquisition of “Aman” marks a significant vote of confidence in the film’s commercial and artistic potential on the international festival circuit.

Production Team and Creative Vision

The U.K.-U.S.-India-France co-production was shot in Hindi and Bengali languages, reflecting the film’s multicultural creative approach. The production team previously unveiled Nikkhil Advani and Dominique Welinski as executive producers, bringing considerable industry experience to the project. Apoorva Bakshi produces for Awedacious Originals, while Elle León Nostas represents Aymara Films, Neeraj Churi works through Lotus Visual Productions, and Tushar Tyagi and Abid Aziz Merchant round out the producing team.

The casting features Kabir Maan, a transgender activist making his acting debut in the title role, opposite Sirat Taneja, Guntaj Deep Singh, and Satakshi Nandy. Taneja brings festival pedigree to the project, having previously appeared at Toronto in Deepa Mehta’s documentary “I Am Sirat.”

Sales Agent Praises Emotional Depth

“‘Aman’ is an ambitious film, yet one deeply grounded in human emotion. It touches upon the most intimate experiences of an individual life, while never losing sight of the social and political realities – and responsibilities – that those experiences carry,” said Liuying Cao, founder of Parallax Films.

Cao emphasized the film’s approach to its sensitive subject matter, noting that rather than resorting to slogans, the film reaches audiences through pain that is visceral, embodied, and deeply human. The sales executive expressed particular enthusiasm about collaborating with what she described as “such a beautiful and moving queer film from India.”

Producers Highlight Bespoke Partnership

The producing team issued a joint statement praising Parallax Films for bringing a rare combination of global sales expertise and a deeply bespoke approach to film representation. The producers emphasized their search for a partner who could handle their sensitive and layered film with care while maintaining ambition and precision in positioning the work for international audiences.

“‘Parallax Films brings a rare combination of global sales expertise and a deeply bespoke approach to every film they represent. With ‘Aman,’ we wanted a partner who could hold our sensitive and layered film with gentle hands, protecting what makes it intimate and singular while being ambitious and precise about how it is positioned for the world,” the producers stated.

The producers noted that the sales company’s instinct for both the film and its intended audience made the partnership feel immediate, expressing excitement about having Parallax champion “Aman” on the international stage.

Exploring Underrepresented Narratives

The film tackles pregnancy as one of the most deeply gendered experiences in human life, exploring territory rarely addressed in mainstream cinema. Director Roye approaches the subject through the lens of a trans man facing an unexpected pregnancy just before scheduled gender-affirming surgery, creating a narrative tension that examines identity, bodily autonomy, and choice.

The casting of Kabir Maan, a transgender activist without prior acting experience, in the lead role demonstrates the production’s commitment to authentic representation. The decision to cast a trans performer in this central role aligns with growing industry standards around authentic casting for transgender characters, lending additional credibility and emotional resonance to the project.

Festival Circuit and Industry Attention

The dual premiere strategy at both Toronto and London positions “Aman” for maximum industry visibility during the crucial fall festival season. The Toronto International Film Festival serves as one of the world’s most influential launching pads for both features and shorts, while the BFI London Film Festival provides essential European exposure for emerging filmmakers.

Competition selection at both festivals signals strong curator enthusiasm for the project’s artistic merits and thematic relevance. The London festival’s highly selective shorts competition, which features only 10 international titles, places “Aman” among a small group of shorts receiving premium festival positioning.

The international sales deal with Parallax Films arrives at an opportune moment, allowing the company to leverage the festival premieres for buyer outreach and distribution negotiations across multiple territories. Sales companies typically time announcements to coincide with major festival berths, using premiere screenings as showcases for potential distributors and broadcasting partners.

Representing Queer Indian Cinema

The project represents a significant addition to the growing body of queer Indian cinema reaching international audiences through festival circuits and specialized distribution channels. The multilingual production approach, combining Hindi and Bengali dialogue, roots the story in specific cultural contexts while addressing universal themes of identity and self-determination.

The four-country co-production structure reflects the increasingly transnational nature of independent cinema, with creative and financial resources pooled across the United Kingdom, United States, India, and France. This international framework positions the film for potential distribution across multiple markets while maintaining artistic coherence.

As “Aman” prepares for its world premiere, the combination of sensitive subject matter, authentic casting, international festival selection, and professional sales representation creates a strong foundation for the film’s journey through the global festival circuit and potential commercial distribution pathways.

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